The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-02

Mr. Blaine's political views but deem in right
to set forth Mr. Blaine's views and policy on this
one question, as / would those Of Democratic
arbitrationist. Yours, very truly,
ROBERT MoMuRDY
Corresponding Secretary Of the National Arbitra-
ton League of the United States of America.
Receiving the News of the Bal1oting.
Interview with J. A. Homan.
81 was with him while the news from the bal
loting came, and for some two hours before He
related incidents of his life many of them sug-
gested by the situation at that time. He seemed
to be entirely free from any care, trouble or
anxiety He said to me one day, am in state
of mind where, whatever happens l am con-
tent. 1 have been now for several
years out of public life, and 1
have gone out of politics. have had every
reasonable ambition gratiied in my life, and 1
can say now that have no desire and no am
bition for the presidency. have been for the
last two years engaged in another kind of work,
which has occupied my time and my heart /
have adjusted myself to the work, and it has be-
come so pleasant and SO agreeable that itwould
be wrench for me to break away from it and
go again into active political life If the nom
nation comes to me, it will come unsought /
determined from the first that would take no
part whatever in the matter, and have steadily
refused my strongest and best friends any CO.
operation or advice inregard to the candidacy for
the presidency. II was alone with Mr.. Blaine
until about fifteen minutes before the dispatches
came. During that time he was perfectly calm
and free from anxiety or concern. We
were in the northwest parlor when the dispatches
telling the result Of the first ballot came.
As the vote of each State would come in, he
would make some comment on it, saying that
such o vote was larger or smaller than he sup
posed it would have been. / took the figures
down as they came In. l kept tally of them,
and when the entire vote was received, before
had added the votes, he said: I think, Mr..
Holman, that you will find that Arthur will lead
on this ballot said: No, you are mistaken
He said: / have been watching the figures, and
! think Arthur win lead slightly just at that
moment finished tabulating the returns and
found that he had 354 votes to ArthurS IA
When told him the result he said: That is
just about what some Of my friends told me it
would be. But / thought 1t would fall off little ;
While the second ballot was coming in he said to
me. You take down the figures / am going
into the garden He went out with the chill
dren and sat down in the hammock. kept at
work on the figures in the house little while
but finally they began to come in SO slow that /
gave it up and went out, too. Then Margaret
Blaine went to the telephone and kept tally.
After the third ballot the question of adjourn
ment came up, which was to decide whether Mr..
oAlOoO
who were opposed to him would vote to adjourn.
and those who were in his favor would vote
against the adjournment. When they voted
down the motion to adjourn, we knew what the
result would be. Mrs. Blaine and the children,
Miss Dodge, Miss Stanwood, Mrs, and Miss Man.
ley, General Beal, of Norway, Mr.. Alden Sprague,
of the Kennebec journal, Mrs. Holman and /
were with him when the announcement was
made. We heard q shout from the house where
Margaret was at the telephone, and Instantly
she rushed out of the house and
over the bank to the hammock, where
her father was sitting, and threw
her arms around him. As soon as she recovered
breath, she made the announcement that her
father was nominated, and though we did not
get the figures until late in the evening, that was
sufficient.
mr. Blaine disengaged himself from Margaret,
arose from the hammock went over to his wife
and kissed her. People from all over the town
were there in few minutes The first to arrive
were o. D. Baker, E. r.. Pierce and @. Hart,
who drove up in carriage together.
AT the reception in, The evening it was no
ticeable that large proportion of those who
thconged to the house were the laboring men of
the town, and most of them those with whom he
was personally acquainted and he is remark
able for knowing those whom he has once met.
After he, becomes acquainted with man he
never forgets his name or his face