The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1884-10-07

From Harper's Weekly, Sept. I'll
THE NEW MGLLlGAN LETTERS,
The publication Of the last series OF
Mulligau letters completes the national
humiliation of the nomination Of Mr..
Blaine Had the letter written by him to
Mr.. Fisher on the 10th of April, 1875, in
closing letter which he asked Mr.. Fisher
to copy and return to him as his own vol
untary act, been made public before the
Republican Convention, it is impossible
that Mr.. Blaine could have been nomina-
ted, unless the Republican party has re-
ally fallen as low as its Democratic orpo-
nents assert 1t is now plain enough why
Mr.. Blaine was so alarmed when he heard
during the investigation that Mr.. Multi
gan had arrived in Washington with the
letters which he supposed to have been
destroyed, and why the passionately cx-
cited scene with Mr. Mulligan followed.
Mr.. Blaine supposed that the letter pro
posing that Mr.. Fisher should tell false
hood to protect Mr.. Blaine himself was
among them, and he knew that the publ
cation of that letter would necessarily be
fatal to his hopes OF the Presidential nom
ination. The letters previously published
seemed to us sufficiently to show the un-
fitness of Mr.. Blaine for the highest Off
cial trust in the government. But NO
honest man can escape the plain conclu-
sion of those now made public They
convict Mr.. Blaine beyond question OF
taking GA, 100000 of people into his
confidence" and deliberately telling them
series of falsehoods. Tney leave him
exposed as trading upon his official posi-
ton as Speaker for his own gain. They
complete the most amazing and painful
disclosure that was ever made of candi-
date for the Presidency of the United
States
From these letters, all of which we
publish elsewhere, we select for illustra-
ton this point OF deliberate falsehood
BY referring to the letters the reader will
see that on the 10th of April, 1882, Mr.
Fisher writes to Mr.. Blaine:
I" You obtained subscriptions from your friends
in Maine for he building of the Little Rock aud
Fort Smith Railroad. Out Of their subscriptions
you obtained large amount both Of bonds and
money, tree OF cost to you. l have your own
figures, and know the amount Owing TO your
political position. you were able 20 work off all
your bonds at very higu price, and III, l.
well known 10 Others as " IL
MT DlalteS COuCFaCC as az
September 5, 1859, and has zen
hshed. That it was carried ont is 81 d..
by the memorandum with his "owr fig
ures in his own handwriting which was
produced by Mr.. Mulligan in Mr.. Blaine's
presence before the committee, and Mi.
Blaine was silent Yet while he was
scheming for the nomination in 1915, be-
fore anything was known to the pub
lie, and the vague rumOrs of his railroad
transactions first filed the air, Mr. Blaine
wrote to Mr.. Fisher, inclosing the draft
Of letter which he wished Mr.. Fisher TO
return to him as his own, and asked him,
in the face of what is now known to be
truth, to say:
I" You Mr.. Blaine became the purchaser OF
about 900 If the bonds on precisely The same
terms that every other buyer received, paying
for them in installmenis running over u cOnsid-
cradle period, Just as others did. . The transac-
lion was perfectly open, and there was no raore
secrecy in regard to il than if you had been buy
ing -four aud sugar. / am sure that you never
owned bond of the road that you did not paw
for at the market rate. Your action in the
whole matter was as open and as fair as the day
When the original enterprise failed, knew
with what severity the pecuniary loss fell upon
you, and with what integrity and nerve you met
il. Years having since elapsed, it seems rather
hard at this late day to he compelled to meet a
SANDER in matter where your conduct was in
the highest degree honorable and straigh,for-
ward"
This letter was sent by Mr.. Blaine to
Fisher on the 10th of April, 1875 Mr..
Fisher, however, did not return the letter
as his own, and so, on the oath of April,
a week later, Mr.. Blaine in the House
made the statement for himself, and he
emphasized the assertion that he paid the
usual rate for his bonds by saying
~ never heard and do net belisye that the Lit
tie Rock Company ever parted with bond 10
any person except at the regular price fixed far
their sale Instead Of receiving bonds of The
Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad as gratu-
ity, never had one except at the regular mar
ket price"
All this is untrae. At the time that
the speech was made we said, in common
with other journals, that, in the absence
of further evidence, it was a complete vim
| dicatiOn. The other evidence has now APP
| peared, and the statement 10 plainly un
true. Mr.. Blaine represented himself 40
simple investor. He alleged that Nd
had bought securities in open market.
He concealed totally and Intentionally
| the fact that he was broker in the &C.
curities Of road which owed its value tn
Congressional legislation, and which value
he boasted that, as Speaker, he had saved,
making the boast in order to secate asfnT.
Their pecuniary interest in the speculation
The Blaine organs have the hardihood TO
assert that the lettsr Of Mr.. Blaine incIos,s
ing the draft to M. Fisher, which he aka,
him 70 regard - strictly confidential, md
not 70 show to any one, aud 70 burn, ana
which he senda 70 the Parker HOUSE TIT
graater sso.soy, although be Knows that