The Evening critic., 1882-02-08

OUR ESTEEMED CONTEMPORARY, tne
Repu5licdn, seems to have lost sight of an
important fact in the fury of its crusade
against Blaine. The important fact which
our esteemed contemporary seems to ignore
is that people throughout the country, not
Immediately absorbed in the result of the
next National Republican Convention,
may take notion to view the policy out
lined by Mr.. Blaine, when Secretary of
State, from the purely public or patriotic
standpoint, and therefore without reference
to the ambitions of persons, cliques or fac
tions.
Suppose, for example, that, after reflec-
ton, that large body of citizens who quietly
cherish pride in the consequence and
prestige of the United States among nations,
should conclude that Mr.. Blaine's plan to
extend the international relations and
quicken the external influence of the Great
Republic was, after ALL a worthy effort.
Then, suppose they should institute COM
parison between the achievements Of Mr..
Fish-whose pupil Mr. Frelinghuysen seems
to be-and the efforts of Mr.. Blaine to re-
verse the traditions of inanity which he
found intrenched in the State Department.
All this is likely to happen. The trouble
with the able editor of our esteemed con-
temporary seems to be an inability to COM
prehend that public man can cherish
purpose or be impelled by motive other
than that growing out of ambition to be
nominated for the Presidency. In other
words, that by force of custom every polti-
cal subject presented to the able EDITORS
mind at once resolves itself into q problem
of faction, and every innovation of policy,
whether foreign or domestic, appears to
him simply bid for popularity.
This mental condition is natural enough.
But the able editor, though politically
color-blind himself might still admit that
all men are not necessarily sharers of his in
trinity. Here, for example, is ourself We
have not been "magnetized" by Mr.. Blaine
The insinuation so freely made that there
are business reasons for the friendship
Post, toward Mr.. Blaine cannot be made in
relation to THE CRITIC.
In short, THE CRITIC has no reason for
being on Mr.. Bla.ne's side in this contro-
versy except the fact that his conduct OF
the foreign policy of the Government
seemed to us wise, manly, and calculated
if persisted in, to promote the permanent
interests of our commonwealth in every
practical way. 1t is not necessary to be a
Blaine organ in order to support the for
eign policy laid down, or to defend the iu
ternational doctrines put forward by Mr.
Blaine in his capacity of Secretary of State
That policy and those doctrines are no
hid. On the contrary, they have beer
spread before the country in the PLANES
and most vigorous forms Of syntax. The re
suit thus far has been to elicit the opinions
which the English press have of Mr.. Blaine
and to indicate what faction of the American
piess receives its inspiration from Downin,
street.
There will be no departure from this re
suit, except in degree of intensity. Tn
Willingly Mr.. Blaine's enemies in thi
country are steadily building him up il
the esteem of the simple-minded masses a
the chief exponent of Americanism on thi
continent as against English influence an
English tutelage. He can we'll afford t
let them rage.