Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-12-19
BLAINE,s POLICY.

he placed cur government towards the
governments of Chill and Peru, are very
likely to rebound on those who now mann
the political ricochet- batteries trained on
the Maine statesman. In public life,
there are few men worthy of being com
pared with the late premier. 1t is due to
him to say, that as a parliamentarian,
orator, statesman and the possessor of
those magnetic traits of character which
win the public confidence and distinguish
the political placeman from the states
man, he is the peer of any man.in public
life to-day. On questions of state econ
omy he has often been brought in con-
t1ict with leaders of the Jeffersonian
school, and with results that should
be charged to = the weakness
of his cause, rather than to defect in
his craftsmanship, quick conception, and
brilliant mind. The ex-secretary is not,
however, without his faults. Trained in
the Republican school which substituted
the issues which grew up out of the civil
war for the tenets which enabled Sumner
and Greedy to rally the anti-slavery and
tariff elements of the country, Mr.. Blaine
labors under the disadvantage of having
lacked the courage of his own convic-
tions on questions he has permitted his
political aspirations to temper to the
detriment of his reputation as a states
man. Sumner and Greedy essayed to sup
plant the issue of "the bloody Shirt
with issues involving questions of state
economy. Failing, they asserted their
independence of faction and the conven-
tionalities of the party caucus. That Mr..
Blaine did not follow their example is
doubtless due more to his political am
b1tion than to lack of the qualities of
craftsmanship.
But there is nothing in the vicissitudes
and varying fortunes of the remarkable
public career of the ex-secretary which
gives even the color of suspicion that
his administration Of the duties of the
Office of secretary of state was otherwise
than energetic, conservative, and re-
sponsive to every demand consistent
with the honor and peace of the country.
The published correspondence of the de-
partment of state on the Chill and Peru
imbroglio is not only full refutation
and answer to the charges brought
against Mr.. Blaine since he turned over
the portfolio of state to his successor, but
it also discloses, to the late secretary's
credit, the fact that his policy in the
case at bar has been characterized by
that wise conservatism and essentially
American spirit which have marked
the diplomatic policy Of the government
from the time of Munroe to the culmina-
ton of the events which necessitated the
distinguished secretary's retiring from
the department of state to the works of
private life.
Recognizing the right of the Chillian
government to dictate terms to the con-
quered Peruvians and Bolivians, he very
properly authorized our ministers to ten
der the good offices of our government
in bringing about reconstruction of the
overthrow of the governments of Peru
and Bolivia, and to urge the completion
of this work before the question of guar
antees and lndemnities were considered.
Our ministers were also authorized to
bring to the attention of the Chillian
government the disfaver with which the
policy Of annexation is viewed by our gov
eminent; that it was at variance
with the true theory Of Republican gov
eminent.
1t is here suggested by those who seek
to place the ex-secretary in false posi-
ton, that the Chilians could have turned
the laugh on the United States by point
ing to the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo,
by which, at the conclusion of the Mexi-
can war, we acquired the most valuable
part of our Pacific possessions. The Sec
retary's critics are here at fault, however,
in not taking notice of historical facts
which preclude the possibility of making
these parallel cases. Aside from the fact
that the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
which unfortunately made the
Rio, Bravo the boundary line be-
tween the United States and the
Republic of Mexico - comprehended
and settled other interests than those re-
cognized by the United States as being
distinctively Mexican, the fact should not
be lost sight of that this government in
formulating the Monroe doctrine, assert
ed its supremacy and paramount authori-
ty, whether right or wrong, in the settle.
ment of all political questions affecting
this continent. This doctrine was given
prominence by the secretary when he in
structed Gov. Fitzpatrick to assure the
government of Chilli that the services of
our government were rendered in q
friendly spirit, but that cit will regret to
be compelled to consider how far that
feeling might be affected and more &C.
tive interpositicn forced upon it by
any attempted complication of the
question with European politics.. There
is no circumlocution about this.
The doctrine which made glorious the
administration of Monroe is here trans
planted, from the latitude of the twin re-
publics, across the Isthmus to the An
deS Mr. R1aine ran we'll afford "a 1oovo