Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-08-20
8ailp &eIrrrtbtf 50nrnal.
Augusta. Saturday Morning, Aug. 20.
From New York Tribune, 18th.
The Secretary Of State.

From New York Tribune, 18th.
The Secretary Of State.
No Premier except Mr.. Seward has ever
had such burden Of responsibility thrown
upon him in the first FIVE months Of his ser
vice ~ Mr.. Blaine has had, and the manner
in which he has passed through every ordeal
il full vindication Of the wisdom of Gen.
Garfield in placing him at the head of his
Cabinet He has fulfilled every hope Of his
friends and disappointed every prediction of his
enemies. His communications with foreign
Governments, while marked with his char
scteristic energy and studious regard for
the interests Of his own country, so far as
they have been given to the public, have been
models of simplicity and propriety Of state
ment. Those who feared, or pretended to
fear, q brilliant, adventurous, 6libustering
administration Of the State Department may
comfort themselves with the promise Of an
administration not less prudent and able than
the best that We have had.
In domestic affairs the conduct Of Mr..
Blaine has been equally wise and discreet.
Everybody knew that our senior Senator was
his bitter personal enemy-as he was Of so
many others-and many people imagined that
Mr.. Blaine would take advantage Of his posi-
tion to punish Mr.. Conkling through his
friends But he did nothing Of the kind.
Of our foreign service. given either by
his suggestion or with his hearty concurrence
to Mr. Conkling's intimate friend and adher-
cnt. When the President, in pursuance Of
his purpose adopted months before, nominal
ed Judge Robertson for Collector Of the
Port Of New York, Mr.. Blsine's enc
mics pretended to see his hand in that
act, until the President in the most
formal way asserted that the entire initia-
tive and responsibility Of it belonged
TO himself. In the warfare which Mr..
Conkling began upon the President, as
consequence Of that nomination. Mr.. Blaine
did not lift finger to help or hinder the fight
which the people Of New York were making
in defence of the President and his just
prerogatives. The contrary was asserted,
We know. by few reckless organs, but they
soon saw the absurdity Of the falsehood and
allowed il to drop into oblivion. In the recent
controversy among the Virginia republicans
~ to the expcdieney of helping Malone to
break the Bourbon domination in that State,
Mr.. Blaine, while making no secret of his
sympathy with the liberal and progressive
element which favors the free ballot and the
free school. so rigidy abstained from exert
ing any pressure upon those whom it was
thought he could influence, that each side
complained bitterly either Of his inaction or of
the favor he was extending to the other. 1t
IL not too muth TO say that there has never
been a Secretary more severely devoted to
the duties of his office and less inclined to
exercise undue influence in the domestic
politics Of the country.
There are but two things left for his enc
mics to say, and they are equally false. One
Is that he is intriguing for the nomination in
1884. Intrigue is hardly the word to use. in
any case, of the boldest and most outspoken
politician In America. When he is a candi-
date, 1t needs no telescope to make out his
banner on the outer wall, and his bugle- blast
requires no interpreter. At present he is
simply the trusted and devoted right hand of
the President, and there is no danger that any
catumny or suspicion can disturb that close
and chivalrous friendship of a lifetime. The
other story or prediction is shown to be equal
ly unfounded,-that Mr.. Blaine. not content
with the large sphere offered in his own
Department for usefulnes and &C
tivity, would attempt to NEEDLE and die
tate in other Departments, and thus show
his lack of adaptation for Cabinet harmony,
and his want Of cooperation in projected re-
forms. Mr.. Blaines associates in the Cabi-
net have borne witness to the groundlessness
Of this charge. The testimony to the con-
trary IL uniform and most cordial, and from
none more than from those members who
from previous political afiinities would not
be prejudiced in Mr.. Blaine's favor. IL is
not saying too much to affirm that to-day
every member of the Cabinet is Mr.. Blaine's
warm personal friend and they all agree
that the perfect harmony aud cordiality evil
dent in the conduct Of the Administration re-
suit largely from the frank, considerable and
conciliatory course Of the Secretary Of
State.