The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1884-09-13
BLAINE'S RECORD.
I'll T. LETTERS WHICH SHOW
III AT HE Is NO DEAD.uEAD.
In turning Public Position TO Fortune
---Proof OF Corrupt Public CAarac.

{ c.
ter.
IHE CHRONICLE has been asked by a
dozen correspondents to publish precisely
what are the charges against Mr. Blaine.
lis transactions with regard to stock in
the Little Rock and Fort Fisher Railroad
while he was Speaker of the House, are
the best-known and the worst events of
MS political career; and the following is
statement of that treacherous transac-
ton
Some years ago Mr.. Blaine was speaker
OF the House of Representatives. Mr..
Warren Fisher, of India Street, Boston,
was railroad speculator Mr. Fisher
was also greatly interested in the Little
Rock and Fort Smith Railroad Company
Mr.. Fisher wished to secure some favor
able congressional action in regard to the
enterprise, and he approached Speaker
Blame to secure it. He (Fisher) wrote
Mr.. Blaine letter, and Mr.. Blaine penned
the following reply:
AUGUSTA, June %, lsS9.-Mu Dean, N, Fisher:
!! thank you for the article from Mr. Lewis 1t
IKE a man Of large intelligence and compre-
hension, Your offer 10 ad nit me to participa-
tlon IN the new railroad enterprise is n every
respect as generous as / could expect desire.
l thank you very sincerely for it, and, in this
connect ION, wish TO make a suggestion of
somewhat selfish character. 1t is this: You
sPPeae 3 or M NJ Gidwes Offer to dispose OF
TO do so wish he would make the PROPOSE
ton definite so that could know just what to
depend on. Perhaps if he waits till the full de-
velopment of the enterprise he may grow re-
inctant to part with the share. and do not by
this mean any distruSt of him. I do feel
tn That shall prove deadhead in the enterprise
in which know / can be useful. ''' ~'''' '''0
Very hastily and sincerely your r friend, b
Mr.. Fisher. India Street, Boston.
Mr.. Blaine, it will be seen, scarcely
wells his purpose, when he, as speaker,
lntlmates be will ''prOve no deadhead in
the enterprise ,, if the g share y should be
handed over to him. He saw various
channels" in which he could be use
ful
But let us look further into Mr.. Blaine's
hand" Three days after Mr.. Blaine
had written the foregoing letter to Mr.
Fisher, he wrote another, in reply to Mr..
Fishers question, q Are you satisfied with
the offer made to you? -
"A UGUsTA Me, July ?, S69-Ny Dear Ihr.
FtSite1: lou ask me if l am satisfied with the
Offer you made me OF share in your new rail
satisfied with the terms of the offer. I think
j a most liberal proposition. If I hesitate at
nected with the character of the offer. Your
liberal mode of dealing with me in all
business transactions of the past eight years
has not passed without my full appreciation.
What wrote you on the 29th was Intended to
bring Caldwell to q definite proposition. That
was all go to Boston by the same tain
ce ols at no nv VIII # f" Yon at on
happen to be in, no matter; don't put yourself
to any trouble about & it.
Nj. Fisher Jr.
He did not y hesitate at the terms,
SO liberal in money and general pecuniary
profit to hinlseIf-he did not hesitate" at
the treachery to the members of the
House Of Representatives who elected
him to the speakership, as a man who
would decide according to law without
partiality-he did not g hesitate to sink
his manhood beneath his greed for gain
he only heSitated to bring Caldwell to bet
ter terms.
AUGUSTA Me-. October 4, 1S69.-Ny Dea, Sir:
Sp1ke e ntut to you short hort time ago about
that occurred at the last session of Congress
bill renewing the land grant to the state Of
Arkansas for the Little Rock road was reach ed
Lands Committee and by right entitled to
the floor attempted to put in n, the bill as an
scheme probably we'll known to MIR. Cald-
well: The house was thin, and the lobby in
and Julians amendment likely to prevail
if brought to a vote. Root and the other mem-
for their own bill, TO which there seemed to be
no objection, We're in despai ir, for it was well
known that the senate was hostile to the Ere
mont scheme, and if the Arkansas bill had
gone back to the Senate with Julan's amend
ment the whole thing would have gone on the
table and slept the sleep of death: In this di-
m Boot % to me me to en9W G M sad on
1t was vital to his constituents that the bill
ment was entirely ont of order because not
germane. But he had not sufficient confidence
point, but the he SAID General Logan was WI ~ opposed @
to the Fremont scheme, and would probably
Logan, and be at once made the point. l
could not do otherwise than to sustain it, and
amendment moved by Julian, and at once
passed without objection. At that time had
that, without knowing it, did him great ia
v9S Fjsher FnsereX q nda treet sosoh
Mr. Blaine has another unlucky trait,
which is very apparent in this last epis-
tle His desire to show himself no dead
head" to Fisher, has overreached the
commonest prudence or sagacity. To use
the words of the ST. Louis GtObe-DeDaO-
cyat, as quoted by H0ape7''s Weekly, of
August 2, 1884: g He is an unclean man,
and the people will not have him. He
stands self-convicted of prostituting the
high offices he has held to build up pri-
vate fortune
1t does not effect the argument to say
the Globe-DenaOcrat a Republican paper,
now advocates his election.
To cite such an illustration only con-
vinces the average voter that Mr.. Blaine
can ''show his hand " too openly. If his
honesty had padlocked his pen when
Fisher was batting him to betray his con-
stituents and the members of Congress,
then Mr.. Whitelaw Reid would not be
convicted of trying to conceal fraud to
injure an honest candidate.
There is still another letter to Fisher:
AUGUSTA, Me-, October 4, 1S69.-My Dear bf''.
Fisher: Find inclosed contracts of the parties |
named in my letter of yesterday; The remain
ing contracts will be completed as rapidly as
circumstances will permit | Inclose you |
part of the Congressional Globe of April 8, con-
tanning the point to which | referred at some
length in my previous letter of to-day. You !
will find it OF interest to read al, 1t over ana see
what a narrow escape your bill made on that |
last night of the session. OF course 1t was my |!
plain duty to make the ruling when the point |
was once raised. If the Arkansas men had |
not however, happened to come to me when |
at their wits end and in despair the blll would |
have undoubtedly been lost or at least post
poned for q year. 1 thought the point would |
bot b interest you and caldwell, though occur |
ipo either of engaged In the enter |