The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-25

We think the long statement made in the
House yesterday by Mr.. Blaine will be
accepted as satisfactory by candid men OF
both political parties. To be sure 1t Is an
&c parte statement, and for that reason does
not produce quite the same impression that
would follow an exculpation by committee
of Congress who had probed the sub
ject to the bottom and declared their
belief that the charges against Mr..
Blaine are totally destitute Of founda-
| ton. But he assigns very good rea-
sons for collecting the evidence himself
and coming forward in his own vindication.
The action Of committee of Congress, he
says. would necessarily be slow, and the ac-
cusation would hang over his head for two or
three months, during which he would be
compelled to be silent. He thought it would
be better to refute them at once and put an
immediate stop to injurious and groundless
aspersions. He produced letters from MIR.
Rollins the Treasurer Mr.. Dillon, the Pres
ident, and Colonel Scott, former President
of the Union Pacific road, and also from
Morton, Bliss & Co.-that is to say,
from all the persons who were in
position to be cognizant of the transaction
charged-and they all declare in the most
phasis that no transaction of the kind ever
took place in which Mr. Blaine was directly
or indirectly concerned, or in which he or
anybody representing him or interested for
him received any pecuniary advantage. This
evidence must be regarded as conclusive
until some responsible accuser appears with
proofs to support his charges. 1t is difficult
to conceive that such proofs are possible,
when every person who could have been cog
infant of the transaction if it was not fcti-
tious, whether bankers or railroad officers,
make the most absolute and unqualified
denial that anything Of the kind ever took
place.
1t may be said, perhaps, that Mr.. Blaines
statement would have been more complete
had he also procured q letter from Mr.. Harri-
son, Of Indianapolis, formerly prominent
director of the road, and who has been con-
stantly cited as the original author of the
charge. What Mr.. Harrison is understood
to allege is that he found in the books of the
company evidence Of transaction in
which sixty-four thousand dollars had
been paid ont in suspicious manner
and that when he asked to have it
explained he was told that it would be
better to keep it quiet lest it should injure
Mr. Blaine. Mr.. Harrison did not pretend to
have any knowledge of his own connecting
Mr. Blaine with that unexplained entry in
the books of the company, and he could
have thrown no light on the subject if he
had been called upon. But every person
who must have known the facts, if any such
facts existed, denies upon knowledge what
Mr.. Harrison had reported on mere vague
suspicion and hearsay. It was quite un-
necessary to call on him, because he was o
mere inquirer after information and pos
sessed none himself beyond q book entry
which he says he did not understand.
Mr.. Blaine, beside the direct refntation of
the story, goes into q clear and apparently
frank explanation of his connection with the
Arkansas Railroad, and shows that nobody
] could have any motive to influence his ac-
ticn in Congress, because Congress had
nothing to do with the affairs of corpora
ton which held oil its franchises from q
State grant,
Accepting Mr. Blaine's vindication as
satisfactory, the public will be curious to
know who inspired the accusation. Who
has stood behind Mr. Harrison as his
prompter? He is republican in politics,
and is understood to be personal and
political friend of one of Mr. Blaine's Presi-
Dental rivals II wou1d now seem tn he in