National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-03-25
THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN. SATURDAY. MORNING, NJ



Mr. Blaine to the Fore.
Mr. Blaine is always good in melo-
drama, whether as the heavy man, with
fierce eyebrows, bent upon spoils, or as
the Juvenile man, prancing in lightly and
rescuing struggling innocence from the
tolls of villoiny. Take his present atti-
tudo. He is viewed by some as the heavy
villain, endeavoring to bear Peru away
from the clutches of Chilli only to subject
her to his own desires and those of his
retainers, while by others he is admired
as the gallant knight, who only seeks to
give her liberty and protection. From
the house.tops his voice is all for
Peru. In his parlor, when in con-
ference with Shiphcrd, there is an
undertone of guano Three hours ut
evening, July 25, interrupted only by his
midnight visit to the President" and
two hours the next morning in conclu-
sion, was not a long time for Mr.. Blaine
to give to Mr. Shiphcrd If he was n re-
sponsible person, whose scheme and
arguments really interested him. But it
would have been q great deal of time to
waste on a mere bathcrskite, such as Mr..
Blaine painted Shipherd in December.
The shipherd scheme was to save Peru
from the rapacity of Chilli that she
might be devoured by the guano-hunters
of whom he sought to be the chief. There
WAS to he nothing for Peru. Whose VIC
tim should she be? This was Shepherds
only question. Was it also Mr. Blaine's?
That is living issue, and one which has
been deemed worthy of investigation by
Congress.
II is not the first time Mr. Blaine has
been on trial, nor is ii The first time he
has met inquiries seriously affecting his
official life, with irrelevant lectures di-
rectcd ut other people. On former oc-
casion many circumstances combined TO
silence all tongues. His nomination for
the Presidency within few days was
hoped for by the Democrats and feared by
many Republicans. Both were therefore
inclined to let him alone His defeat
gave him continued immunity, for each
party desired his good will. In the SEN
ate he then had condonement and an
asylum. 1t is doubtful whether on the
present occasion he will be able so airily
TO avoid the inquiry of which he is the
central object, OF course ho will try.
The guano business doomed up, it will
he remembered, long before he left the
state Department The Blaine policy
and the windy letters of Shipherd to
llurlbut were strikingly similar. Blaine
and Shipherd were in the summer
equally inccnscd at Chilli and equally
impressed with the idea that her hand
must be stayed. They seemed to have
Two souls with but single thought,
Two hearts that beat IA one
Their voices could not have been told
apart When Blaine declared that Chill
should not have the guano beds of Peru
1t was in the same key in which Ship
herd swore that Peru herself should not
have them, for they belonged to his eli
ents.
The sympathy which existed between
these two large-nnded Americans waned
when Mr.. Blaincs hold upon the State
Department commenced to relax. There
was natural disposition to clear the
decks. Every man for himself. Hurl-
but unloaded himself to Blaine of the
letters from Shipherd he had been re-
ceiving all summer. He was no such Il
person as that worthy had taken him for.
And then OH the Sd of December Mr..
Blaine, who was just going out of Office,
bristled up indignantly at Shiphcrd, and
wrote him that the Government could
hardly keep its hands off of him for hav-
ing written such wicked letters TO lIurl-
but. And now, as we remarked, all is
being investigated.