The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-06-07
Blaine's Brilliant Stroke.
How the Correspondents describe the
Scene.
I Boston Adyertiser.1

| ooituoiJ vas oOucWudt
in certain ne wspapers a few days ago, achieved
to-day what is unquestionably the most bril-.
liant triumph of his life. beginning on the
defensive by laying before the House and the
whole people the letters upon which such dan
gerous presump tions sgainst him have been
based, he assumed the aggressive with sud-
denness and force that was fairly electrfying
| in its effect and carried utter confusion and
dismay into the very midst of his enemies.
Very few indeed, however, looked for the ter
rife blow which from his new vantage ground
he launched with such overwhelming power
against his foes. No term can be too strong to
characterize the effect of Mr.. Blaine's charge
that Caldwelfs despatch generating him had
been suppressed. With all his amazing energy
and magnetic power he hurled the accusations
against the kentucky member, and as he
ceased speaking and stood in the area before
the Speakers desk, shaking his uplfted right
hand toward Knott, the house aud CALLER les
almost involuntarily burst into applause
Many were drawn into it actually against their
wills The noise of hands and feet grew louder
in spite of the Speakers gavel, which in anoth-
er moment was fairly drowned, as the enthu-
siasm and sympathy of the immense audience
fairly broke out into shouts and cheers From
that moment Mr. Blaine was victor, Nothing
could Withstand the tide of sympathy which he
had aroused. The tables were turned and the
Judiciary committee was on the defensive
Boston Post Dem.1
Betrayed in the house of his frieads, finding
the ground crumblIng beneath his feet under
the calm, fair judicial processes of the House sub
Judiciary Committee, driven to the wall utter
ly desperate, Blaine, to-day, by a coup Retat
worthy of the First Napoleon, wrested the n-
vnStioa finn from, ha ~ tbo I;o;,
Committee, seized the floor of the House, and
by the most magnifcently audacous act of his
life and most brilliant display of fighting
ability on the floor has forced his party to sus
tain him as man prosecuted in their behalf
by the Southern element in the House.
He began quietly and for half hour was stu
pd. He read and reviewed the Luttrel and
Tarbox resolutions to investigate the railroads.
He claimed that they were both aimed at him
and not at the railroads. He complained that
the Investigations had been prosecutions He
accused Proctor Knotr, Chairman of the Ju-
dietary Committee, of having appointed two
rebel Generals and no Northern Democrats on
the subcommittee to Investigate him. out of
spirit of revenge for his amnesty speech during
the earlv part of the session. At last he came
to the Fisher letters, and both House and gal
leries changed in moment from lstess mat
tentloD to intense attention Blaine as sudden
ly grew dramatic His defence of his right to
the letters and his announced desire to take is
sue on the question created "a profound sensa-
ton and ELECTED applause from his side of the
House. Then he announced that he was now
determined to read them, and pulling tine bun
| die from his POCKET shook them dramatically at
| the Democratic side, The effect was electric.
| The whole Republican side of the House
cheered and applauded. The galleries shouted.
The Speakers gavel bad no effect and order
was only partially restored when Mr.. Cox, who
was in the chair threatened to clear the CALLER
les and the floor. Then Blaine began to read
them in rapid but clear tone of voice, stop
| ping occasionally to make a brief explanation.
As each letter was read and made light of by
Blaine, the Republicans seemed TO breathe eas.
| er and cheered repeatedly. When the last one
was read and the dreadful suspicious which
Blaines inexplcable action in regard to these
letters has created were dispelled, it seemed as
| though his party friends were beside them
selves. His claquers upon the floors and in
the galleries gave the signal and floor and gal
leries cheered b aine vociferously for presum-
| ing to take the investigation out of the hands
of the Committee and attempting to bully the
House.
For some minutes after Blaine concluded
confusion reigned supreme again. The Speak
| er ordered a strict enforcement of the rule ex-
cluding all out privileged persons, and ordered
| the police to assist the doorkeepers. Bnt the
l climax after that came suddenly. When
/ Blaine wheeled toward the Democratic side
and charged Proctor Knott with having sup
/ pressed evidence favorable to him, the House
became silent in an instant. Knott denied the
/ charge. Blaine demanded to know whe thel
| Knott knew Caldwelrs address. Knott,
| trapped for the minute, made the evasive an
| swer that he had been trying to get Caldwelps 8
Address for some time, but had thus far failed.
l Dashing down the aisle ia his most impetuous
manner, with all the dramatic power which he
possesses Blaine with head thrust forward,
with shaking finger, and in his most defiant
| tones, charged that Knott last Thursday re-
ceived despatch from Caldwell, completely
exonerating him (Blaine) and Offering to make
an affidavit that Blaine never received any
railroad bonds from him (Caldwell. The eff
feet was like touching lighted match to a
barrel of guupowder.
A storm of mingled cheers and Kisses fol-
lowed. The galleries cheered and stamped,
| and the police had to be called in again. Mr.
| Cox declares that it was the most tempestuous
scene he has witnessed in the House In TWEEN
| ty years. 1t was field day for Blaine. BY
his sublime audacity he had again placed the
majority ,on the defensive, and when Gen. Hun
ton rose to defend the sub-Judiciary Committee
there was general feeling that he mad her.
cuean task.
boston Journal.l
The letters, it is true, the Blaine men say
show that he had transactions in railroad
bonds, but they also indicate the highest sense
of honor in connection with his business trans
actions. Two points, it is insisted, are especi-
ally established by the letters: First, they afford
conclusive evidence that Blaine is not the
wealthy man he has been considered to be, for
it appears that as late as 1874 he found it diff
cult to raise comparatively small sums of mon
ey. This seems to have been true both of the
period before and after he was Speaker. Sec
ond, that he had not sufficient political inhu-
ence with Jay Cooke & Co., to obtain letter
of credit from them for Fisher for $4,000 with
out paying the money. This, it is argued, ut
terly refntes the sensational stories which have
connected Blaine with the jobberies of the Jay
Cooke firm. Blaine's friends admit it to be
true that there are one or two sentences
in one of the letter rs which can be
forced into bad constructions; but
these sentences they claim are also susceptible
of a good construction, and inasmuch as the
whole of the correspondence can be construed
without prejudice to Blaine it is fair to con-
strue these sentences in favorable light.
The fact of producing these letters gave
Blaine at once the sympathy of the House. His
prompt explanation of every part which
seemed dubious aud questionable served to n-
| crease sympathy. The effect of the suppress
sion by the ex-Confederates of the Judiciary
Committee os the telegram from Caldwell re-
| ceived last Thursday was intensified by the
| composition of the sub committee organized tt
| try Blaine, and by the intense partisan feeling
which Proctor Knott, Chairman Of the Judici
| ary Committee, exhibited in his explauatIon O
that matter. These circumstances seem in
| great degree to justify the charge on the par
| of the Republicans that the Democrats have
been managing the whole investigation rather
in the spirit of a conspiracy than as Judicial
| proceeding.
One gentleman said that he had for some
time been impressed with the belief which be
had frequently seen published. that Blaine was
simply managing politician in an adverse anG
unfavorable sense But he considered thai
/ these letters show him to be possessed of a.
nice feelings and of as fine sense of honor a.
is often the case with public men.
The one fact that this investigation is con
Quoted by two rebel generals, it is considered
| will of itself produce an electrfying effect
! throughout the country, and that the conse
| quent enthusiasm for Blaine as man will be
| irresistible.
| A Western Congressman who has been very
enthusiastic for Blaine says this..makes Blaine's
nomination absolutely secure. There is no hu.