Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-01-18
Mr., BLAINE TRIUMPHANT.
Hrs GROWING PoPULARITY-AN ELOQUENT
CHAMPION AMONG THE CoLoRED PEOPLE.

Hrs Growing PoPULARITY-AN ELOQUENT
CHAMPION AMONG THE CoLoRED PEOPLE.
Correspondence Kennebec journal.
WASHINGTON, May II, 1876.
Well there is q lull in the storm of scandal
which was poured upon Mr.. Blaine. His enemies
have ceased their infamous attacks, always ex-
cepting the two or three Of the most VIGOROUSLY
bad sheets like the Boston Herald and New York
Sun. OF course we not taking into account at
all the mud sppes of the ex-confederate press IN
Maine, with whom any loyal and true man is OBJ
noxious enough. but one of their own neighbors,
who knows them too well, is particularly de-p'sed
because he is feared. In spite of his detracton'
Mr.. Blaine seems to be steadily advancing towards
the Presidency. l am not so certain that they
have not helped i'm forward, for since they have
made such fierce and SC sndaious war upon him,
the warmth Of his friends is greatly Increased.
And many who before were only favorable to him
as their second choice have come out among his
most ardent champions. IL seems as though even
his en-, mics were raised up to help him, for how
essentially they have contributed 10 III, pfomi-
hence and popularity!
Let us begin with the Foster letter which was
stolen for use by the Kingfiell Patriot. Gt have
the name Of the paper wrong will YOU correct it =
That was going to ruin Mr. Blame, and 1t
shortly the editor Of the Kinsfeld Patriot
swoke TO the fact that nothing could do
Mr. Blaine more good than such efforts,
and SO he accused somebody of having led him
into the publication Of the letter for Baiues ben
eft. The poor fellow imagined himself stool
pigeon, and il evident that he would be very
good one if he could find a cause mean enough to
employ such talent.
Then began the attacks upon Mr. Blaine as
radical who had lost his official position and con-
seauenty his power. Fernando Wood, honest
soul, thought go, Until he awOke somebody who
knew right from wrong IN the LOUISIANA business.
That innocent democIa at has not camped anywhere
near Mr. Blnines path since the first days of the
session. Sam Randall, Sunney Cox, Ben Hill,
and several other ex-confederates, went for Mr.
Blaine in their turn, and the howl was sent mp
from the LIBERAL and democratic press. who sup
posed that "Blaine had killed himself by his rad
ical amnesty speech. They awoke few days al
forwards to find that Blaine was walking away
from all other competitors for the Presidency, be.
cause of the action which they predicted would
ruin him. They had helped him again, and given
new life to the Republican party by their disioyal
invitations to the combat The northwest in par
ticular was abaze with enthusiasm and delight at
Blaines mastery handling Of the ex confederates,
and his exposure Of their traitorous plots.
1t was no use, and they acknowledged It, to al
tack Blaine by direct advance, and they aban
doned that line for one more congenia They
began their eerie. of scandals with gleefu antic-
ipstions. Now they had Blaine where he could
not use their records against them. There was
something significant in that, and still further IN
the fact that nobody could fight SO well with dirty
weapons as they could. They brought out IN
quick succession, the sixty-four thousand dollar
scandal, the various other vague rumors OF I'm
proper railroad transactions, several disgusting
domestic lies, and the smuggling yarn: The
greater part of these, aud the most shameful YER
sions of them, did not live long enough to be
named, for, strange as it may seem, even the DEM
ocrats were ashamed OF them. Those which did
live to be named were 40 promptly stamped out by
Mr. Blaine that every decent newspaper in the
land acknowledged his triumphant vndicatlon.
And this leads me back to say again that he has
gained many warm friends through the efforts of
the scandal mongers to injure him. This is es-
pecially apparent in Pennsylvania, Ohio and New
York, where many newspapers lately have been
outspoken for his nomination. They Judge well
that the man who is so hateful to the Democratic
party must be a worthy Republican, and would be
. model President. 1t is gratifying sign that
the dav has not yet arrived when the ex-conieder-
ate officers in Congress can dictate policy to the
country they fought to destroy.
Prof John Nj. l.angstou made very able
speech to the Maine club, on Wednesday night.
lie is one of the leading colored men in the coun
try, an able aud pleasing speaker. Besides, he Is
. pronounced Blaine man, and IS doing all he can
to promote bis nomination for President. In his
speech he took the ground that Providence would
over-rule the schemes of the disloyal and wicked
men of the South. Providence had raised up two
T
coin and then Grant, and Providence was bring
ing forward another leader When this scs-
sion Of Congress began he had told our represen-
tative that this ex confederate House was sent to
US as punishment-that it might warn us to be-
ware of trusting the country too far toward, the
verge of Stare rights and the rule of the old
slaveocrac He knew that Blaine must make
that amnesty speech or something of the sort, that
would arouse the sleeping Republicans. and point
to the who is to be taken the leader in this
our new time of trial. He had told Mr.. Blaine
that the hand Of the people was leading him to-
ward, the highest honors the gift Of the nation,
and an awful responsibility rested upon him. AL
together, MIR. Laugstons speech is one of the best
with which the club has been favored, and we hope
that during the coming canvass he may be induced
to visit Maine, unless it is judged that he can do
more valuable service among his people 10 the
South. lie believes in Blaine, and he believes in
the success of the Republican party, even in most
Of the Southern STATES, if the canvass can be prop
erly managed. j. w. b.