Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-12-27
THE BLAINE INQUIRY,


have made very good beginning-at least
not such beginning as Mr.. Blaine could
have wished. The first effort Of the gentle
men on the committee was to obtain from
the Maine Senator the charges and specifca-
tons upon which he relied to sustain his
case. He was unable to give them specific
ally, but INDUCED in good deal Of generali-
zatlon on the subject, alleging intimidation
in all of the Southern States, more especially
in South Carolina and Louisiana, with a few
cases in Mississippi, more especially in the
Sixth Congressional district, where Demo
crat, Gen. Chalmers, was elected, with an
acknowledged Republican majority in the
district. Failing to obtain any data upon
which to work from Mr.. Blaine, the COM
mittee applied to Mr.. Thurman, with little
better success. They procured from him
definite charges as to the intimidation prac-
tced by United Stetes marshals and SUPER
visors of election at Cincinnati, New York,
boston and Detroit, with general intima.
ton of such practices in Philadelphia and
other cities-suf1cient, at least, to form the
basis of thorough inquiry. Gen. Chal.
mers, the Congressman elect from the Sixth
Mississippi district, has also come forward
and offered to furnish whatever evidence
may be needed concerning the election in
his district. 1t appears that there is pre-
ponderance of negroes in his district who
have hitherto voted the Republican ticket
but this year there were two Republican
candidates, both of whom were obnoxious
to the colored element. Bnt even if this
had not been so, the split in the Republican
ranks was of SO serious a nature that neither
of the candidates could have had plurality.
The result was that, by the aid of his colored
friends, Gen. Chalmers came out of the can
vass with handsome plurality over his
competitors. A full vote was polled, and no
person was denied the right of casting his
vote for whomsoever he pleased.
The committee having got all the infor-
nation obtainable from the originator of the
resolutions and the Senator who moved the
amendment, will go to work as soon as pos
slble after the recess. They will experience
little difficulty from lack of an appropria-
ton to pay expenses, but this want will no
doubt be soon supplied. In the meantime
attention will be devoted to the examination
of volunteer Witnesses who may come for
ward with testimony. There is, however, a
notable diminution of the interest in the
subject. The Republicans expected that the
inquiry would meet the opposition of the
Democrats, but their ready acquiescence in
the measure has knocked all the spice out of
1t. Then, too, the refusal of Blaine to I'M
dertake the management of the investiga-
ton has caused a good deal of dissatisfaction
among his party friends, for the conviction
has gone abroad that he designs the COM
mlttee as an instrument for his own advance
ment. Many of the Senators do not like to
pick pluns for somebody else to eat, although
few are willing to be used by the gentle
man from Maine for any sort of dirty work
We trust the inquiry will BIZ prosecuted
without unnecessary delay, for we are con-
tident that the result will prove that the
Democratic party is guiltless of the charges
made against it. It will be proved beyond a
doubt that far more illegal pressure was
brought to bear upon voters in the interest
of Republican candidates than in favor of
the Democratic nominees, and thus the
SANDERS that have been 80 freely circulated
against the Democracy will be set at rest.