The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-05
Pounding Blaine.
A TERRIBLE ABANDONMENT BY A FRONT.
NENT REPUBLICAN, or WIS
CoNslN.

A IEhNiBLE ARhAltNMbNT B1 PROMl-
NENT REPUBLICAN, OF WIS
CoNslN.
A letter from ex-Congressman Pound,
of Chippewa Falls, in which the writer
says he will oppose Mr. Blaine and
support Governor Cleveland for the
Presidency, was made public last week.
Mr. Pound is perhaps the most distin-
guished republican in Wisconsin, and
his opposition to Mr.. Blaine will cause
profound sensation throughought the
northwest. He has for years been an
unwavering leader in the republican par
ty, always supportining the entire tick.
ct, aud has been very prominent in its
councils for 20 years. He was lead
ing member of the state legislature in
1864, 1866, 1867 and 1869. He was
elected lieutenant governor in 1869,
and was in 1876 elected to congress
from the eighth district, then embrac-
ing more than half the area Of Wiscon-
sin. He served three terms of con-
gress, taking prominent part. He
was chairman of the Committee OH
Public Lands in the Forty-seventh
congress. AT the end of his third term
he voluntarily retired from public life
to devote himself to private enterprise.
His reputation of Mr. Blaine proceeds
from no personal grievance or disap-
pointment, but from firm conviction
that the republican nominee is not the
man for the place. Mr.. Pound has
thousands of friends in Wisconsin. He
was a close friend of Garfield, and was
strongly urged for cabinet position.
Following is Mr.. Pounds letter
| MILWAUKEE, Aug 25, 1884.-Gen.
b. ID, Bryant, Madison-MY DEAR
SIR Your favor of the 23rd inst ask
ing an expression of my views Of the
political situation, is received. So many
friends of varied political bias have ad-
dressed me in person and by letter
touching my attitude on the presiden-
tial question that l am constrained to
make a pretty full response to your
kind inquiry, with permission to pub
lish the same if you deem it wise to do
so.
After much earnest and soliictous de-
liberation | deem it to be my duty,
while abating naught of loyalty to the
republican party, but rather to promote
its true purpose and strengthen it for
future good work, to support the dem
ocratic nominee, Governor Cleveland,
for president at the approaching cleo
ton. My judgment disagrees with,
and my conscience rebels against, the
action of the republican convention IN
the nomination of Mr.. Blame, and
without arrogating for myself wisdom
superior to majority of representa-
tive republicans convened to voice the
determination of my party, am CON-
PEELED to obey my own best Judgment
and sense of duty in this single and ex-
traordinary instance. Being lifelong
republican and the recipient of many
distinguished honors, state and nation
al, it is due my political associates, SC
often my cordial supporters, and my
self that the reasons for departure from
conventional cooperation be frankly
stated.
| No one will deny hat the essential
worth, if not the perpetuity of the le
public, depends upon the maintenance
of political and personal integrity as
we'll as prudence and justice in its leg
islative, judicial and administrative
branches. 1t is true that detection and
correction of crookedness and infidelity
of the executive branch of our govern
ment are most difficult while long unin
terrupted control is certain to invit,
abuse of power and opportunity. The re
publican party has enjoyed nearly twen
ty-four years of continuous administra
tive authority, and while its history il
resplendent with glorious achievmentl
and hallowed by memories of unrival
ed statemensbip, patriotism and PROV
ess, there have crept into its human
r machinery many grevious abuses ant
ailment, demanding correction anC
cure, which may or may not be accom-
plished by the party in which they ar
t engendered. Happily the work o
/ publication and reform has been pro
, crossing most satisfactorily within on
party under the present chief magis
. trate, and with such eminent success
{ as to command the unexampled appro
val OF the press, the people and on
D party, expressed through state conven
. tions and by the republican nationa
9 conventionin the exordinary declaration
that "We believe his eminent service
are entitled to and will receive tn
, hearty approval of every citizen.
= | Whnt thar lAns tha n
I country and itself ? Manifestly, til
continuance Of the faithful servant
Common honesty and decent recoe
milton of fidelity and wisdom deman
: it. Little short of hypocrisy woul
! , deny it. But being denied, the alte
= nate should be mau whose public lii
: is a guarantee that the good work wi
: ! 60 on. lie should be the highest an
best type of political integrity, state
J mauship and republican principles.
y Mr.. Blaine is not such man, bu
I i'll my opinion, embodies most in Anne
a ican politics that is menacing to pul
!. lie morals and integrity in governmen
With long public career, mainly di
i tinguished for sort of declamatoi
. and pugilistic statecrafl, he is not Il
y y inspiration of a single valuable polio
"a or the author of an important statut
but, on the contrary, has often sugges
ed and supported unwise and bad al
!, T. opposed good Legislation. With re
=, ord clouded by suspicion and accus
a ton of jobbery and corruption und
y y Tended, he brings to us personal anita
~ ouisms which have torn and weaken'
q u our party in the past, invading the a
~ ministration of the lamented Carrie
Z with demands of personal vengean
~ =; so virulent as TO inflame the spirit
10 assassination and eliminating in I
=, q defeat of Judge Folger and conseque
" election of Grover Cleveland govern
!. y, of the Empire state. Mr. Blain,
's friends justified their DETECTION, viii
defeated most excellent man, by t
le plea of fraud in one proxy at the sta
81 convention. Such excuse pales
N whiteness when compared with the d
| L l., 1 a.,