The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-06
EX-SPEAKER BLAINES CASE
MS LETTERs READ TO THE HOUSE
WTTu RUNNING COMMENTS.
~h, Spencer Repeating rise, and simon
Cameron's Order for Test nv the Ord
nance iBureau-What the Hon. Proctor
Knott Notes ns n VI o-t Significant Fact.


wAsurSoToS, June 5.-The excitement
aver Dlaines personal explanation In the House
'to.d.y surpassed that growing out Of tho famous
amnesty debate. The galleries and the floor Of
the House were packed with the friends Of
Baine and at times the applause was almost
disorderly. His friends claim that he has won a
sisnal victory over his encmies. and that no Ia
now more than ever master OF the situation at
Cincinnati. II Is quito true that the feel
ing to-day ran nigh In his favor, be-
oause ALL tho tricks Of the popular orator
were eIerted to turn the occasion to his advan-
tage hut the letters, even with his explanation
Of them, sre still very damaging, and the sober
Judgment OF the people will pronounce them
fatal to the writer Of them. Three or four OF
them ore "a bad as they well can be. and what Ia
worse his explanation does not make them ap-
pear much better. Notwithstanding this
fact nearly all the Republicans are
confident that nothing now can prevent
his nomination. That they are carried away by
the dramatic and scenic effects OF the scene 10
the House Ia very evident. They take note
only OF Blaine's spsrrlns with Knott and Hun
ton. and seem to forget that the millions who
read the letters will ,ot see the attitudiniznT
OF the great orator, while they will study him as
be appears to them a a letter writer.
The letter In which he explains his ruling on
land to the Little Rock and Fort Smith Road Is
the moet dan aging, and this the public will ac-
cept, even with his explanation, as an effort on
his part TO Impress the officers Of the rsilroad
company with the value Of the services he had
rendered them 10 getting through their leeisla-
tlon.
HIS explanation OF the Spencer rife business
will also prove unsatisfactory to the public gen
orally, because, although Mr.. Blaine was not
member OF Congress when he nrst became the
agent OF the Spencer Arms Company. ho was the
military agent Of the State Of Maine. and In his
onlci capacity alone had influence at Washing
ton. More than that he became the owner
OF the $4,000 worth OF stock In the
arms company after he had been elect
ed member OF Congress. Throughout,
the letters are those OF jObber and show
plainly that ne was all the time intent upon
getting rich by the sale OF his Official influence.
Indeed, In one OF the letters lie speaks Of how
useful he can be to the men to whom he is on r
Ing his services for IA consideration. Altogether,
then, It may be set down as certain that, with
Nj his stage airs and threatening aspect on the
soor of the House to-day, Blaine will be still
tower In public estimation a few days hence
than he before he made his last personal
explanation.
MR.. BLAINE's SPEECH.
MIR. Blaine. rising to a question Of privilege,
addressed the House on the subject of the in
vestigation into the Union Pacific and Northern
Pacific transactions, In which his name had be.
come involved. He read the resolution offered
by Mr. rarbox OF Massachusetts. and said the
author OF that resolution bad at the time dis
claimed any particular allusion to him (Mr.
Balne), disclaimer which he regarded at the
time with some little incTedulity. 1t soaD be-
came entirely obvious that the resolution was
solely aud only aimed at MIN, and that the
Unlon PAGihc matter or any other incident to
the iDvostiR alton WAS secondary, insisnlncant,
and unimporttut. He did not complain of that
he was teOdy TO meet 1t. The gentleman on
whose statement the accusation rested (Nr.
Harrison) had been the rrst man called, and I'D
stated what he knew from rumor; then Nr.
h hlilns, Mr. Norton, MI. S,l,lafd, .hu Nr' !. a.
Scott were examined, and their testimony was
complete aud conclusive in ui'proof OF his (Nr
Bsine') having had anything whatever TO do
an early report from the committee, out H. hiu
been prolonged. and proloneed, and prolonged,
at being told that the committee would then
turn 10 investigate the transactions OF
the Northern Pac a Ralload Company. on a
newspaper report That there had been some
effort on his part, with a friend In Boston. to
procure Ior hlm some shares OF tnat company
twhch EFFORT had proved abortive). lie had
asked the gentleman from Virginia. the hair
mIn II the uo-committec Mr. luntOD). under
what authority he proposed to make mat M
yestigatIon, and mad been told that tue author
~ Was resolution offered by S.r. Lu, trell Of
California, on the 3lst OI January. He thought
tIat 4lr. Luttrell would be surprised to find out
that the FIRST lhing they did un. or IA { resolu,
.nn was to bnng iis whole furce to bear on
little transaction In Boston which had proved
never 10 be Transaction at ALL That investisa-
tlon was begun, and three -itnesses had testi-
Fed Just precisely as The circumss nces were.
