The daily gazette., 1876-01-12
CoNs' ReDIY TO blaine,

Blaine is a large man with ruddy |
cheeks and great white beard, the very
ideal Of manhood, and when he makes
set speech is dressed as an exquisite
When he sat down amid the applause of
the Radical Congressman on the floor of
the House on Monday he was evidently
elated, and supposed he had made great
hit and taken a long stride toward the
White House.
Cox is very small man, with white
feminine face; which is at his pleasure
the index of mirth and sarcasm.
His reply to Blaine on Monday, cut
short that gentleman's idea of his own
greatness so quickly that many of the
Democrats felt pity for the Radical,
notwithstanding the horrid lies to which
he had just given birth and set afoat on
the wings Of rumor. Coxs speech is well
described by the World correspondent:
The effect of the (Blaines speech was
intense. 1t thrilled both sides of the
House with all the animosities of the
war period, as it was designed to do
The Republicans, enjoyed a moment of
undisguised triumph as Mr.. Blaine sat
down.
Their exHltation was shost lived. Sew
eral members sprang up on the Demo-
cratic side of the House, and must con-
TESS that ] was disappointed when
heard the Chair recognize Mr.. Cox, OF
New York. | had heard the gentleman
make campaign speeches and did not
consider him equal to the emergency
For two or three minutes that conviction
grew stronger. In person he seemed in
significant las compared with his oppo-
nent, and his manner was eccentric and
his voice peculiar. But before long it
was clear that he was master of the stu
alton. He did not answer the argument
Of Blaine merely by showing that the
Republicans had hanged man as being
the one responsible for the crime at An
dersonville, and had allowed jeff. Davis
TO go scot free. He did not heap horror
upon horror in the story of our soldiers
sufferings and place the responsibility
where it belonged, upon Edwin M. Stan
ton, who, through cold-blooded policy
cut off the exchange of prisoners but ht
attacked the malice, dishonesty and hyp
ocrisy of Mr.. Blaine and his party il
dealing with the amnesty question. Ht
showed the severity at first employed
He denounced some of the pardonin,
which his opponent had boasted of a
the price of the apostacy of Southern
men, who were rewarded for aiding il
the plunder OF their own secticn. Final
~ he showed how public opinion hat
progressed SO far that the very measur
of general amnesty now proposed by Nj
Randall was adopted by a Republican
House.
He related how it was reported oy
committee of which Blaine was u mem
Der, with unamious appreciation, an
passed without one word of oppositio
from that gentleman, and then he con
trasted with bitter irony the past actio
OF his adversary with his solemn attesta
tion of good God as witness that he
could not consent to such a measure
But his speech was one of which no mer
outline can convey any impression. A
an answering argument, it paturall
lacked the plan and compactness of tn
speech to which it replied. But
abounded in points and varied from loft
even burlesque. The speaker carried th
House with him ,and low laugh of exul
ant satisfaction rippled among his asso
tes and over the galleries at every strob
he gave. The Republicans had greeted b
first qoutation from the sermon on til
Mount with derision, but as he went @
they grew restless and uneasy. Hos
and one or two others tried to affect ina
bention, but it was ghasty farce.
Blaine himself assumed, and probab
felt, a nonchalant Indifference in tt
beginning, but h0 began TO vince as bio
after blow fell. He had sneered at Il
Catholics and the Democracy. He vi
answered with a sneer as to the doub
concerning the faith in which he W
brought up himself. His motives we
impugned, and his ambition ridiculed.
His course in regard to amnesty W
compared derisiVely with that
Grant, whom he hopes TO succeed, al