Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-09-22


that l ever asked an appointment from
| either OF them in nv life. Does Mr.. Schurz
regard these gentlemen as corrupters of the
civil service?"
"Do you consider your general list OF ap-
pointments in Maine al good as these?"
asked the reporter.
mot, of course, 20 eminent" said Mr.
i Blaine, "lor these are among our very FIRST
1 citizens. But the Federal appointments in
Maine during the twenty one years of Re-
publican rule have been good. We have
never had defaulter, and the government
hiss never lost dollar by an officer appoiated
in Maine. recall only one postmaster who
was accused OF irregulsrity. Ii better officers
were wanted, they would hsve to be found in
some other population. We have given the
best 10 be found in Msine."
SEIZURES APPETITE FOR sPo1s.
"When Mr.. Schurz entered the United
State. Senate in 1869 did he show an ex-
ample OF abstaining from any attempt TO
control PATRONAGE" queried the reporter.
"Unless be was grossly slandersd," replied
Mr.. Blaine, "Mr. Sehufz made every possible
effort to control the patronage OF Missouri.
l have reason to believe, and do believe, th at
during the year or two that Mr.. Schurz was
on terms with the Grsnt administration he
made more effort 10 secure and control Fed
eral appointments than did during the en-
necessary, think l could procure a cloud oil
witnesses TO establish that fact"
"ln the campaigns preceding the National
Conventions IN which your name was twice
presented for The presidency we have always
understood in the West that the national
patronage was agsinst you"
"Of course it was," said Mr., Blaine 81,
was heavily against me under General
Grants administration in 1876, and quite az
heavily under the Hayes administration in
1880. If Mr.. Schurz wovld tell all he knows
in this connection the people would have
more knowledge on the subject than they
now possess"
"Then you think yon never gained any
political advantage from the use OF patron
l sgeP said the reporter.
"Not a particle" said Mr.. Blaine. 81
| never attempted to do il in the remotest de-
gree. Whatever political strength L have
had, be il much or little, has come directly
from the people without the atd or interven-
ton OF oficeholders, and very largely asainst
their efforts"
"Are you willing TO give your views on
what you would regard practical reform In
the civil service?" asked the reporter.
"That is too large a subject to discuss here
| in this informal way. l gave brief hint in
my Wiuterport speech OF what / should re-
| gard valuable reforn. / cannot now go
into the subject"
| sCHURZ's NOTION OF ADVERSELY
| "What does Mr.. Schurz mean by saying
that you come to the surface ss a reformer
nowi in your sdversityT" inquired the re-
] porter.
| 81 don't know his meaning precisely, )" said
| Mr.. Blaine, ''unless that being out of Office
should naturally join the malcontenis, of
| whom be has always been one. Unlike Mr..
| Schurz, / do not esteem II to be adversely to
| be out of Office. Unlike Mr.. Schurz, never
| held Office that was not generously offered
me without self-seekiug-an experience
which would be very novel to Mr.. Schurz,
and very unlike the persisency with which
he sought, under Mr.. Lincoln, foreign mis-
! sion, which he coon abandoned TO seek
I major-generaPs commission, for which he
was proved incompetent. No more persist
ent ofhceseeker than Mr.. Schurz ever landed
| on these shores or was born on this soil. He
| has tried it in three States and is now settled
in the fourth"
THE CONTEST IN VIRGINIA.
"If you are not fstigued with this long talk,
Mr.. Blaine, there is one question / would
| like 10 ask, and that is whether you are in
| terfering in any way, as is so frequently
charged, with the contest now going on in
Virginia."
