National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-01-27
SPEAKER BLAINE AND THE NEW YORK
TRIBUNE"

hhuR I'll OUR IutuTe uOpeb!
SPEAKER BLAINE AND THE NEW YORK
TRIBUNE"
In its issue of the 18th instant the New
York Tribune advertised for a MAN to
''step out in front, and ION behalfof hun
"dreds of thousands of honest Republi-
leans, Qike Whitelaw ReidO to say that
the suppression of domestic violence in
Louisiana by Federal power, in obedience
"to the Constitution of the United States,
"(Article ", is not Republicanism, but
"Grantism. This most bitter of all the
organs of the Opposition and foulest libeler
of the Republican party, writhing still un-
der the whipping the people gave it and its
followers in Grants second election, in
1872, affects much distress at the peril in
which the party has been placed because
rufianism failed to sustain minority rule in
one branch of the Louisiana Legislature on
the 4th instant This eleventh hour laborer
in the negro hating vineyard finds itself
still in charge of the affairs of the party it
abandoned long ago, and froths and fumes
in such expressions as Infamous policy"
"sullen roar," ''usurpation, " military IA
vorite,'' ''scoundrels,' ''throttled and
robbed, " ''high handed outrage" ''sover-
eign State &c, &c. 1t is grieved that,
notwithstanding the rebel yell from Louis
lana and the shril screams of the Indepen-
dent press bandItti, mo one stirs.' "Jas.
G. Blaine, we are told, ''from the Speak
"er's chair, looks only through the Avenue
"to the mansion at the other end - yet,
complains Mr.. Whitelaw Reid, editor of
the Tribune, this Aspirnat for highest hon
OrS has seen the party wrestling" go
down" ''stagger," &c, and 'fsays not a
word" Nay, Mr.. Reid becomes confiden-
tial, and tells US that che (meaning Mr..
Speaker Blaine) has hesitated and fall
"tered AID mutt6red under his breath the
things he dared not speak aloud" con-
corning the conduct of the United States in
suppressing domestic violence in Louisiana.
This announcement of the Speakers de-
signs upon the White House, and the
rather startling assertion that he has "mut-
tered under his breath" for the ears of
Whitelaw Reid, things he dared not say
aloud in the presence of his party asso-
GATES, would be unworthy of notice but for
the following circumstances: A few days
after they appeared in the Tribune that
journal informed the world with some
flourish that IFS editor in-chief (the afore-
said Reid had been stopped by the police
in Washington, while on his way to dine
NTH Mr.. Blaine, upon sworn information
that he (Reid) had been guilty of an infa-
nous crime. Further, it stated that the
accused did finally dine with the Speaker,
and was interrupted by unmannerly SER
vice of a summons to answer to a suit for
sundry willful and malicious libels
AS no friend of Mr. Blaine's
has denied this statement, that Reid dined
as aforesaid, it may, perhaps, be accepted
as truth, notwithstanding its source. Now,
while the Speakers house is his castle,
into which he may invite whomsoeVer he
will, his relations with the Republican
party hereafter must depend very much
upon what occurs over the wine upon
such occasions Not that We expect by
investigation to ascertain the words spoken
or have any desire so to do. Indeed, but
for Mr.. Reid's rather vulgar advertisement
Of the fact, we should not have known
that he had been admitted into such good
society. But, then, such matters will bear
fruit. If the Tribune should suddenly
abandon the White League assassins in the
South we should be inclined to think the
Speaker had shown it the present error of
its ways and should expect to see an early
retraction Of the charge of double facedness
made against Mr. Blaine by his guest-Mr.
Whitelaw Reid-as above quoted. This
would exalt the Speaker very much in the
esteem Of sound Republicans, and all others
who sustain the thirteenth, fourteenth and
fifteenth amendments to the Constitution
against the efforts of the Southern destruc-
tive party and their Northern allies to rem
der them nugatory. 1t would then appear
that Blaine, and not Reid, possessed the
masterful quality of leadership of which
Presidents should be made. But if the
Tribune shall continue to bawl against the
wickedness and corruption of opposing the
incorrigibles of the South and their diabol
ism, and shall insist that all who do not
denounce the protection Of States by the
Federal Government, against domestic yio-
lence, are the base tools Of Grant, then we
shall expect either to see the Speaker and
Mr.. Reid on less friendly terms, or to hear
the Speaker ''say aloud" the things Mr..
Reid now accuses him of having '.muttered
under his breath" In this latter case the
Republican party would, of course, reluc-
family part with Mr.. Blaine, as they have
parted with other once-beloved leaders
whose ambition made them so anxious to
conciliate enemies that they forgot the i'm
portance of standing by principles and
party friends. ......
The Speaker appointed committee on
Louisiana affairs. This committee sent a
subcommittee to New Orleans, and the
subcommittee returned with a mean parti
san report, so unfair on its face that it did
not even keep probability in view. This
report was, of course, the work Of Mr..
William Walter Phelps, who is said to own
considerable interest in the New York
Tribune. The Speaker having dined Mr.
Raid Mr. William WaItar DbaIns d;nas