The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-04-17
BLAINE'S SPEECH.

D4rtiAS LAaio given blItI 70 TIC speech
with which he was pregnant for the last
few weeks. 1t gives confirmation to the
belief that he cannot address himself to
| any political subject without burdening
his speech with illusions to a war ia
which he took no part. He is spiteful in
tiinging epithets at, eloquent in denounc-
ing those who made war on the union.
But these mems convictions inspired them
with courage to carry the argument to
the battle field, while the now patriotic
Blaine skulked at home, but works his
courage up when the confederacy is non
est Blaine in opening the debate sim
ply illustrates what AMI insignificant begin
ming great things may have. He person
ates the noise in the discharge of artillery,
the solid shot is TO come after. He is a
blank cartridge to be used on fete day
occasions and to be periodically discharg-
ed in common Grafton Of rebellion.
Blaine does not possess the first ele-
ment of craftsmanship. He is shrewd
enough to comprehend that the times de-
mand partisanship and he fills the want
to overfiowing. Blaines ambition is bas-
ed on illiberality, hatred and sectional
warfare. 1t is only in periods of I'M
healthy excitement that such man can
be tolerated, and knowing this, his efforts
are directed to keeping up discord.
Never yet was speech delivered in con-
gress by Blaine, that commended itself
to the sober sense even of an admirer of
his. 1t might produce a sort of delirious
ioyon account of its oft-repeated illusions
to the bravery of northern troops and its
expressions of malignant hate toward the
soldiers of the lost cause. Blaine is like
the MINISTRIES of old who sat at lordly
feasts and who sang of glorious deeds in
which they did not have courage to act,
and thus by adulation earned hospitality
and reward.
Blaine is always inconsistent and IN
fair He talks of democrats stopping the
wheels of government when they present
to the president for his approval, bills
providing amply for the needs of the
government, and Mr.. Blaine resorts to
threats and persuasions to induce the
president to refuse his approval of appro-
priation bills which will keep the wheels
of government moving. He wants the
president to treat congress as a petulant
master would child, to refuse what F.,
offered because the child's manner does
not conform to his ideas of propriety.
If soldiers are as scarce as Blaine shows
they are, why is he anxious for the pres
eryation of a law which through the nu-
merical weakness of the army is dead
letter: Notwithstanding the weakness Of
the army, Louisiana was not allowed the
government of its own choosing simply
through the interference of the troops
which Mr.. Blaine shows are now so thin
ly distributed. The troops were used in
Louisiana and in South Carolina to Sc
cure republican victories, when humanity
required their presence to protect settlers
Oh the western frontiers. These scenes
may be re-enacted, and the laws which
the democrats are anxious to repeal, fur
nish the opportunity.
Blaine is animated by no purpose to
serve the country. He is anxious to APP
prove himself q violent republican and
thus commend himself to the class of ex-
tremises who are now in the ascendant in
that party. To subserve his own ambitious
ends, he is willing that the government
should be oppressive. To secure re-
publican victory he is anxious to destroy
the rights of the individual. He is will.
ing to subordinate civil to military law.
knowing that he can not ride into power
through the unrestricted will OF the peo-
pie. Such a man as he is dangerous
when political excitement clouds sober
judgment. He would be nothing more
than harmless bully if men chad not
lost their reason"