St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-09-25
The Blaine = Fisher Letters.
Fisher and MuIiigan supply the
Missing Letter.
CERTIFIED COPIES OF THE ORIGINALS
NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED.

following abstract is made of the let
tiers previously published.
On June %. 1869. Mr.. Blaine, then
speaker of the house, wrote to Mr..
Fisher thanking that gentleman for an
offer to admit him to "a participation IN
the new railroad enterprise" (the Little
Rock road), and expressing strong
desire to obtain from Mr.. Caldwell a
.'detinite proposition ''to dispose of
share of his interest to me = 1t was
in this letter that the speaker said: 81
do not feel that | shall prove dead
head in the enterprise If | once EN-
bark mf it. | see various channels in
which know | can Ice useful"
>. Three days later Mr.. Blaine
again wrote Mr.. Fisher thanking him
for his "most liberal proposition" and
saving: .What | wrote you on the
2Oth was intended to bring Caldwell
to a definite proposition. That was
all"
3. Mr.. Caldwell, who was associs
atcd with Mr.. Fisher in building the
Little Rock y Fort Smith railroad,
not showing any disposition to supple
mcnt Mr. Fishers ''liberal PROPOSE
ton by the definite proposition"
desired 10y Mr.. Blaine, the latter wrote
the two letters of Oct. /, 1869, hereto
fore published. In these letters to
Mr. Fisher. the speaker narrated cir
cumstantially how, 'without knowing
it," aud in the discharge of IA ''plain
duty" he had done Mr.. Caldwell and
his enterprise "a great favor 10y
sending his page to Gen Logan and
prompting Il point of order, which he
sustained. aud without which the bill
renewing the land grant for the Little
Roc, road would have been ''lost, or
at least postponed" Referring to Mr..
Fishers kindness in urging him to
make rs much as hc fairly could out of
the arrangement. Mr.. Blaine said sit
is natural that | should do my utmost
to this end. am bothered by only
one thing. and that is the indefinite
arrangement with Mr.. Caldwell. am
anxious to acquire the interest he has
promised me, but | do not get II def
mite understanding with him rs have
with You"
10 The People Of he United States:
Believing that it is our duty to lay
before our fellow countrymcn the fol
lowing documents which have been in
our possession, we have placed the
originals for safe keeping in the hand,
of McsSrS. Sohirr y Welsh, counsel
lurs of Boston, and herewith submit
their contents without comment. Tn,
letters from Mr.. Fisher are ietter-pres.
copies of the originals.
|. Under date of Oct. !, 1869, Mr.
Blaine writes Mr.. Fisher from Angus
ia. enclosing Il check for SlO,OOO il
payment of \. y p. Coburn's subscrip
ton, and says: Il presume you viii
receive the 20 per cent due on all tn,
subscriptions already forwarded t.
Won. and also ON the ollowingn-nam
ing Phlo Hcrscy S5OOO, \. w. John
son 5000. Il. c. Johnson 5000, Nahum
Munroc 5000, G. b. Hazeltine 5000
all of Belfast, and SAYS: "This make
$685. 900 in all have disposed of. |
is doubtful if dispose of any more,
but shall know 10y tomorrow. ST
there will be no delay to embarras
YOU in any way. No one will eve
know from me that | have ever dis
posed of II single dollar in Maine. 81
there need Ice no embarrassment il
talking with Mr.. Caldwell | don
wish Won to settle that matter Will
Mr. Caldwell till YOU hear from IN,
again" In the postscript he says: 8
send only SSOOO this morning. vii
send $1,000 remaining to-morroy
morning
> Oct. ,, 1863, he writes from Angus
ia: Il enclose You two thousand dol
lars check, balance of \. y =. Co
burns instalment; two thousand dol
lars in payment of Arson i. Morrill,
instalmcnt one thousand dollars il
payment of Lot NJ. Morrill's install
mcnt. Lot NJ. Morrill's Subscription
of $1,000 is additional to those alread,
advised, making in all SI3O, 900. Their
may possibly he S2O,OOO more, bu
SI5O.OOO will Ice my limit. receive,
yours enclosing + K. Ilazcltine's lette
from Belfast by mail succeeding thi
YOU will receive cashier check fo
$1,000, and hereafter you will have II
trouble with any of the Maine sub
scriptions All will come to you i
cashier checks or money direct by eX
press. | note what You say about til
Importance of my keeping all quie
here. fully appreciate your wisdom
and your kindness. and shall endeavo
to do Just as you desire in the prcmi
scS. The letter enclosing the Glob
hv same mail with this can he read b.
YOU to Mr.. Caldwell if You think it eX
prdieut. | have cudcavorcd in writin
1t not to Ice indicate. shall see yo
in Boston Thursday noon. Don't sen
any receipts to Maine folks till
come"
These two letters of Oct. / and
1869. are in continuation of the tw
letters of Oct. !, 1869, which hav
been already published.
3. Nov. II, 1861, he writes frol
Augusta at is quite evident Ia M
mind that at the approaching sessiO
of congress there will he an eNpansio
ct currency to the amount of fifty I
seventy-fivc millions of dollars. Th
form it will take, | think, will be a
addition to the national bank circul;
ton west and south. My object
writing is to ask in season ii yoI
friends would desire to establish
bank at Little Rock? Ii will he
some extent matter of favoritism
to who gets the banks in the sever
localities. and il viii be in my pow,
to least an anchor to the windwar,
in yuur behalf if You desire it. Plea
think over the matter, and confer wi
Mr.. Caldwell ; and let me know Vol
desires as soon as YOU reach any col
cusiou. There Is, of course, no speci
hurry F.; but | thought | would sugge
the matter in order that you mig
mature your thoughts in good time.
would be well To determine the amou
to which You might wish to go.
suppose it might Ice practicable to :
cure "A SjOO,uOO bank, but in that
calty YOU would hardly wish to 20
deep. But they are very prottal
institutions S25O,OOO."
4. Dec. I, 1870, he writes fro
Washington "You have received
Boutwell's answer. | presume Y
will deem IL necessary To come