Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-21
Mr. B,a,ne's Letter.

Mr.. BLAME has lost his head. His letter
which We published yesterday has one fca-
turc that places 1t outside OF the pale OF
mere eriticism. One OF It's statements or
insinua,ions invites only denunciation.
The charge which he had 10 meet was q
erievous one, and We arc not disposed IN
censure him for explaining facts which at
this late day nobody but himself could
satisfactorily account for. II itbsd been left
10 Is no such matters as the BLAINE scandal
aud the CLEVELAND scandal would have
beeu brought into the canvass. That these
scandals have entered into IL at all Is not
BY any means sreditable TO the press OF the
country. The MULLrGAN letters concern
Mr.. BLAME IS q public servant. and are
therefore properly before the public. But
the other matters TO which we allude are OF
q different character. They are such as
csnnot properly be discussed in the news
perers.
Here Is Mr.. BLANE's latest blunder. We
quote from bis letter:
"As n candidate for the presidency, |
knew that should encounter many forms
OF calumny and personal defamation. but
confess I did not expect to be called upon
10 defend the name OF a beloved and hon
ored wife. who is mother and grandma
Their, nor did expect that the grave OF
my little child would be cruelty desc
cfsted."
Stated in other words, Mr.. BLAIsE's
charge Il that the Democratic party is guilty
of having "cruelly desecrated" the grave
of his little child because he Is ga candi-
date for the presidency This il aserious
offence against society which Mr.. BLAINE
has committed. This charge is not ambig-
uously worded. II Is not so framed that
some other construction might possibly be
given to It. II Is stated with Mr.. BLAINE's
usual clearness OF dictioD. It's specifically
charged that "as candidate for the presi-
dencyo be has had to encounter this cruel
act OF desecration.
What could Mr.. BLAINE have been think
Ing OF when he penned that charge! His
letter purports TO have been intended only
for Mr.. WILLIAM WALTER PHELPS and for
such other friends OF his and Dir. BLAIsE's
rs Mr.. PnILPs should choose TO show it TO;
but this was evidently false pretence.
The letter itself besrs witness that 1t was
written ss much as an electioneering docu-
ment q vipdication OF himself and family.
As we have said before, Mr.. BLAINE IL the
American "JoEY BAGsT0cK." Hell" devil
ish sly" But be has overreached himself
he has damaged himself-he has lowered
himseli-he has debased himself-be has
wrongcd himseli-by charging his political
opponents with an offence against civiliza-
ton and organized society. We repeat, he
has lost his head. His friends would bet
ter keep guard over him and not allow him
TO write any more letters for publication.
II he had in the same letter charged the
Democratic party with having set fire to
the city Of Portland few years ago, he
would have been guilty OF no baser false
hood and would have done himself no
greater injury than be has done In making
the charge we are discussing.
IL must not be forgotten that II anybody
had . motive for Decorating the grave"
Of Mr.. BLArNE's child ard destroying the
stone upon which the date OF its birth was
inscribed. II was Mr.. BLAINE himself. The
inscription upon that stone was. as we
understand the matter, one OF the proofs
relied upon by the defendants in the Indi-
annapolis nbe,-suit to establish the charge
which had been brought against Mr..
BLAINE by the defendant. No Demo-
erst could possibly have had any
motive for destroying that inscription.
1t was Mr.. BLAINE himself that was con-
ccrned to have Its figures destroyed, II any
bod was. But let us not be guilty Of the
offence for which we are ar,aigning Mr..
BLAIsE. Far be il from us to charge him
with such q crime. We do not for a mo-
ment believe him to be guilty Of 1t. Aud
In the matter under consideration we only
charge him with having "lost his head"
and with having wronged and debased him.
self. Well does he know that the Demo-
critic party has not forced him to undergo
Gas candidate for the presidency" the
wrong OF seeing his child's grave desecrated.