Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-06-09
NOT pEAp.HEAp."

The Washington staff CORE
spondent of the New York Times,
who is certainly one of the best
informed men about the national
capital in regard to coming events,
telegraphs to the Times of the 9TH
a column in regard to the Blaine
business. He says: "The produc-
ton of the letters was a kind OF
forlorn hope, of the success OF
which all were somewhat uncer-
tain. But the occasion was despe-
rate and required the boldest
measures. 1t was but a short time
ago that it had almost been decided
that a kind of mutual and mixed
counsel should be called to exam
inc the letters and give a certificate
to the country that they were all
harmless. Such a proceeding it is
now agreed would have been fatal,
and the success of the bold move
ment has been SO great they all
wonder they ever doubted its ex-
pediency. In fact some enthusiast
tic souls have gone so far as to
conjure up the idea that when
Blaine first looked over the pack
age of letters in Mulligan's room
he instantly conceived the whole
scheme of Selling them and Great
ing a great excitement and then
producing them in the manner
which has been seen-that the
drama was instantly composed.
This, however, does not agree very
we'll with Mr.. Blaine's statement
before the committee, that the pub
LEGATION of the letters would en-
barrass him, nor with the scheme
to suppress them or the assurance
of their harmlessnesS by an emf
nent congregation Of counselors.
All that Mr.. Blaine's friends admit
concerning the bad features in the
letters are that they are unfortunate
in their expressions, This is the
way in which they dispose Of the
letter in which Blaine conveyed to
Caldwell the information of the
serviceable ruling which he had
made, and the other letter in which
he states he will not prove a dead
head if he once embarks in the
enterprise" In conclusion he sums
up the probable effect in this man.
ner:
1t may perhaps be stated as the jadg
ment of the coolest politlcians-ior ex.
ample, those who will discuss the subject
like sensible, sober, thinking men, aod
not as if they were electioneering for
some candidate-that Mr.. Blaine's pros
poets in the Convention are improved to
day over any time since the first day
that Mulligan was examined, but tina
they are at best no better than before
that examination; hat the movement o.
yesterday will not have ceased to ope
rate by the time the Convention meets
and that it will secure from one class al
much support as the letters themselves
will lose him from another; that they ar,
fearfully damaging; that they prove tht
dealings in subsidy railroad stocks b.
the Speaker of the House, aud that the,
will meet Mr. Blaine atevery step il nomi
mated, and that they would defeat Of
render uncertain Republican success
with him as a candidate. All VIII
doubted the expediency Of bis nomina
ton a week ago are equally, if not NOR
strongly, in doubt to-day.
1t is evident, after reading tn
dispatches Of this morning and par
ticularly the statement of Mr.. Tar
box, Of Massachusetts,, that Blain
is settling down permanently OIL
the ragged edge of despair. II
has a few friends who stand b
him, but the Republican press i
not by any means unanimously o
opinion that he is an innocent maj
or the kind of timber to use il
making either a martyr or a Presi
dent. The Times of the 9TH inst
says editorially:
Whoever is responsible Tor sending tn
Blaine correspondence in driblets TO th
press, so as to prevent people from
once perceiving the plain story whic
they tell, has done Mr.. Blaine a vel
questionable service. Such tactics ca
only lead to the conclusion that NJ
Blaine's defense" in addition to beir
imperfect, is also disingenuous Fo,
letters Of the seven contain evident
enough out Of Mr.. Blaine's own mou
to prove that he is not q fit person
become the Presidential candidate
the Republican party, and that is, aft
all, the one point in regard to N
Blaine on which an immediate decisi
is necessary.