St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-06-02
T'1III TTIt 'N.ItT dIIItTI It'''I' III''H dN
How Mr.. Blaine has been Strengthened
by Slanderous Charges and Demo
cratic Investigations

CIdIIC 1nNtSllSdIlOllS
The Sacramento Record- Union. ON,
of the leading Republican papcI> al
California. concludes an article review
ing the S6I.oOo Islander against Mr.
Blaine with the, following remarks:
1t j. t" be hoped that Nh. Elaine.
political opponents have now ha,
enough of investigating him, but il they
deSlIe To keep up the business it Is u"t
probable that his friends will offer ANY
strenuous objections, seeing that he i,
being investigated toward the Whit,
House with Il rapIditl absolutely phr
uomcual. II l. not a common result 81
such inquiries that the object of then
should gam strength instead of losing
it from their developments. but Their,
can hc no question that this * the ont
come in Blainc's case. Thus far, cVerN
attack upon him has made political cap
ital for him and ha- rccoilrd disastrous
| ly upon his d>Sailant>. and this last ar,
cu>ation has melted AVIAN 50 ludicrnu>l\
before the exhibition OF facts that til,
effect is almost t" give him the attitud,
of Il martyr. Nor Is this all. for tier,
is lesson III this inquiry which the
| public will hc slow to apply generally
Ii has been shown in the present ease thai
an absolutely innocent man may, 10y tn,
operation al mrIe gossip and rumor>
! he made to lie for NcaI> under Il dam
aging charge, and Il charge which prob
ably nothing hut an inquiry of this kind
or Il regular Judicial process, could clea,
!lm from. At Il time when loose nc
Il L.. / /,
fashion. il j. clear that Il discovery lik,
tins has special Significance. At LEAFS
II proves the danger and injustice u
accepting flying rumnrs, and suggests
strong doubt aS To whether half the he
llciS that are entertained about tn,
guilt of public men may not he rs il
founded us the story about Blaine A
to the Latter. though no doubt he Is re-
licNrd to hc liberated from the irritatin!
burden of false charge. the effect q
the inquiry and lis sequel upon his pn
litical prospects is So fortunate that h,
can hardly regret having been expose,
to the Islander.
SO much has he gained that we Ice
licvc if the National Republican Con
Vcntion were to he held Tomorrow
there is no candidate who could contcS
with him successfully for the nomina
ton. And there is sound philosophy il
the feeling with which the people ar
coming to regard him. for while all de
mand Il candidate of unbIemiShed char
acter, it is felt that Il man who ha
passed through the fire and come on
nnscathed. must be really more trust
worthy than one who, no matter hoy
high his reputation, has never under
gone such II crucial trial. 1t is be"in
ming to he realized that Blaine'S tiwh
has been made far more 10y his cnrmie
than 10y his friends OF than 10y himself
Had he been Il weak man. or an impur
man. his reputation would have bee
riddled 10y this time. But after malic
had expended all its venom against hin
he stands out brighter and purcr to TN
eye than at the outset. and there is no
Il cIevice to he discovered IN his armu
Of proof.
Nor is it less obvious that the cours
of the Democrats is tending to rendt
Blaine the most eligible man the K,
puhlicanS can take, from tactic;
! andpoint, for whereas with an IN
. known candidate the risk must hc eI
countered of all kinds of charges tur,
ing up against him after nomination. tn
Democrats are So ordering matters fin;
+ hy the time the convention meets the
| themselves will have unwittingly give
, Blaine the very strongest indOrSrmeI
conceivable, and will have ctfectuall
disposed of every charge which coul
lie brought against him in the canvas
1t may he said that there are plent
, of other men who could make as ere,
table IL showing under the Unforeseen
as he. and that may be conceded. bit
none of those other men have had tI
advantage of passing through the an
e healing furnace, and he has; and I'll
importance of this distinction can har,
~ he exaggerated. 1t is certain, to,
that the country now knows more ,
Blaine than of ANY other man who Ia
= been named for the Presidency. an