The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1884-08-16
TIE BLAINE

THE BLAINE SCANDAL
James G.. Blaine was nominated
oy the Chicago Republican cenven'
ton for the Presidency over q month
before Governor Cleveland was
named for the same office by the
Democratic National convention,
AS soon az Mr.. Blaine was nomi.
mated he was a~rraigned by not only
Democratic newspapers, but by the
leading Independent and Repub.
lican journals of the country upon
his record az q public officer. His
South American policy while secre-
tary of state; his connection with the
Little Rock 4 Fort Smith railroad
land grab, his affair with Mulljgan,
and other matters in which he had
compromised himself as q public
officer, we're freely ventilated and as
freely criticised. This was legiti-
mate warfare. His record as a public
servant was alone impeached. Not a
word OF q whisper was heard con-
corning his private character or
domestic relations. They were in no
instance referred to.
But when Governor Cleveland
was nominated a new plan of war
fare was marked out by the Repub>
lican managers. An insignificant
Republican sheet in Buffalo, whose
circulation never exceeded a thou
sand or eleven hundred, was found
willing to publish a scandal about
the Democratic nominee. This was
largely taken up by several so-oalled
Republican journals and given all
the publicity which printers ink
could give it, and it is safe to say
there is not any intelligent family in
the United States, and but few in
foreign countries, that have not
heard of the vile scandal. Not con-
tent with It's simple publication,
Republican journals have commented
upon it; Photographed it, assumed a
virtuous indignation yer it, and by
dressing and redressing it they have
kept it presented to the public in its
most odious shape. It was taken up
by bal. loungers and street.
corner politicians, and magnItied
and distorted for the amusement and
ridicule of gaping listeners.
In the meantime threatenings were
heard from Democratic and indie
pendent quarters. 1t vas at first dark
ly limited and finally openly asserted
that unless a stop were put to the
malicious scandal, the partisans of
Mr.. Blame would hear of something
rejecting as severely upon the pri-
vate life of their candidate, as the
story in circulation about Governor
Cleveland reflected upon him as a
private individual. NJ heed was
taken of thu threats, and finally the
blow fell. Our dispatches of night
before last tell its character and
where it fell.
It is not necessary for the purposes
of this article to assert the truth or
of these scandals. We have
referred to them merely to show to
what depths purely personal political
warfare may descend and that the
Republican managers of the pr sent
campaign are alone responsible for
latest scandal against Mr..
Blame. They commenced the I'M
clean battle. They first engaged in
mire and mud and filth to
gain votes for their chief. They shut
their eyes to the fact that Mr.. Cleve-
land has a mother and sisters who
are dear to him and who are as jeal-
Dus of his personal honor as a mother
and sisters can be of the honor of a
and a brother, and numerically +!
despatched him with their filthy
stock of political ammunition. The
country has the result before it in the
nature of a reprisal upon the part of a
rabid anti Blaine newspaper.
There can be nothing urged in ex-
of this mode of political
warfare. 1t is simply sham full and
deserves the exec-ation of men of all
True or false, these scandals
cut no figure in determining
he qualifications of MI. Cleveland
n Mr. Blaine for the office they are
eekiDg. Each should bejudged and
measured by his record as a public
'mcer. Errors in his domestic or
relations committed fifteen
r twenty years ago have nc more TO
10 with his fitness for the office now
han does the color of his hair. And
My those who are lost to all sense of I
lonor, and decency and shame will
AXE up out of the forgotten past the j
widowed relics ofa thoughtless hour
nd hold them aloft to the gaze of an
nthinking, jeering crowd. This
atest scandal should put a stop to
lrther personal warfare. 1t has now
the bedrock of slum and i,
lud. Political hate can get no q
eeper by land. .
If Governor Cleveland had a f
hole family of illegitimate children, {: