, 1881-10-29
SECRETARY BLAINE.
His Letter % Carlleld Accepfinx
the Secretaryskip.
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The follow ny letter Of acceptance o
Secretary Blaine is s1tsnsiysly published
by the press 1t is good document
Ny Dtdr Garfield
Your generous invitation to enter your
Cabinet as Secretary Of State has been
under consideration for more than three
weeks Though it had really never oc-
CURED to my mind until at our late con-
ference, you presented it with such Co
gent arguments in its favor and with such
warmth Of personal friendship in aid Of
Your kind offer. | know that an early
answer is desirable, and | have waited
only long enough TO consider the subject
IN r" its bearings, and 10 make up my
mind definitely and conclpsiysly now
say to you in the same cordial spirit ia
which you have invited me, that accept
the pOsi'isn- II Is no aHectation for me
TO add that l make this decision net for
the honor Of promotion it gives me- in the
public service, but because l think | can
be useful to the country and party, use
full to You as responsible leader Of the
purity and the great head of the govern
ment. | am influenced somewhat, per
haps, by the showers 0f letterx have re-
eelSed urging me to accept, written me in
c.'ns'quence Of an unauthorized newspa-
rrep"rt that you had been pler ed to
''fer me the place. Wh'e l have re-
c,ived these letters from all sections of
the Union, have been especially pleased
and even surprised at the. cordial and
~.dely extended feelings in my favor
throughout New England, where had
eApeated to encounter local jealousy and
perhaps rival OPERATIONS
In our new relation shall give all that
| am and all that l can hope to be freely
and j"yfully to your service. You need
no pledse Of my loyalty. In heart and in
act should be false to myself did l not
prove true both to the great trust you
cor fde to me and to your own personal
and political fortunes in the present and
in the future Your administration must
be made eminently successful and strong
in the confidence and pride of the people,
not At all directing its energies for re-eleo-
ton, but compelling that result by the
logic of events and by the imperious he
cess:ties Of the situation to that most de-
slrable CDnsummation.
| feel that next to yourself can pnssi
bly contribute as much influence as any
other man. | say this not from egotism
or vain glory, but merely as a deduction
from plain analy sis Of the political forces
which have been at work in the COUNT !,
for FIVE years past, and which has been
significantly shown in two great national
conventions. | accept it as one "f the
happiest circumstances connected with
this affair that in allying my political for
tunes with yours, OF rather for the time
merging me in yours, my heart goes with
head, and that carry to you not only
political support, but personal and devot-
ed friendship. | can but regard it as
somewhat remarkable that two men of the
same ag., entering Congress at the same
time, Influenced BY the same aims and
cherishing the same ambitiOrs, should
never for a single moment in eighteen
years close intimacy have had misun-
dorstandipg or Goodness, and that Osr
friendship has steadily grown with our
growth and strengthened with our
strength. 1t is this fact which has lead
me to the CONCLUSION embodied IN tins
letter, for, however much admire you as
a statesman, would not enter your Cab
met if 1 did not believe IN you as a man
and love you as a friend.
Always faithfully yours,
(SigneD JAMES g. BLAINE.