Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-07-16
Blaine and CLAW.

The Phi iadelphia Times publishes the following
communication called out by an editorial in that
paper;
WAsHINGroN. July IL.
TO the Editor Of the Times
The historic parallel you draw between Henry
Claws fight on 1ylerism, in lS4l-2, and Mr..
Blaines crusade against Hayesism in 1879 is
eloquent and truthful-all but the conclusion you
reach. Blaine has many of the qualities of Clay.
lie has that wonderful personal magnetism which
draws friends 10 his side and knts them to his
fortunes with cords of love stronger than hooks
of steel lie has the boldness of conception the
wealth of imagery, the impresslveness of delivery
which chaiacterizes Clay's oratory. In dramatic
power he Is greater than Clay was, and, while his
speeches lack the finish and massive grandness of
Webster they have an incisiveness of style and
an epigiammatic force which not found in the
great efforts OF the God like Daniel. There is
an originality about Blaine which few public men
of this country have possessed, and with true
appreciation Of wit, he has knack of illustrating
a point by an apt story which renders him one of
the most agreeable convcrsationallsts | have ever
met The length, depth and breadth of the feel
lag for Blaine at Cincinnati you and saw and
know. The enthusiasm his name invoked was
genuine as it was imprisoned, compared with
that manifested for Bristow Morton Hayes.
The applause which greeted Blaine's name was
like the grand diapason OF y lagsla beside the
Quaver of the overflow of mill dam. Unnter-
CstCut Impartial observers, we viewed scene IN
the convention from the platform to the old Expo
stion Hall and shall not soon forget the remark
you made when Bedford, OF Colorado, came for
ward rothers to second Blaines nomination.
The response VIII iCh came from the far-on Rocky
Mountains was as unseltsh as that which swelled
from the pines of Maine, where 'the plumed
knight was known in the flesh at almost every
llreside.
Henry Clay had no deeper hold upon the affec-
tons of his partisans than Blaine has upon the
masses Of the republican party. And Blaine has
in an eminent degree what Clay had but limited
supply of-politcal horse sense. lie realizes what
Clay could never comprehend, that there was
sprit abroad IN the land which was m lighter than
eNpedlency-that puny refuge OF llputian poll
ticians. Blaine feels The music in the air." and
keeps step TO it, There is an irrepressbe conflict
between the North and the South, and there must
be 50 long as the former is century ahead of the
latter IN energy, intelligence, humanity progress.
The North grows materially and mentally while
the south retrogrades. The census of 1880 will
tell the tale. Ii IL Is accurately taken but two
Southern States VIII show progress-Teyas and
Missouri The relative growth of the different
states of the Union Is admirably shown by dia-
gram in the compendium of the eighth census,
which am sorry to say was not used in the com
pendulum of the ninth census by Mr.. Walker. \
glance at that diagram is sufficient. Virginia, in
the first rank in 1910, fifth in 1860, while Ohio
had mounted from the thirteenth rank In 1910 to
the third in 1860. North Carolina, standing fifth
in 1870 had gone down to the twelfth rank in
1850. Maryland, in 1910 in the fore front, had
fallen to the nineteenth notch in 1860. Kentucky.
seventh in 1910, had fallen two degrees 10 five de-
cades. Georgia, eleventh in 1910, in fifty years
barely held her own. In 1850 the retrogression
will be much more marked than during the five
preceding decades. Blaine has his eve on this
national dial. In 1880 if the census is honestly
taken, the South will be set back and her repre-
sentaton curtaled She will resist. Ambitious
of power, she will not willingly consent to be
shorn OF ii, while the North grows in her repre-
sentation as she does III her wealth, population
and civilization.