THUNDER ALL AROUND THE SKY.
He had no sooner got through wi h that than,
10 auo'ber part OF the CAPITOL without the
sghtest notice or warning TO him, the Com
mittee on the Real Estate Pool rad entered n
lnyestgaton specifically aimed at him, so that
toere we're three iDvestigalIons gong on At the
pIsted. lie unaerstood that the Gent rentlemnn
from Virginia (Mr. hunton) proposed tnis morn
ms s,lii another inquiry about the Kansas Pa
cue kllroad Comp NY a transaction " blCh was
niIeen years old, even II II existed and tnis was
slso aimed at hun. Now, he would say aud say
nDOlilF that under these general powers TO in-
veslgAie specirc ralrOAd com paules the whole |
inquiry Of the committee 5 aimed personally |
AZ ilm. WHY did they not orgauI ze d committee |
70 Investigate James q. Blame. lie wanted To |
meet The thing squaTely. ha did not wish to |
stir up any blOOr on mi, question hut he wouid |
pay mat ever since certain DEBATE took place |
~ Tue House IN January last 1t bad heen known |
tat tnat tnefe were gentlemen here whose feelings |
pau been IisIersted against him. and II was 10 |
be remarked that while there were seven Demo |
~ GGr'tc 'tc mem ers OF the Judci ,ry Cnmmttee, the |
Snalf'hah of INA committee T. knotU selected |
Oh tLe subcommittee to wnIch these matters |
hau oern referred, Two members from the South |
"uu hhl been in tue reLel army.
Mt Knott Inc matter Of Ia railroad inves-
.ga'i"n was reierfed to the suO- committee be- |
ns,i tS,y ever heard your name mentioned Ia con
neollJh win II. had no act or part IN incIting |
Any lhl"stgaIio n inllicdtins YOU AZ all.
,nlF IL ilue - hen the gentleman from Nir- |
sulA l'ir iuutoul insisted under that resolu.
sn'ni "Nl'h Was OBVIOUSLY on Tvs lace limited to |
~ t'tD bona trans lctiOn with the |
unph Pacihc iroad Company. or |
uH INTO all Of the an tifs OF the |
L.te Rock ana Fort smith Railroad |
,,ombany as incidental thereto, aud pursued It |
70 surh an extent that finally ! had myself |
n,yesn my cole igue, (Sr. Frye TO take an ap-
,val me iull ruunittee, ana the fun commit
t tIe utc'del mat Mr HuutOn hdd no right t. 20 |
~ H. hdt when he cnIne back no Resumed |
XIV ca ihilipn eI ictiy in the same way untll |
n, vas n.ppird by ~ COLLEAGUE (Nlr Frye acting |
~ ,e NY attorney but Hs my tiiend snd when |
.n'tl lht witness Mulligdn came here loaded |
n "A. 'l NIHall IN IN regard 10 the Fort smith |
az" ~ Ml- lluulun drew out What he knew |
a. n' Irlri nee whichever to the question un-
~, 't'''9-is sitl1n, ana tueu and there insisted |
h. NN lfFde memoranda being allowed TO
n A'INiied IS TINS man Mullisan, wnicn h id
NJ '''' .hr' tlnn or relation with this luYes-
n, .." i'h Nlit tue nlrin pole. The gentle
Ia" N'rd lh' best uutil, believe, thattI
10, ,"e"h 'hAudOued- to caplute and control my |
F"''te cDifr-. .nudcucc.
''-N'i"d InE sTEAIINO or THE LETTERS.
49, int Mu.llgan had selected out OF a cor
lei ',t+. @ running Oyrf great many years
""l'4 hf Thought would 10 prCuli irlY |
tIen@ ~ l"e. lie Cdu.o here lOdued with |
het' He alit htru fur a st satlOu. n e came
efr.,t co., Hc came here on that q ,rtioulaI
leirsr wa ADVISED Of II. and obtained these
notor'N, N,Itr tiit Ims,auees which have been