Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1882-02-10
Blaine and Arthur.

Blame ana Arthur.
The faction contes, and family unpleas-
antness in the Republican party, which
the untimely takingoff of Mr.. Garfield
had temporarily quieted, appears to be
again developing into threatening dimen-
sions. AS is we-known, during the short
administration of Mr.. Garfield, the De-
partment of State, under the leadership of
Mr.. B aine, had lnaugurated vigorous
American policy; in which the principles
of the much talked Of "Monroe doctrine
were fully and urequivocally reasserted,
and in which, as many contend, the orr
ginal fabric was to a considerable extent
buildsd upon. One of the manifestoes OF
this policy was Mr.. Blaine's widely pub
lished letter of instructions to our British
minister in regard to the control of the
inter-oceanic canal by this Government.
Another, and still more remarkable de-
vvlopment of the policy referred to, was
MIR. Blaine's invitation to all the American
nations to send delegates to ''peace con-
gress" to be held in the United States, for
the purpose of agreeing upon such ba-
sis of arbitration for internal troubles as
would remove all possibility of war on
the Western Hemisphere" This invita-
ton had not been issued during Mr.. Gar
fields life, but, after his death and the
succession of Mr.. Arthur to the Presiden-
cy, Mr.. Blaine brought the matter to Mr..
Arthur's attention, and informed him OF
Mr.. Garfeld's favorable consideration of
the message; whereupen Mr.. Arthur, Mr.
Blaine informs the country, received the
suggestion with the most appreciative
consideration, and after carefully examin-
ing the form of the invitation, directed
that it be sent The invitation vas &C
cordingly sent in November last to the in
dependent governments of America North
and South, including all, from the Empire
of Brazil to the smallest republic.
Now, it seems, since he succession OF
Mr.. Frelinghuyson to the portfolio of State
Mr. Arthur has Tecensidered his action,
and the Secretary of State has by direc-
ton of the President sent instructions to
the South American ministers looking to
a revocation of the invitation thus extend
ed. This action of the administration has
brought about an extensive criticism, pro
and con, upon Mr.. Blaine's American pol
icy. The stalwart organs in their war up
on Mr.. Blaine have insisted that his action
was taken without the concurrence of Mr..
Arthur, and was the result of his own Of
fciousness. A coloring is given to this
assertion by the fact that, in his message
to Congress, Mr.. Arthur made no mention
of such action by the Department of State.
This has elected from Mr.. Blaine sharp
letter to the President, in which he al
ludes to the approval given the measure
by Mr.. Arthur and criticises the reasons
upon which Mr.. Frelinghuyson, in his
countermanding dispatches, justified the
revocation of the invitations extended
In the course of his letter Mr.. Blaine says
81 cannot conceive how the United
States could be placed in less enviable
position than would secured by sending
in November q cordial invitation TO all
the American govesnments t. meet =
Washington for the sole~prfp6se OF con-
certing measures of peace, and in January
recalling the invitation, for fear that it
might create jealousy and ill-wil' on the
part of moRarchical governments in Eu-
lope 1t would be difficult to devise a
more effective mode for making enemies
of the American government, and it won d
certainly not add to our prestige In the
European world.
Nor can see, Mr.. President, how Eu-
ropean governments should feel jealousy
aud ill will towards the United States be-
cause of an effort on our part to assure
lasting peace between the nations of A
merica, unless, indeed, it be the interest
of European powers that American ma
tions should at intervals fall into war, and
bring reproach on Republican gov m
ment. But from that very Circumstance /
see an additional and powerful motive for
the American Governments to be at peace
among themselves"
Without venturing any comments on
the merits of Mr.. Blaine's "American pol
icy" and the remarkable Inconsistency
which seems to have characterized Mr.
Arthur's action in reference to il. it is
easy to perceive that the embarrassing
position in which the United States is
placed in this matter, is due in great
measure to the hostility existing between
the two factions of the Republican party
This controversy bids fair to fully reopen
if not to further expand, the breach in the
Republican party, and, notwithstanding
the liberal prophecies as to how the solid
South was to be rent asunder by Mahon.
ism and kindred heresies, the present pro
liabilities are that the year 1884 will find
much more solidity and healthy cohesion
in the South thar in the "party of grca
moral ideas" The 'spoils system" is q
slow disease, but it is inevitably fatal to
every political organization that fully
contracts it. The Republican party has
the disease in its most malignant type, and
its early dissolution is an assured fact
Refipinp Duhlic Officeco