The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-06-01
WAS BLAINE BRIBED?
The Story That James f. Joy, Of Mich
igan, Told Henry Ward Beecher
Alleged Deal in Railroad Bonds
Beecher Aflrms the Truth
of the Story to Blaine.
Blaine Begging Beecher's silence.
New York TRUTH

Henry Ward Beecher.
The fact that Michigan was chosen to
nominate Blaine arose from the fact that it
had been the first delegation to bolt Blaine
in 1876. There was nothing strange in this,
but that Joy should be the man Is what
made Mr.. Beecher surprised.
An intimate friend asked Mr.. Beecher
what there was about il at all surprising
In fact. why not Mr.. Joy as well as any
other mani?
MICHIGAN JOY's OPINION or BLAINE.
"WelI." said Mr.. Beecher, "Mr. Joys pri-
yate opinion of Mr.. Blaine is, or rather was
some time ago, that Mr.. Blaine is a con-
summate scoundrel-"
The intimate friend pressed Mr.. Beecher
to say more, and then the reverend said that
some time since he was on a lecturing tour,
and when i'm Detroit stopped at the house of
Mr.. JOY. who went to hear his lecture.
After the lecture was over, Mr.. Joy and he
passed the evening together, and naturally
their conversation turned to politics. Va
riOus men in the Republican party were
discussed until Blaine's name was men
toned. Mr.. Beecher said there were many
stories current of Blaine's personal charac-
ter, and Mr.. Joy retorted that none OF them
were too bad to be true. At any rate, he
said, though a stanch Republican, and
though Michigan was a strong Blaine State,
he, personally, would never be found sup
porting Blaine. He knew too much about
him.
WHAT MICHIGAN JOY KNEW OF BLAINE.
Mr.. Beecher wanted to know what it was
that Mr.. Joy knew that was so damaging to
Blaine, and Mr.. Joy then went into a long
story of q transaction he had with the Maine
Senator. of which the following is the bur
den:
Mr.. Joy was President of a railroad which
ran through What had been known as the
Cherokee Reservation in Kansas. To this
road Congress had granted great tracts of
land on both sides of he track. The road
had been a long time building, however, and
large numbers of people, mainly emigrants,
had settled on the land decided to the rail
road. They took possession under the
homestead act, settled down, cleared the
land, built themselves houses and went to
work to till the soil. As a rule the settlers,
who amounted to several thousands of peo-
ple, found the country productive and be-
came quite prosperous there. In the mean
time the railroad pushed its way along until
it had completed its part of the bargain with
the Government. hen Mr.. joys attention
was called to the fact that some thousands of
people were in possession of land really be-
longing to the road of which he was Presi-
dent. His duty was clear in the premises,
and he went down to Kansas and saw
about it.
He found the people obstreperous and un-
willing to do anything with the Company.
They said they had been on the land for a
long time and nobody had ever informed
them they were trespassers. They had set
tied under the operations of the homestead
act and nobody should get them off. They
would listen to no compromise.
Mr.. Joy said he felt for these people, as
any man would. They built their houses
thinking to own them, and now to be dis
v,cSoocaH caaDna6 a prpnf hQrdShIn Int his
position as President of the road made his
duty clear, and he could not afford to in
dulge in any sentiment about it.
Mr.. JOY GOES TO WASHINGTON.
So he went to Washington and got in a
bill declaring the settlers on the Cherokee
grant to be treSspaSsers, and ordering the
military to proceed and dispossess them of
their property. He first inquired if there
was any other way to proceed, but found
that the difficulties of getting the company
its rights would be insuperable without a
special act of Congress. When the bill was
in a fair way of going through, as he
thought, he left Washington and went back
to Detroit. He waited some time there and
heard nothing of the bill 1t seemed to have
completely disappeared. In the meantime
the men sent by the Railroad Company to
make demands for rent upon the settlers
were in every case unsuccessful. In SOM
instances they were i'll treated and barely
escaped with their lives. This made him the
more pressing to get his bill passed. He en-
deavored to get Government permission for
the military TO protect the road and its en-
ployes, but could do nothing. To all his
writing to Washington and urging his agents
to expedite the bills, he received but one
reply, that there was some opposition some
where, but they could not find out in what
quarter.
A FRIEND WHO KNEW THE ROPES.
Mr.. Joy went to Washington and made
some personal efforts to push his measure
through. At length he met a friend, to
whom he exposed his troubles. That friend,
who knew the ropes in Washington, made
inquiries, and after two or three days came
back and told him very mysteriously that
he had better go and see Blaine.
"Why?' asked Joy. what can he do"
"Well." said the friend, NJ Blaine can
do pretty we'll what he's a mind to. Get his
sympathies enlisted, and your bill Will have
a better show"
Joy knew Blaine slightly. He went to
see him. Blaine received hin very coldly,
and listened to his story with apparent an
tagonism. When Joy got through his story,
Blaine said:
BLAINE PLAYS vIRTU0Cs.
'sMr. JOY, you are asking me to mix my
self up in what seems to me a very cruel
wrong. These poor people have a virtual
T1Gnt 10 LnlS ldnu JDey nave SebJleu Oh. Il
am opposed to any legislation which bears
hard upon the poor man in favor OF the
rich. You had better go elsewhere"
Mr.. Joy was very much taken back by this
visit to Mr.. Blaine, and he began to perceive
that it was not everything to have a grant
from Congress. What was necessary in the
matter he but imperfectly understood. He
went home again to Detroit a sadder and
wiser man, and his bill slumbered.
THE MAX THAT SMILED.
Some time afterward he met a gentleman
TO whom he confided his troubles. This
gentleman knew Washington well. He
smiled when Mr.. Joy told of his interview
with Blaine, and told him to go to Wash
ington again, and again go and see Mr..
Blaine.
But" he added, take some bonds of the
road in your pocket-say $4,000 or $4,000
worth. Mention to Mr.. Blaine that they are
his if he will aid you in your project. Speak
right out and make no bones about In
Blaine will see you through.
MR. JOY MAKES Nc BONES ABOUT IT.
Mr., Joy took the hint. He went to Wash
ington once more, but this time well pro-
xided with the bonds mentioned by his
gentleman friend, who, in the meantime,
had written Blaine TO expect Mr.. JOY.
The morning after his arrival in Washing
ton Mr.. Joy went to Mr.. Blaine's house. Mr..
blaine received him very affably. Mr. JOY