The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-13
BLAINE'S SPEECH.

BLAINE'9 SPEECH,
In view Of tho fact that tho alleged offpnses
In connection with the recent elections In the
South are undergoing judicial investigation
nj tho order III Hayes. through the medium 81
the Attorney Generals department. we can
not see the practical necessity for the lnuusi
tion proposed In Blaine's resolution
IF there were no Federal election laws and
therefore 10 judicial process hy which the
facts In these eases could ho reached on sworn
testimony, or If the executive department of
tho government had refused TO ins'i
tuta tho proper inquiry through the courts
and grand juries, there might lao some
plea for an investigation on the part uf Con
gresa Under tho circumstances there is no
excuse for this resolution. or for the inquiry
II proposes to Institute Like The judicial IL
vesligation. II Is nothing else than piece nf
partisan maleyolence and clap-trap. Thus We
SOC two departments Of the government on
gagged, at Tho expense Of Tho people ~ manu-
featuring political capital and party thunder
| for the next campaign
The facilities for u judicial investigation
are far greater than amy Congress cnn have
through committees. The Federal election
laws are III the most stringent charae
ter and cover every possible contin-
pancy that can nrise. We do not be-
lieve that those laws arc constitutional.
and that point will certainly he made by the
defense and ruled upon by the court. But
this ruling will be finally made by the Su-
preue Court. and II cannot prevent tho dovel-
opment beforehand Of every particle ~ testi-
Ill. IA; Il
this Ia the only sort of evidence that Ia
worthy Of any consideration whatever.
Whatever benefits the Republican party can
expect from congressional investigation
| will not be lost by leaving the matter to
| Devens and his understrappers. Certainly
| Mr. blaine and his associates can add no
particle Of partisan malignty To tho
course peveus and his district attorneys
have SO far developed. We see
nothing then In llalne's resolution but an oo-
casion that individual has made for himself
to make n partisan appeal TO the worst pas
| sions OF the Northern people, and to mir him
self as a presidential candidate. who seeks
preferment by tanning into life tho dying
embers OF sectional suspicion and hatred. Is
II possible that this is all American states
manshIp leads tor That In this great repub-
lic our popular leaders dare not to discard
envy and malice, and all uncharitableness,
and devote themselves to the peace and wei
| faro Of the whole country That tho very
summit N American ambition oan be reached
only by leaders Of factions and fomenters Of
strife and bitterness between their country
mon
/ IL appears that Mr.. Blaine takes this View
Of tho case and deports himself accordingly.
and this Mt time when he might have mado
himself conspicuous as u peacemaker and
won for himself kind regard from all sorts of
people He has chosen. however. to act diff
ferently, and we think he will be left all tn
| himself to make the most Of 1t he can. We
believe that no has chosen badly and will
have abundant opportunity for repentance In
tho near future The people have long since
wearied of this perpetual strife and turmoil
Thev desire and feel tho need of quiet and
peace. and they want party lines drawn on
differences begottnn hy the discussion Of mat
tors of practical and material interest They
want legislation In tho interests Of our
commerce. and Industries, of shipping
and Internal improvement. and not IN tho In
terests OF parties and ciques and for the
qualification of personal ambitions and sec
tional prejudces. They will therefore, very
unanimously conclude that Blaine might hav,
left all this investigation business to Devens
and the courts. and allowed Congress to do
! vote the short session It hes before Il to the
dispatch Of sorely needed and useful logsla
ton In the interests Of the people
| As for BIaino's speech there can be no doubt
of tho wicked purpose Of It. It was rs I'M
necessary rs his resolution. Tho resolution
had been agreed upon In caucus. and coulf
, have been passed by tho Republican major
: ity in the Senate without any speech from
ANYBODY. Tho Democrats had determined
to make no objection to 1t. only asking M
: amendment making the investigation gen
eral. so rs to include an inquiry into the cleo
tions In New York and other Northern States
which amendment can hardly be refused
J Blainos sole object in making his speech
, then, must have been to provoke an angr,
J and irritating discussion. In this project h
} happily failed and camo out of tho predica
ment In which he had placed himself yer.
. little to his own credit and advancement
Tho tone of J Judge Thurman's reply was cain
and good-natured, and the high ground b
took offered striking contrast to the little
ness and malice Of this professional mischief
maker.
Senator Iamar's remarks could hardly b
! called q reply they merely amounted to
J rebuke. such as Achilles might have give
t with his foot TO Thersites when the wretche
4 wit failed to redeem his malice 1t would b
g well TO maintain this temper, and alloy
! Blaine to work out his projects without an
| assistance from the Democratic aide of tn
> Senate.