The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-11-15

The New York Express has the drop on
true light sas an INSCRIPTIONS trickster.
Everybody familiar with politics will re-
member the famous Mulligan letters. and
how Blaine got on his knees to the Bos"
tonIau, and still further how Blaine man
aged to be conveniently sun-struck just as
he was entering Washington church. All
these points bring to mind his tactics to
secure the nomination in 1876. He is a
crafty, oily tongued trickster and his work
in Maine is likely to lay him on the shelf
as presidential candidate. Of course he
will deny all the charges; that is favorite
way with all Republican, schemers. But
it won't avail. The people will not be sat
is6ed with plain denial--they will want
positive. unequiVocal proof to disproVe
these charges. This, Mr. Blaine cannot
furnish aud he must sink to the level of all
transeressors. lie will be consigned to
political oblivion. The Express says:
The campaign 10 Maine last summer
was one OF the most exciting ever held in
that State. The Republicans had lost
controls OF it. after nearly twenty years
uninterrupted rule They made desperate
efforts to recover it. Mr.. Blaine's chances
for Presidential nomination depended on
carrying his own state. A Republican
victory In Maine was needed to encourage
the party in other States The ablest
speakers in the Republican parry were Sc
cured to stump the State. Twice the
moral thumbscrews were applied to the
o~hs IovN l. e.,
the Maine campaign The divided opposi.
ton had no such an array of noted speak
ers as the Republicans employed.
The result appeared in failure to elect
the Republican candidate. who. though
he had plurality OF 20,95 votes,
fell short OF the majority re-
quired by the Constitution. The
election goes to the Legislature, of which
both houses are Republican. But since
the State election numerous facts have
come to light as to the means by which
this large Republican plurality OBJ
tanned. 1t appears irom verbal aud
written testimony chat the amount OF
bribery surpasses any hing ever known in
ranging from fifty cents TO fifty dollars to
vote the Republican ticket. Masters of
vessels were hired to take their crews out
to sea- All kinds of tricks were resorted
to in order to reduce the vote of the oppo
sitlon and swell that of the Republican
candidates. A letter, purporting to be |
written by Mr.. Blaine, promises all the |
money necessary to carry on these corrupt |
operations; he denies the authorship of |
the letter, but with the recollection of
Mulligan fresh in mind people will hest |
tate to accept mis- denial and will wait for |
proof. Ii certainly looks at this distance
as though the Republicans of Maine had |
descended to corrupt and base methods to
carry the election, and thorough inquiry
ought-to be instituted. The Tribune of
this morning contains an elaborate article,
which appears to have been inspired by
Mr. Blaine, II not written by him, trying
to. excite suspicion against the present
Governor of the State. and TO raise the /
alarm that the Democrats propose to COM
init some terrible act of usurpatiou. Il is
sucn transparent attempt to divert at
tentlon from the real facts of the case and |
get up fictitious indignation that no /
imnteilgent reader will be deceived by it.
WI. Blaine is capable of any trick. He is /
Is Inscriptions as he is daring. He is o |