The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1884-05-22
Maine Politics and Politicians.

Maine Politics and Politicians.
MURAT HALSTEAD ON MR.. BLAINE.
Murat Halstead has written the following let
ter explaining his change of opinion regarding
Mr.. Blaine:
CINCINNATI, May 10, 1884.
Eight years ago | advocated the nomination
for the Presidency of General Bri>tow. and Op-
posed Mr.. Blaine incidentally. Now | am not
devoting myself to toll in favor of any particu-
lar nomination, though my expressed prefer
ence is for John Sherman. and am not aSsail-
ing either Mr.. Blaine. President Arthur. Sena-
tor Edmunds or General Logan, holding them
all in high esteem. Perhaps | have changed
my policy. profess to have proted by eight
years enlargement of experience During
those years | have been more deeply than ever
convinced that there is no reasonable hope of
doing any good with the Democratic party, and
| have lost faith in the efficacy of independent
movements. | have had share in the labor of
holding party consultations with few excel
lent citizens. with the view of SCATTERING both
the great political organizations Of the country.
and want to spend my time to better purpose.
In TINS perceive no occasion for public regrets
or private SORROWS. propose to support the
Repub1can National nomination, and it occurs
to me to reserve my strength until after the
proceedings of the convention. The journal
with which am connected is not at war with
any of the candidates, and believes in the cause
above them all. | am grateful to Mr.. Blaine
for his large share in defeating the third-term
aggression against American republicansm,
and feel persuaded that in the atmosphere of
suspicion of 1876 some of us accepted too
readily the theory that the smoke of accusation
against Blaine meant that there must be hid
den fire, soon to break out and consume him.
Whenever | attempted to build up the facts
that We're assumed to be the fuel they failed to
materialize. | should not, if he We're the can
didate, feel alarmed about his record. We
know all that can be used against him. that it
would be as Intellectual before The people at
large as in the Republican party, and that there
is no candidate unassailable. Mr. Blaine's
enemies. who are violent and eNerting them
selves TO show that hard things can be said of
him, are not important. and have mistaken
their mission. | know of some matters in
which Mr.. Blanes assaants are utterly in el-
ror. President Garfield told me that at the
first of his cabinet meetings he opened business
by saying to all. as he could that moment do
without offence to any, they would get along
peaceaby only by carefully limiting themselves
to their own departments of duty. He said
Blaine acqulesced, and complied with the Sug-
gestion fully and cordially up TO that day. 1t
was the last day of June, 1881. And President
GarheId SAID Blaine was not responsible for
the New York appointments upon which Conk-
ling resigned; that they We're his own. and
made under sense of duty to his friends ami
himself as the President of the United States
upon the belief that when the shock was over
there would be a better understanding. When
| compare my knowledge with the charges cur
rent against Mr.. Blaine about these lran>ac-
tons, and so often repeated that refutaton be-
comes tedious, | am free to believe that he has
been falsely accused in other matters. and
know enough of those who are making a hlls-
ness of hostility to him to be sure that if the
lines were drawn on them that they apply, they
could be made unhappy. | think our strongest
candidate and SAFES President would be John
nd | clio Il,rT Tr,.o l,,,,.
credit for his admirable administration. But
do not believe that the millions of Republicans
who klndle with enthusiasm at the name of
Blaine have gone fai wrong.
NJ HALsTEAD.
BLAINE ON THE PACIFIC COAST
4 correspondent SENDS to the Portland Press
the following letter from a native of Maine. now
a resident of California:
As Il Maine boy | have right to be Blaine
man-but it is a fact that, applying a like test
here, nearly all California Republicans must
have been born in Maine. 1t is singular fact.
too. that the three hundred and odd delegates
from the South. who cannot back up their
ciamoring with single electoral vote. together
with Mr.. Curtis and his followers in New York
the former AT the beck of the administration.
and the latter under the claim of LOFTY superb
orty"-are to plan and organize for the first
and foremost object of defeating Blaine.
But fully believe that Blaine would get as
large Republican vote in New York As any
man whose name is mentioned. | spent several
months in the interior of that State two wears
ago, during the FolgerClevel campaign
and studied the feeling there pretty carefully.
Mr.. ConkIing had his admirers and many en-
emic>. Blaine had no enemies. the feeling ap-
pearing to be that all the quarrel between them
was a quarrel of Coukling against Blaine, and
the people did not seem to regard Mr.. Conk-
Ilng'S not liking Blaine rs any reason why they
should dislike him.
1t is not impossible that the vote of the Paci-
tie coust may cut quite As important figure rs
the independent Vote of New York. | have no
idea that any other Republican would com
| mand as many votes in this State AS Mr. Blaine.
unless it be Mr.. Lincoln. 1t is difficult to meas
ure the effect of sentiment if the of Abra-
ham Lincoln is named.
If Blaine is nominated have no idea that
any Democrat could deprive him Of our vote.
Arthur'S name would create no enthusiasm.
Edmunds is throughly respected for his ability.
Blaine i, admired for his brilancy and the
soft hat Of the Westerner would keep in the all
for him during the whole campaign.
1t matters not what may be the opinion of
Eastern people with regard to the Chinese
questionable voters of this coast attach a great
deal of importance to it; and no one who an
| tagonzed them upon this point can have their
votes to help place him in position where the
fate of the question might be placed in his
hands. Jim.
SOME THINGS SETTLED.
The election of delegates to the Republican
National Convention is over. 1t has not settled
everything in the next convention or the next
campaign, but it has settled some things of vita
Importance and profound moment to the nation
and the Republican party. to candidates and pol
| ticians. 1t has settled:
| That James q. Blaine is the choice of al
overwhelming majority of Republican States