Morning journal and courier., 1884-09-27
REV. DIR. SMITH INrEnv1EwED.

theologian and divine, Rev. Dr. Newman
 Smyth, to the public on the political ques-
 tions of the hour, and especially with refer
 ence to the moral fitness of MT. Blaine for
 ! the presidency, subject which the Dem-
 ocratic press is so much sgitated over, we : sought an interview with that gentleman
 yesterday and found him at his study, will
 ing to express his opinion when asked. The gentleman endorses MT. Blaine and gave his
 reasons therefor as follows:
 Q.-Dr. Smyth, on the strength of the so-
 called Mu1ligan letters the moral fitness of | Mr. Blaine for the presidency has been called
 in question. Will you state your opinion of Mir. Blaines record?
 Al will cheerfully do so. On the ques-
 tion as Republican whether Mir. Blaine's
 record is sufficient reason for changing my
 vote, will say: The only charges against Mr.
 Blaine have been based upon such portions
 of a correspondence as have been published
 regarding a long complicated business trans
 action. A clergyman may we'll have some
 modesty of judgment concerning matters of
 business. Nevertheless, it is every mans
 duty to form judgment for himself and to be
 willing to state that judgment and act upon !
 his character came to me years ago in letter
 which MT. Blaine wrote to my father upon 8
 personal matter. Or. Smyth's father was
 for many years professor of mathematics in I Bowdoin college.) I do not know whether
 that letter has been preserved or not, but my
 own idea of the sacredness of private core
 spondence would not permit me to publish
 it without the full consent of the party who wrote it. will simply say that that letter gave me very high opinion of MT. Blaine
 as thoroughly honorable and conscientious I gentleman.
 As to the aforesaid Muiligan letters will N say that in trying to form my judgment in ! the matter carefully read and re-read that part of the correspondence which has been \ published, and the various combinations of
 the letters in the papers opposed to Mr. ' Blaine. have not been able to read in them ! any proof of official corruption. I do not | care to go into discussion of the whole mat \ ter; one or two points, however which I ! have not seen noticed in the Independent | papers it seems to me ought in fairness to ! Mr. Blaine to be considered The chief ob l Jectlon IS that he referred as a reason for | some personal favor to an official act ! more careful reading of the letters, however | shows that the service to which he refers was not his official ruling as Speaker, but ! the information which he gave Mr. Roots | and Gen. Logan concerning the rules of the House. NIT. Blaine's service consisted not in ! his ruling, but in the information which he ! gave as to the law. The propriety of such ! service, or any subsequent reference to it. | may be questioned, but it is not in my iudg- ! ment any evidence of official dishonesty. It | was service aside from his official duties as ! Speaker.
 ! Then there is another point notice To- | ward the close of MT. Blaine's entanglsment | with MT. Fisher, and after the letters said to ! be So damaging to MT. Blaine had been writ ten, MT. Blaine proposed to refer the whole matter to arbitration. He writes to MT | Fisher proposing to refer the whole matter | Tn dispute between them to @ third party ! Now 1t seems to me utterly absurd to sup pose that any man conscious of having writ ten letters ruining his whole political ambi- l tion would suggest that the whole matter | should be referred to a third party. It | seems to me that MT. Blaines perfect will ! hngness to make that reference of his whole \ business with Fisher to an arbiter shows at ! least his consciousness of integrity.
 | Q-What impTopriety, if any, was there
 ln Ar Blalne's disposing of bonds to his ! friends?
 An that matter of purely business ! dealing l must defer my judgment to ths | judgment of business men more conversant with such matters. My judgment in that l matter rests very largely upon what has been | told me by business friends in Maine who know MT. Blaine and one of whom bought bonds at the same time that MT Blaine did. \ That gentleman assured me that everything was perfectly fair in that transaction upon [ Mr. Blaine's part. The gentleman speak of ! was in Boston at the time MT. Blaine bought ! and represented an opposition moneyed in terest. He was acquainted closely with all \ the facts of the transaction as a business \ man. He saw nothing in the slightest de- gree dishonorable in the transaction and be- lieves MT. Blaine tells the truth in the state ment he desired from MT. Fisher Such tes- | timony and from such a source has much weight with me. Moreover, MT. Blaine up- on the failure of the enterprise took all the
 load back upon himself, an act which re- dounds to his honor as in high degree
 magnanimous, especially in a man far from [ rich and hardly able to take such a financial strain. Again, against the charge of venality which may have been made against Mr Blaine from the aforesaid letters, we have ' the fact that Mr. Blaine has never been found guilty of single act of dishonesty in all his I many years of public official life, in \
 which he had the utmost opportunity to make himself rich by corruption, and the ! letters plainly show that instead of being rich man, as represented he was man ! Of very moderate circumstances.
 Q.-What impropriety, if any, was there in his preparing draught of letter for Mr. ! Fisher to sign!
 Al have had many persons ask me for \ letters of recommendation to different posi- tions who have specified points which they A wished me to endorse if I could, They \ simply wished to let me know what they | wished covered by the recommendation Mr Blaine says that the statement he wished Fisher to sign was a true one, and so far as I ' am able to judge of MT. Blaine, believe his \ word may add that MT. Blaine has al- ways been very bold in his letter writing He has written much in private letters ! which more cautious men would not commit | to writing. He is man of a frank out spoken nature, and thereby gives his enc mics much advantage.
 I have seen MT. Blaine personally. I | preached once at Augusta, Maine, at the church which he attends. He was one of | my auditors and after the service met him
 l found, as is commonly known, that Mr Blaine is most respected and esteemed in his own State and his own city, and that both business men and clergymen in whom have | the utmost confidence thorouehlv believe in MT. Blaine. MT. Blaine is not, I think, re- garded in Maine as bestower of offices If | a man in Maine wants an office he does not | usually apply to MT. Blaine, and my friends I in Maine say that MT. Blaine has, to their knowledge, when asked by personal friends, ! refused to interfere in appointments to office. !
 What are your views as to the states | manship of Mir. Blaine?
 A.-My opinion is that Mr. Blaine is not \ onIy man or very marked ability, but that if elected he would give us a wise temperate, discreet and good administration. As to | fears of his provoking a foreign war am ready to sign the enlistment papers now for any war which he may lead us into. Mir Blaine's speech at Bowdoin college at the dinner is pronounced by those who heard it as model of propriety and elegance. I think his letter written regarding his mar4 riage for it's union of delicaey and manliness is 8 model of English style.
 To sum up, if all the facts were made l known, all the circumstances and conditions attending the Mullgan letters, I am satisfied l they would reflect no dishonesty on the part l of MT. Blaine. am willing to accept the views of Blaine of such men as Hoar. 1 Dawes, Gov. Long and others, who know his I public life best.
 l have no judgment to pass upon Demo crats who in allegiance to their own party continue to vote the Democratic ticket. But as teacher of morals I repudiate with con tempt the teachings of the New York Even ing Post with regard to the virtue of chastity. !
 While this last installment of letters seems to me to be favorable to MT. Blaine, throw ing light on the whole transaction, vet I cannot see upon what principle any honor able man iustifv fha mn h1i |