St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-06-09
Mr.. Blaine Explains.

Mr. Blaine made all ~ PLANTATION IN tn, House on
Monday. emphasizing II with Il powerful speech
which fairly took the breath away from hi. ac-
custr- and lifted his friends right "ti their feet
lie gave up those letters and they read he
accused the committee "t -uppr-->ing "a cable dis
patch which completely "N"n"rated him III n certain
transaction, and proved il Altogether IT
scene III the house long I" hr remembered.
We have not room Ia give the details OF Mr..
Blaine = explanation, and the replies from his dem
"cratic adv-rsiries which his hot shot drew forth.
hut give comments and SCENES IN this
Ikahlr drama. The Brst"n J"urndls special
Elaine speech commenced i'll almost bre;,thless
silence 1t ended III almost perfect thunder of ap-
plII-,- Blaine has long been noted for the
drrtu fertility Of his intellectual Resources for his
philAhi'ht'lN >hli and for his audacl"u> bravery
II" made u>, OF all OF his resources to-day. lie
calm and deliberate. mpaSsIuurd aud auda-
ci"us 10y turns. and always skiltul.
A. thu climax approached he exhibited a courage
which -uhdurd his opponents and electrified the
HOUSE There has PROBABLY never been
dramatic and effective scene III the House than
CURED when Blaine. walking down the long aisle
Speakers desk, with threatening el"qurncr ar
rilgnlng Proctor Knott for >uppressing that
culpat"rN telegram from Josiah caldwell. The
thunder Of applause that drowned Blanr'- strong
N"l'" seemed L" turn the red cheeks al Pr""t"r
Knott 1" palrness
Mr. Elaine friends ut Washington say that his
statement has shown his entire tranknrss man
and politician 1t Was in effect t" invite forty
millions ut people tn his private correspondence
hut he did this in a manner which has satisfied the,
public demand and has at the time preserved
his personal homer. His great -rn-itivtnt-s about
having these letters printed shows that he has a
tine sense of pr"prirty. and the general judgement
IL that he has brneittrd 10y the production q
these letters. Many convinced that the letters
show Mr.. Bla ines integrity and mauhn"d To lee
the highest plane The Blaine people insist. that
I" the of the effect OF TN, day is entirel,
III favor "f blaine rs a man. however much uIin-
ions may still differ t" lis effect upon him a.
Presidential candidate Even II he made q mis-
take in srizing the letters. it was they claim To
maintain what hr believed t. Ice the personal night
Of all American citizen.
WHAT THE LETTERS SHOW.
The letters ii is true the Blaine men say show
that he has had in railroad bonds but
they also Indicate the highest SENSE OF honor in
connection with his business transactions two
points. it is insisted. are especially established 10y
the letters First they afford conclusive evidence
that Elaine is not the wealthy man Ia, has been
considered to be for il appears that late lisa
he found it difficult To raise comparatively small
sums of money. This seems Ia he true both OF thu,
period before and after he was Speaker. Second
that he had not sufficient political influence with
JAY Cooke \ Co. To- obtain a letter of credit from
them for Fisher for 100000 without paving tn,
money. This it is argued utterly rrtutes the sen
satinnal store. which have. connected Blaine win
the iobbcrirs of the JAY Cooke firm
The fact of producing these letters gave Blaine
at once the sympathy Of the House. His prompt
/ explanation oi every part which seemed dubious
and questionable served 10 increase sympathy
The effect of the suppression by the ext onfed-
crates of the Judiciary Committee of the tcl,-
gram from Caldwell received last Thursday
intensified by the composition of the sub commit
tee organized Ia try Blaine and by the ntens, par
tiSan feeling which Proctor Knott. Chairman of
the Judiciary Committee. exhibited in his -xpla-
nation of that matter. These circumstance seem
ill a great degree Ia Justify the charge, on th,. part
| of the Republicans that the democrats have been
managing the whole Investigation rather in the
spirit of a conspiracy than Judicial proceed
ing.
INCIDENTS WHEN THE LETTERS WERE PRESENTED.
After preliminary and explanatory remarks by
Nh Blaine. frequently interrupted by some mem.
Der, hr came t" the point follows:
The gentleman CMulliganD tried his best aI,,, Jun.
I'll believe that idea had been abandunrdJ to cap
ture and use and control my private correspondence
This man had selected out Of IA correspondents. run
ninG over "A great many Years, letters which Ia.
thought would Ice peculiarly damaging To me lie.
. came here loaded with them; he can,. here. for "A
sensation he came here pTimed he came here on
I that particular errand. was advised a it and |
obtained th-S. letters under circumstance which
nav" been nnt"riously scattered through uut the
| nted States and arr known every here. have
thtm th"dlnG mp package. claim that have
tue entire night To these letters not only by natural
night but On all the presidents and principles of
law The man who held them in his possession
held them wr"ngtully, and the committee which
attempted I" take these letters from this man for
use against me proceeded wrongfully. Ii proceed
ed IN the boldest and most defiant violation of the
ordinary personal and private rights that belong To
every American citizen
| would like any gentleman this floor land all
! of them are presumed to be- men of affairs whose
business has varied whose intercourse has been
largeD to stand up here and say that hr is willing
and ready t" have his private correspondence for
the last ten OF twelve Years handed over and made
public. Does il imply guilti Does il imply wrong
DOING Does 1t imply sense of weakness that IA
man Will protect his private correspondence No
sir Ii is mans first instinct Ia do il. and il il
but outrage any man To violate it have drtied
| the power t. take these letters from d" it
still. speak with all RESPECT to this House.
] is nov ers | | hen
but SAY that this House has more power Ia
order what shall be done not done with my pr
vate correspondence than il has Ia order what
shall do with the future and admunitiun of nv
children; not one particle more. But am about
! To show the letters (hOlding them up in his handI