Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-12
Blaine. Blair and shipherd.


1 KnshIn0tOa Correspondence Nelc York Sun.
The testimony of the three iobbers who
/ engaged in the prosecution Of the Cochet
| claim for a thousand millions Of dollars.
4 leaves them all "t2rred with the same stick. ="
L Blair, as the personal and the political
/ friend Of the Secretary of State. with the
| advantage of being a Senator to aid the cor
rupt combination, was the hired intermedi-
i ary between Shipherd and the department,
4 after having introduced the Secretary and
/ the claimant to esch other. Blair swore that
| he consulted Blaine as to the propriety of
acting as counsel for this huge scheme of
/ plumber The latter, with that nice sense
| in the Little Rock and Fort Smith specula-
lation. and in many other disreputsble jobs.
/ found the proposed connection entirely con-
sistent with Senatorial dutv and honor.
The chief business OF Blair was to flud out
the length and breadth of the policy in
| tended by Blaine, and to aid IN shaping 1t IN
| the interest which he represented The
extracts from his letters furnished by Ship
| herd, and not disputed in any authoritative
form, show not only extraordinary intimacy
with the intentions of the department. but
| his testimony admits that instructions ere
| prepared outside for Hurlbut and Fitzpatrick
and submitted to Blaine. The fact that they
were modified does not change the relation
| of the parties, and does not weaken the
position OF Blair.
This colossal scheme to rob friendly
republic IN the hour of her deepest distress,
when the name OF government hardly ex-
| listed, aud when a coDqueror held possession
| OF the capital. was seriously entertained aud
pressed for five months. Blair never re-
| turned the scrip, which he held as retainer,
until November, on the eve Of the meeting
of Congress, when the facts would be newt
| ablv disclosed
And Blaine, who had encouraged the ini-
/ guilty, and who was ready to strike for Il at
snv time. never showed bis hand until the
| 81 of December, when he was about to
| leave the Cabinet, ard when he found IL
Necessary to make up q record for future
use, In case an investigation should be or
| dered. His convenient wrath exploded at
| the last moment in bomb of manufactured
| indignation, which left an unpleasant odor
to recall the occasion of such cheap fury.
The evaslons, the subterfuges, the lodges,
| and the lies of Blair in this business have
made an indelible impression on the public
mind. He Is Joined to the immortal band of
| Christian statesmen, of which his predeces-
sor, Patterson, is an illustrious member, and
his colleague, Rollins, is a shining light,
whose name as Treasurer of the Union Pa
cifc corporation was also associated with
Blaine in the Little Rock Job.
Blair absolutely declined to produce his
1
himself with privileges of counsel, and
claiming to construe his own acts and de-
clarations to meet the necessity of dis
/ creditable complication. AS q Senator he
might engage in the worst form of tobberv;
he might enter ring to plumber conquered
| country; he might eenspire against the peace
| OF his own country to carry ont venal pro-
ject, and the evidence of these crimes might
| exist under his own hand. But he could
4 nlQo0 tho YarofoatfNr ~ I'D
shut the door in the face OF an investigation.
a Senator may do these things, and others
| equally dishonOrable and compromising,
aud II they are challenged or criticised Mr..
| Bayard takes the broad ground, as he did
on the VOORHEES, investigation, that ''there
can be nothing in anonymous serfbblings
| for newspapers to put a member OF this
Senate upon hts reply or upon his defense"
shtpherd appears In this Peruvian Com
| pany Job as desperate adventurer, without
| means and witt out standing, who succeeded
| In enlisting the aid and the countenance of
| General Grant and OF Others of more in
| fuence and OF better repute than himself
| He was impecunious, and, dszzled by the
prospect Of an enormous prize in the lot
| terry OF speculation, he left no stone I'M
| turned to promote his fortune. Shepherds
| abound In the atmosphere Of Washington.
Blaine aud Blair were never deceived by
anything Shipherd said or did. They could
have easily detected his imposture any day,
IL there had been the least desire to uncover
the intended svindle and spoliation. A
| single telegram of ten words would have
nipped the whole scheme in the bud by
denial from any of the well-known bankers
whose names were Incorporated to sane
ton the project.
The Secretary and the Senator went into
the job with their eyes open, and with full
knowledge Of all the possible consequences.
They retreated from 1t only when the storm
| signals had been hoisted on the capitol, and
when continued interest would have been
| dangerous OF this illustrious trio, Ship
| herd appears by all odds in the best light.
He had no official or Senatorial RESPONSE
bility to bear or to operate on his conduct.
He was needy and he wanted money. He
hired a confederate from the Senate, and he
captured the Secretary of State to act as his
Counsel for a thousand millions on a
claim which is said to have been bought for
douboon. This is all Of it, and it is bad
| for Blaine and Blair.