Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-10-16
Mr.. Blaine on Adams.
The Chicago Times publishes the following )e
ter from Mr.. Blaine:

The Chicago Times publishes the following Jet.
ter from Mr.. Blaine
NoRwALK, o Oct. 6.
To the Editor ofhe Chicago Times:
have read your Incorporate and i-considered
article IN yesterdays Times in regard to my re-
marks on Charles Francis Adams You are Who'll
y in error on two or three essential questions of
fact, and these being Corrected | will gladly omit
all reference to the epithets and adjectives. in
which you so freely indulge.
The constitutional amendment which you quote
is not the one to hlch refer at all. | AN per-
iectly aware that the one you quote was adopted
by Two thirds vote IN both Senate aud House (;
that Mr.. Liucoln referred 20 il approvingly 10 his
Inaugural Address, aud that il was favoranly re-
celved IN more than one Legislature of the loyal
States The amendment which | denounce was
reported from the Committee of Thnty-l three In
these words:
Article. No amendment of this Consttu.
ton having for its object any nte ference within
tie States with the relation between their citizens
and those described Sec OF the frst article of
the Constitution rs all other persons" shall 0rigi-
nate Nth any Stdte that does not recognize that
relation uithin ats cgh Ah,its. or ShaH be "a id
wdho The a sent Of e0ery one Of tie States COM
posi"g the Union.
The Jou nal vi that comm tee Happily presery
Gu aud accessible, shows that Nh. Adam, was the
author OF til proportion. The CcBQressioadi
Globe shows lhat n the 3l,t Of January, 1861 Mr..
Adams made an Elaborate speech III support Ut thi,
atrocous am, ndm, ut, whIch SAID ia II v speech,
ur"oosed to give slavery guarantee whirh tree
dom never asked, TO give II ioot1U d on this con-
uHeDt, f ON which II could never be all dleI.
II you desire FAIR play III presenting this q ies, II
just turn to the Appendix on The COngressiona{
Globe, last volume, lhup sixth Cong te-s aud re.
publish in the Times MIR. Adams's speech OF Jan.
81, 1861, aud then nauky say Ii 1t dues not merit
lar more bitter denupctlIon tnan have been a,le
10 give II. In that speech you will find that Mr.
Ada ms gave up the whole question of prOhlb iuug
.lavery IN the Territories, aud proposed TO con
sign all the national domain south OF SO 30 TO the
dominion OF the ave 90 c then in force in the
Territory of New Mexico.
After Mi. Adams sp, en- the loyalty and cour.
age of the North, anxious as The North was for
peace, fevolted sgsinst his proposition, and on
February Doth Nj. Corwin Of Ohio called up tue
amendment originally proposed by Mr.. Adams
and would not permit direct vote upon IT, but
submitted q substitute the amendment Won
quote in these words:
| No amendment shall be made to the Constitution
which viii authorize or give to Congress the DOW
er to abolish or interfere ~ithin any State with
the domestic Institutions thereof, including that
OF persons held to service or labor by tue laws OF
SAID State.
! For this proposition, which Mr.. Lincoln in his
inaugural said "merey affirmed the exiting sta
tus,' the Hon. Alexander II. Rice voted as did
many others Of the best republicans of the land.
b"t ploposliioh was as uliltlS I lfOm tue one
suggested by Mr. Adams as day is from night, as
! hight from darkness, as virtue from crime, or as
the plain truth OF history tron your own ntem-
perale article.
You object to the place where | delivered my
speech on Mr.. Adams 1t was delivered before a
large republican meeting in the city of Cincinnati
al which the Hon. Stanley Matthews was the
principal speaker-was delivered while Mr. Mat
thews, awarm advocate of Mr., Adams for the Pres
idency in 1872, stood next to me on the platform
II was not done in corner and the Assoc,ateo
Press, which had already aided 10 disseminating
Mr. Adams attack upon me- was bound in simple
Justice to forward my reply through its agencies
Obge me by inserting this letter in YOU
columns. Very respectfully,
j. g. BLAINE.