81 am not" replied Mr.. Blaine. 81 have
not seen Virginian for months, nor have
written word to the State. At the same
time il is due TO frankness that should ex-
press my entire sympathy with the straight
Republican movement in that State"
You are opposed, then, 10 the Malone
movement
"Yes, and have always been. / think it
was a great political blunder to unite the
Republican party with the Readjusters. The
Republican party has been always devoted
| TO upholdiug the public faith and this fact
contributed powerfully 10 the victory of $780,
To turn right round and join the repudiating
wing of the Virginia Democracy seemed
to me the last degree of folly for the Re-
| publicans."
repudiationists, and declare that they will
pay the Virginia creditors more in the end
than the Bourbon Democracy"
"But," said Mr.. Blaine, 1--WE were not re-
sponsible for the Bourbon Democracy. Let
Is, however, give the devil his due. The
BOURBON DemoerAey passed the McCulloch
and with their consent Mr.. Mahone's
party declines to confer with the creditors.
bill after full consultation with inc crSdftcfs
and declares that the debtors will fix the
amount they will pay. The very moment
this ground is taken it is repudiation. If the
creditor is to be excluded from consideration
or even conference, aad the debtor himself
assumes the right 10 fix the limit of his liza
bility, then the principle OF reputation ia
established, and subsequent details are left
TO the whim and caprice Of the debtors"
WHAT Mr.. BLAINE woULE HAVE ADVISED.
"Whst would you have advised in 1881.
when the split came in the Virginia De-
mocrscyW
Il would have advised, and did advise 40
far as 1t was my business, that the Repub-
licsns should adhere to their own standard
and not become complicated with any
theories OF reputation. In that way good
men OF all parties would have been drawn
TO u.s."
How was the Garfield Cabinet on the
question:" queried our reporter.
Divided" said Mr.. Blaine, divided
about as evenly as seven men can divide on
any question, and therefore no positive or
effective thing was done in the early etage
OF the campaign, and the trsgedy of July
I'd removed it from consideration"
"Well do you think Virginia should be
expected to pay the debt in full, principal
and intereslw asked the reporter,
"No," said Mr.. Blaine; 81 do not, and her
creditors do not expect it. The creditors are
willing 10 make a generous adjustment, but
they don't want the adjustment to be all on
one side and have an allowance thrown to
them q bone would be thrown to a starv-
ing dog. That is about what Mr.. Malone
proposes, as L understand it,"
well, why do you think Virginia should
not be expected to pay the whole debt as
other States have done?"
principally because che was torn and dis |
membered BY the war;" said Mr. Blaine;
land her ability to pay was very greatly i'm
paired. No other State of the Confederacy |
suffered as Virginia did. No other State |
was mutilated as she was. West Virginia. |
that was torn from her in the violence of |
war as war measure, is an empire of wealth |
lost forever 10 the old State. No equal area
in this country is SO rich in natural resources
as West Virginia. The people desire the
new State and should have il, but the loss 10
the old State is very great"
PROPOSED SETTLEMENT OF THE DEBT.
What do think will be the end of it all ?"
inquired the reporter.
al do not know" said Mr. Blaine, ''but l
should be glad to see the general government
aid Virginia in some practicable way in
settling her debt. When we were at war with
Mexico and dismembered. her territory we
made her an allowance of many millions of
lollars, and / think we could afford to be
equally just and generous TO one of our own
States that we dismembered for our own ad-
"Wodld not that strike the country as
novel proposiiion?" asked our reporter.
1T might, but its novelty would not inn
beach its juatice," said Mr.. Blaine can
Ither consideration would weigh powerfully
With me, and that is the fact OF Virgiuia's {
ession OF all the northwest Territory for
he common veal nearly a hundred yesrs
go. l have thought of this matter great {
eal since the debt agitation began in Vir- {
inia last year. have asked myself why ]
Iirginia alone of all the Confederate States {
hould be made to suffer despoilment and i
ismemberment. That which would bring |
asting relief and prosperity to Virginia
Tould be the veriest trife for the general I
overnment to coucede."
"Hsve you ever talked this over with Vir- 9
inians" said our reporter.
"Never," said Mr.. Elaine. ~ do not ,
link ever referred TO il to any one. The
lbject is very important one, and 1 have 4
lerely thrown it out in this manner. have I
OF lime to discuss it in all its besrings, but
believe it would prove wise, just, and benef- /