Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-01-30
Blaine on the War Path.

Blaine on the War Path.
The method adopted by Senator Blaine,
last week, to settle his score with Massachu-
sets for having failed to support his claims
to the Presidency in the Cincinnati Conven-
ton, was neither statesmanike, just nor gen
tlemanly. The occasion was the presenta-
ton, on the part OF the state of Maine, OF
the statue of William King, her first Gov
ernor. to be placed in the hall of statues in
the Capitol. In his presentation speech MIR.
Blaine dwelt at length on the causes which
led to the separation of Maine from Massa-
chusetts. "The connection he said, chad
become exceeding distasteful, might say
intolerable, to the majority of her people,
and a sentiment wellnigh amounting to
rancor and hatred could be satisfied with
nothing less than separation. Finally, the
people of Maine were indebted for their
success not to the justice of their cause aud
the righteousness of their prayers, nor even
to the liberal sense of fair dealing on the
part of the people of Massachusetts,, but
solely to fear in the minds of the govern
ing political party that their ascendancy
would be endangered if Maine should con-
tinue to be an integral portion of the state
They determined, therefore, to let the dis
trict go, and congratulated themselves that
if well rid of the violent and vicious people
of Maine they could in their own language,
4 fa1a or fa for no
of their lives Through all these trying
and troublesome scenes, in which it was nee.
essary to control the public sentiment OF
two peoples, it is difficult to state, it is quite
impossible to overstate, the sagacity, the
ability the address, the force-in one word
the leadership of William King. Maine fol
lowed him with implicit faith, and Massa-
chusetts came finally to dread him after she
had long hated him. Influencing the two
populations with equal skill governing the
one through love, the other through fear, he
became finally the complete master of the
situation, and attained the end for which he
had labored so many years with patient
fidelity, with commanding ability, with con-
summate tact" In reply to the Massachu-
setts Senators, who ably defended their state,
Mr.. Blaine returned to the attack with con-
centrated bitterness. Massachusetts," said
he, refused to pass and finally tabled res
olution thanking one of her own naval of
fcers for a victory, because it was gained in
an unjust war. She refused to thank the
Ia roll lar of ha
Ho net for capturing the British man-ofwar
Peacock That stands in your own legisla-
tive journal, if you want the record. can
give you more, graver instances until the
sun sets and for Senator from Massachu-
sets to rise here and pretend that his state
did not bristle all over with unpatriotic
records, going clear up to the verge of treason,
and in the opinion of some patriots of that
day, stepping one point beyond it, is a de-
gree of bravery which it would have been
well to have shown in the war, and not re-
served to this day. Massachusetts
refused to let her soldiers march beyond the
boundaries of her own state, and refused
pointedly to the general government to re-
spond to call for her troops. twas volun-
teers from Maine that marched beyond the
boundaries of Massachusetts. (Applause).
The militia that was under the control of
your Governor refused to go, and were not
permitted to CO." And much more of like
Import.
Now, beside the bad taste of this assault
do hv ba fra of
motive, his statements in relation to the
separation of Maine from Massachusetts are
known to be historically untrue. Resistance
to the separation came chiefly from the peo-
pile of Maine, who voted it down twice be-
fore they could be persuaded to accept it.
The truth is told correctly in these words of
the Boston Advertiser 1t was not until the
general court had submitted the question
three times to the voters of the district that
an affirmative decision could be got from
them. The governing power in Massachu-
sets Withdrew every obstacle from the sep
aration a long time before the people of
Maine could be persuaded that it was for
their advantage" That Mr.. Blaine was
capable Of classifying this fact, in order to
assail Massachusetts, is not to his credit, to
say the least, His other assaults upon the
state. in spirit and expression, were just as
false and slanderous, and equally disgrace
full to himself. He may have won smile
from somebody who hates Massachusetts,
but his miserable motive was clear to every
one and did not win the respect of anybody
who heard him. On the contrary, such an
exhibition of childish bitterness and re-
venge will do much to confirm the judg-
ment and cancel the regret with which
many New England Republicans withheld
their votes from Mr.. Blaine in the Gin
cinnati convention.