The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1884-09-27

| N. Z. Times Qnd.)
Some of Mr.. Blaine's friends have
rashly asserted that be is "no worse
than other public men," and that no
one was ever in political life as long
as he without being accused of offenses
as serious as those that are laid at his
door. This, we say, is rash, because
it is an insult to the American people
which they will not patiently endure,
and which many Of them will incline
to avehge directly on Mr.. Blaine. The
public men who have been chosen to
the high post to which Mr.. Blaine as
pires, or who have from time to time
been prominent as candidates for that
place, have been men whom the Re-
publicans could regard without morti-
fication, and against very few of the
leaders of the Republican party since
it 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
bitter hostility and invited from des-
peIate foes the most reckless opposi-
ton, the thoughts of all men will turn
to MFR. Lincoln when these foolish
apologists for a stained reputation in
vite comparison, Certainly he was
heartily abused, but in the fercest
heat Of civil war his most unscrupu-
lous assailants never dared to say that
he was dishonest man, or that he
used, or wanted to use, the power in
trusted to him by his countrymen to
fill 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 Hamlin. Will any of Mr..
Blaine's supporters in Maine venture
to assert that there exists in Mr.. Ham
Inns record of long and conspicuous
public service any such evidence of
personal impuFity as has accumulated
against their candidate? And, since
we are speaking Of Maine, what will
these loose-tongued apologists say of
a parallel between the career of Mr..
Blaine and that of the blameless Will
liam Pitt Fessenden, or the less dis
tinguished but not less honest Lot NJ.
Morrill,
These are men of the old time Re-
publieans from the very dawn of the
Republican day, and there are others
like them. Two men singnlarly 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 Sumner. They faced
from the beginning the most enyen-
omed abuse, but what tongue ever
spoke against their personal integrity 7
Were they ever accused of seeking
pecuniary reward for acts done in off
cial seryicei Did they ever write let
ters on their personal business Of which
they had to possess themselves by
falsehood for fear they would find
their way to an investigating commit
tee, or can any one conceive Of them
hushing inquiry into their dealings
with a government corporation from
anxiety for an election to the Senate.
Salmon p. Chase was Senator Of the
United States and was afterWard Secre-
tary of the Treasury when money in
almost nncounted millions was collect
ed and expended under his direction,
and when fortunes were made in day
from the transactions be controlled.
Is any man living who would have
dared to suggest Of Mr. Chase that he |
made ono dollar from the abuse of his
position. Can any one conceive Of
him as begging q share in the specp-
latiye schemes Of that day on The
ground Of decision made IN his OIL
cial capacity, and the assurance that
he wonid Hnot be dead-head =, And |
q Bluff Ben Wade and Thaddens
Stevens and John P. Hale and Sen
ator Grimes and alI the old guard Of
the party-can we conceive Of them
As open to the chsrges ander which
M. Blaine now suffersl
But We may be told that the stand
ard Of political morality was higher
thon than It Is now, and that Mr. |
Blaine Is entitled TO he judged bg The
existing one. There Is aone force 10
TIE claim The standard il loweF, fori