The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-08-28
An 0diUu' Comparison.

he without icing accused of OffenSes as
serious rs those that are laid at his
door. This, we say. is rash, because it is
an Insult 10 the American people which
they will not patiently endure, and which
many OF them will incline to avenge
directly Oh Mr.. Blaine The public men
who have been chosen to the high post
to which Mr.. Blaine aSpireS, or who
have from time to time been prominent
As candidates for that place, have been
men wnOm the Republic could regard
I without modification, and against very
few OF the leaders of the Republican
party since il first organized in defense
OF human freedom have any charges
been brought that, if proved. could-have
/ placed them on the level of Mr.. Blaine.
/ Of those who have passed away. and
who in their day incurred the most bit
ter hostility and invited from desperate
foes the most reckless opposition, the
thoughts OF all men will turn. to Mr..
Lin DIN when these foolish apologists
for sta ned reputation invite compari-
son. Certainly he was heartily abused,
but in the fiercest helt of civil war his
most INSCRIPTIONS assailants never
dared to say that he was dishonest
man, or that he used. or wanted to use.
the power intrusted to him by his coun-
trymen to nil his purse. And linked
with him in the memory of the Nation
As the man who would have taken his
place had the assassin done his work
earlier is Hannibal EamlIn. VIII any
OF Mr.. Blalne's supporters in Maine
venture to asset that there exists in
Mr.. Hamlin $ record of long and con-
spicuOus public service any sach evil
dence OF personal impurity us has accu-
mulated against their candidate? And,
since We are speaking of Maine, what
will these loOsetongued apologists say
of 4 parallel between the career of Mr..
Blaine and that of the blameless Will
lam Pitt FesSenden, or the less dis
tinguiShed but not less honest Lot NJ.
Morrill,?
These are men of the old time Repub-
licanS from the very dawn OF the Re-
publican day, and there are others like
them. Two men singulary unlike in
gifts and temperament and methods OF
action, but sharing through many years
the burdens and the hOnOrS OF the
struggle for the Republican cause, were
Seward and Summer. They faced from
the beginning the most envenomed
abuse, but what tongue ever war~gd
against their personal integrity? Were
they ever accused of seek .ng pecuniary
reward Tor acts done in official service?
Did they ever write letters on their per-
sOnal business of which they had to
possess themselves by falsehoOd for
fear they would find their way to an in
YeStigating committe, or can any one
conceive OF them hushing inquiry into
their dealings with a Government cor
p0ration from anxiety for an election to
the Senate. Salmon p Chase was
Senator of the United States and was
afterward Secretary of the Treasury
when money i'll almost uncOun;ed
millions was collected and expended |
under his direction, and when fortunes
were made. i'll day from the transac- |
lions he controlled. Is any man living
who would have dared to suggest OF /
Mr.. Chase that he made one dollar !
from the abuse of his position Can
any one conceive of him as begging a (
share in the speculative schemes OF that |
day on the ground OF decision made /
in his official capacity. and the aSsur-
ance that he would mot be dead |
head?" And Bluff Ben Wade and .
ThaddeuS Stevens and John Z. Hale /
and Senator Grimes and all the old |
guard OF the party--can We conceive of /
them as open TO the charges under
which Mr.. Blaine now suffers?
But we may be told that the standard
of political morality was higher then
than it is now, and that Mr. Blaine is
entitled to be Judged by the existing
one. There is some force in the claim
The standard is lower. for in that time
nc man could have been nominated for
President by the Republican party who
was justly suspected of the sins of the
Chicago candidate. But if the stand
ard of those who control the party be
lower, it remains to be seen what YER
1lct the American people will pass
upon it in the trial to which they are
And there are still men
living, in both parties, honored and
honorable, who furnish the means OF +,
The man who was re-
ected for MI Blaine by the Chicago
Convention is one OF these. When the
'harces long since formulated against
Mr.. Blaine were again brought to the ;
attention OF the public his ardent, if ,
amateur, a torney, Mr.. Phelps. hast
med to try to prove that he had done !
10 worse than Mr.. Edmunds, instinct
vely perceiving that if they could
De shown to be guided by the same
standard Mr.. Blaine was safe. But the .
attempt drew out simple and savage
from Mr.. Edmunds that
etaed that question forever, and 6
bowed Mr.. Phelps and his client that,
however desirable it WAS to establish a .
LIKENESS To that gentleman. it was a y
impossible as to prove that black &
Eh:te- If we turn to the next most con- q
picu0uS figure in recent politi 5. and
0mpare Mr.. Blaine with the man who Il
7aS for years The object of h ; most am :
itiOus ri airy, the result will not be /
lore avcraL1le to Mr. Blaine. Roscoe
Onkling AID no one will suspect III {
f being pre- udiced in his favor in
,ng career Of activity in politics, and
{ not the ncdeSt activity, was never
of ProStituting his public n
'usts to private gain. There never was n
moment in his life that it would have
zen safe to open negotiations with L
In, such as Mr. Blaine conducted re- I"
ssd no the Fort Smith bonds; il is @
mpiy inconceiVabIe that he. like Z
Iaine, could have opened them him c;
lE-N ENIinses lInd. Sc
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