The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-06-17
Saturday. June II, 1882
BLAINE AT HOME.

Advices from Portland Maine, show
that the republican state convention has
done its work and taken its departure 1t
was so short-lived for so large a body that
it appears doubtful if it assembled. Its
inside workings and its results do not bear
out the declarations that were heard at
every turn yesterday when the advance
guard of the delegates began to arrive
| that James G. Blaine has ceased to be a
factor in the politics of the state On the
contrary, his power was felt, and exer-
cised in the convention from the first to
the last. The men who have been known
as his ieutenants in the past ran the con-
vention, nominated the candidates, with
perhaps the exception of one nominee for
congress, and did it without any apparent
friction, the machinery having been so |
well oiled that it moved with the speed |
and regularity of a locomotive If /
Blaine was not behind all this, then the |
men who have taken his place have learned |
their lessons so well in the past that even |
now they defeat the candidates who are
pressed by his old antagonists. There are
those uncharitable enough to still persist |
in asserting that Mr.. Blaine all the time
asked for nomination. and only gave out |
that he would not accept when he saw
that a nomination would not come to
him, and that this is the begin |
ming of the end of his power in the state.
There is, however, marked difference
in the degree of his power in this state
two years ago and now. There has been
for some time an element in the party an
tagonistic to him, represented by Morrill,
and those who were favor1tes with Grant
during his administration. They conte1rted
themselves with private censures and NUT
teringss, making no public demonstrations.
They have not only increased in number
but in boldness, and make no secret now
of their denunciation of Blaine. Some of
them have gone SO far as to accuse him of
dishonesty, and this publicly in the hotels
to crowds that surrounded them. Had his
name been brought out as a candidate
there would have been storm. That he
has other plans is apparent. What they
are either his friends do not know or they
are laboring to conceal them for the pres
emit. In the last two national republican
conventions the two leading candidates,
the out and out representatives of the two
factions of the party, were defeated, and
the unexpected occurred in the nomina-
tions. Mr.. Blaine judging from the pri-
vate admissions of his lieutenants, having
twice failed in sharp contest for the |
presidential nomination, now proposes to
change his princely garments and let him
self be suddenly discovered as the long lost |
heir.
The convention was called to order this
morning by Senator Frye, and Senator
Eugene Hale was made its presiding off
Ger. with an ordinary iron monkey wrench
as gavel. He wrapped the members to
order and eulogized the party and de-
the democrat in congress for OPP
posing the republicans, the tariff commits
sion, the Geneva award and the seating of
republican applicants. In re-
ferring to the death of Garfield he thought
that it had destroyed dilettanteism in poll
lies, and would be followed by quickened
spirit and full party vote. There was an
apparent surprise over the statement that
he tragic death of Garfield had saved the
party from rupture, and delegate in the
body of the hall shouted:
What about Arthur
Mr.. Hale replied. As to Mr.. Arthur, he
aas been all his life an earnest, ardent re
publican. He has believed in his belief
and has fought for his principle, but he be-
ongs to q wing of the party that has long
been IN the minority, that is now more in
IN the minority than ever, and it win be
well for the republican party to have it re-
main in the minority. I do not believe