Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1884-06-20
"CritiCs, appalled, l venture on the name,

These cntthroat bandits in the paths of fame v
MIR. Blaine is beginning to feel the force
Of cruelty in the old suggestive express
sion "Oh, that mine enemy would write
book" In advance Of his nomination
for the presidency Mr.. Blame wrote q
book the political character of which
together with his present political promi-
nence exposes the book TO the most ex-
haustlve criticism and the writer to the
most relentless rdicule for any lnaccura
cy, however small, that may be discover
ed therein. Already some molehils of
apparent contradiction in its references to
Daniel Webster's career as secretary CT
state under Harrison and Tyler are mag
nified into mountains ready to burst out
into antagenistc. volcanoes against each
other. The book states that "Webstel
fingered uuwe]come If not distrusted until
July ls43," in the cabinet of Tyler, in
opposition to which is published the COM
plimentary letter of President Tyler of
May s, lS43 ackn owledglng receipt of his
formal resignation Of same date and
thanking him III the warmest terms for
the ''ze II and ability with which he had
discharged the various and complicated
duties devolving upon him" as secretary
Of state.
Another instance in which Mr.. Blaine's
critics show that he "fell down" in his
statement of the senatorial character of
Webster is on page l07 where he says:
"While Mr.. Webster's name is so honor
ably perpetuated by his elaborate and
mastery discussion of great principles In
the senate, he did not connect himself
with single historic measure" In con-
tradictlOn of the above the critics turn
back to page 81 of Mr.. Blaine's own book
and quote him On Webster IN reference
to South Carolina nulliiication, which is
considered a ''historic measure as fol-
lows "Hls speech in reply to Hayne IN
1890 was like an amendment to the con
stltution. 1t corrected contradictions,
changed convictions, revolutionized con-
cluslons. 1t gave to the friends of the
union the abundant logic which estab-
lished the right and the power of the gov
ernment to protect itself" Other quo
tatlons are made from Webster's long and
brilliant senatorial record to show his
connection with "historic measures
While these are seeming contradictions
they would probably never have been
criticised outside of social circles but for
the presidential candidacy Of the author.
1t Is not reasonably to be expected that a
book OF its character and range would be
wholly exempt from errors. The candi-
dacy Of Mr. Blame aud the scathing crit
iclsms of his Twenty Years OF Con-
gress'' will cause more general and
closer reading of the book both from mo-
wise would have been given 1t, and those
who read it for either purpose will find
III the end that they have stored their
minds with q vast amount Of substantial
and reliable information relative. to the
political history of the country and It's
great statesmen and political leaders.
Nevertheless, the illrstrious author will
doubtless vince little under the fire of
criticism He can console himself, how
ever, in the thought that even the 'sMis.
takes OF Moses have been criticised with
more violence and ridicule than his in
reference TO Webster have yet called out
or are likely to provoke, and take courage
in the consciousness that the inimltable
Ingersoll who SO ruthlessly sailed into
the dead bible historian will, If necessary,
come to the rescue Of the living American
political historian