New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-01-15
MIR. BLAINE CRITICISED.

THE GENERAL COMMENT IL wAsHINGTON-IE GAINS
POPULARITY ONLY AMONG THE ULTEA-RADICAL
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF HIS RECORD.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO TIIBUkEl
WASHINGTON, Jan. IL" Mr.. Blaine has crippled
the Democratic party and injured himself by his
course in regard to the Amnesty BILL" is the almost
universal comment made in Washington. The only
portion of the Republican party with whom Mr..
Blaine has gained popularity during the past week
is the ultra-Radical wing. most largely represented
in the South which is already leaning toward Sena-
tor Morton as candidate for the Presidency, if il is
rot in fact committed 20 HIM. Mr.. Blaines perform
anees since jnday are very generally characterized
as those of demagOgue and not those of a states
man. " / came to Washington" said one of the
cearest-headed and most hheral-minded of
the Democrats today, looking upon Blaine
as the future leader Of the Republican
party. If that party was to remain in
power preferred to him elevated to the position
Of standard bearer and if il was to be defeated,
thought that under his leadership the minority
would be so skillfuly marshalled as to keep the
majority watcfu and careful OF its policy AID its
acts. But day by day my estimate Of Blaine has
been lowered. His whole course since Monday has
not appeared TO me like that of a sincere man. DO
not. of course, deny his great ability, his splendid
powers Of oratory, the possession of those quail
titles which fit him to be a leader on the floor of the
House but every day he seems to me less and less
statesman and more andInOre politician"
In the light Of the action taken by the House of
Representatives in the last Congress- the course
pursued by Mr.. Blaine is indefensble. Then
an amnesty bill, without exceptions and without
conditions, was reported unanimously from com
mittee controlled by the Republicans and Of which
Mr.. Blaine was chairman. Ii was passed by the
House, no opportunity being given for debate OF
amendment. No new light has been gained on the
subject since; no good reason exists for making
an exception against jeff. Davis which did not
then exist and which was not then known Mr.
Blaine, if he was opposed to the bill in the form in
which it was then presented as he now says he was
did not make that opposition known. The fact that
he was Speaker did not prevent hun from doing SO
He might have left the chair and taken
the floor for that purpose. He might have
secured the services of some other member to
do it for him, OF, as presiding officer he ght have
thrown obstacles in the way of its passage for the
moment, until he could have an opportunity to make
his opposition krown. But he did none OF these
things For these reasons the Democrats hold that
his course has been wholly iDexcusable
The only gain which the Republicans have made
by the character of their opposition 70 the Amnesty
bill has been their success in placing Democrats In
what the latter assert TO be false light before the
country. MIR. Hill OF Georgia has, ever since the
war been one Of the least conservative of the South
ern leaders The tone and character Of
ciay those parts of it in which he treated the origin
of the war aud the rotations between the North and
South at the time it broke out do not meet the a
prevail of the great body Of the Democratic MEM
bers and they deeply regret that he ever gave ut
terance TO such sentiments The scenes OF the past
week are likely TO be repeated often during the
present session. Four years ago the scene OF Pres-
dental campaign far as it was fought out in Con-
gress. was the Senate Chamber; this year the House
viii be the arena in which the diminishing prelm-