The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1884-07-05

pose that he ever would be. The truth
is, that his attention was first directed
to the railroad by its application to
Congress for renewal Of its Immigrant,
and it first seemed to him . favorable
investment after its land grant had been
renewed by unanimous vote of both
houses Of Congress.
Mr.. Blaine sold the securities of the
road to his friends, with personal
pro mise that if any loss should ensue
he would take back the stock and bonds
at the price for which he sold them.
Shrinkage did ensue, and the stock and
bonds were thrown back upon his
hands, and, though he had given no
written guarantee of redemption, he
paid for them, at great personal sacri-
| flee, out of his own pocket. The New
York EUe1ai7ag Post has since alleged
that he unloaded his disastrous invest
ment upon the Union Pacific Railroad,
but it has produced no proof of any
such transaction, whereas Mr.. Blaine
has exhibited the sworn statements of
the officers of the railroad that no such
| transfer was ever made; and his state
ment has been accepted as conclusive by
those who are familiar with the circum-
stances OF tie case. Indeed, it was this
part of the controversy that George
| William Curtis considered in Harpey's
| Weekly when he wrote in May, 1876,
| that Mr.. Blaines statement was "as
thorough refutation as was ever
made"
We are convinced that no candid per-
son can investigate without prejudlce
all the facts connected with Mr.. Blaine's
record in this case without coming to
the firm conclusion that it was in all re-
spects honorable and proper, and cred
| table to him, both as private citizen
and public man.-Chicdgo Tribune.
Is There Bitterness
The Democrats are pinning their
hopes for success in this campaign on
the belief that the anti-Blaine Repub-
licans in the East will be so slow in COM
ing to the support of the ticket that
the Democratic column will strike the
Republican line only half formed II.
November. There is always a little
soreness after any great convention,
but there was less after the convention
this year than after any convention for
forty years.
It was in 1874, when Henry Clay was
nominated at Baltimore on the first bal
lot and without a struggle, that the
Wing party was defeated. It was in
1S48, when there was much soreness
among the Clay and Webster men over
the nomination Of Taylor, that the
Wings were successful. In the Phila-
delphia convention of l848 four ballots
were taken. On the first ballot Taylor
had Ill votes, Clay 81, Scott 43, Web
ster %; on the second ballot Taylor
had 119, Webster 26, Clay Sc, Scott 40;
on the third ballot Taylor had 1873,
Clay "a, Scott 54, Webster II; on the
fourth ballot Taylor had III, Clay 80,
Scott So, Webster IA. There was great
bitterness between the friends of Clay
and Webster after the nomination, par
ticularly In Ohio. Columbus Delano
and other Wings then as prominent did
not swing into line until a few days
before the election, but Taylor was
elected.
In the convention of 1852 Webster
received % votes on the first ballot,
Fillmore 1873, and Scott 1873. There
was practically no break until the forty
eighth ballot, when Fillmore's and
Webster's supporters began to drop off
In twos and threes to reinforce Scott,
| who received 159 votes on the fifty third
ballot, and was declared the nominee
of the party. After this bitter contest,
and the defeat at the polls in November,
the Wing party went to pieces.
There was little contest in the first
Republican convention in 1856, FIRE.
mont receiving $50 votes on the first
ballot to 1876 for Judge Mclean, of
Ohio; for Banks, for Seward, and
| for Sumner. The friends of the last
two voted solidly for Fremont. In the
convention of 1860 the leading candi-
date, Seward, had 173 votes On the
first ballot to 102 for Lincoln, 101 for
Bates, 80 for Cameron, II for Mclean,
and 3 for Wade. On the second ballot
the break came, and while Stewards
vote was increased by IL Lincoln's was
increased by 70. On the third ballot
Lincoln received three more than
majority, and was nominated.
There was great disappointment and
soreness among Mr.. Stewards friends,
but they all came into line, and oil be-
came the earnest supporters of Lincoln.
| There were no contests in 1864, 1868,
or 1872, but in 1876 there was great
bitterness in the preliminary canvass,
and great disappointment after the con-
vention. On the first ballot Blaine re-
ceived 2S5 votes, Morton 124, Bristow
lib, Conkling 80, Hayes 81, Hartranft
SO, Jewell II, Wheeler 3. On the sixth
ballot Blaine had reached 30S, and
Hayes lib, and Bristow had dropped
to Ill, and Morton to IS. On The
seventh ballot Bristow and Morton
were withdrawn, and with the contest
narrowed down to Blaine and the dark
horse, Hayes received 1884 votes to 351
for Blaine. Of the defeated candidates
Blaine took more interest in the sue
ceeding campaign than any other, and
the Blaine States all did their duty on
election day. In the convention of
1876 Blaine's antagonists defeated him
by concentrating on dark horse. In
the convention of 1880 Blaine defeated
Grant by going with Sherman over to
Garfield. But the preliminary canvass
this year was not like any preceding
one. Blaine made no war on his lead
ing competitor, President Arthur, and
| the latter made no war on any one.
Arthur's friends were assured that they
could defeat Blaine by naming a dark
| horse, but the contest was not between
Blaine al a dark horse-it was be-
tween Bla. ne and Arthur.
1t was manly, straightforward fight
so far as the Blaine and Arthur were
concerned The Arthur men stood by
their candidate and the Blaine men
stood 10y theirs. There was no killing
off in the interest of any third candi-
date; there was no scramble on the
part of the Arthur men to defeat
Blaine If there is bitterness it must,
therefore, be confined to a smaller
circle than it was in 1880 or in 1876,
and if there is disappointment it is
chiefly among those who commanded
few votes in the convention Charles
Emory Smith, a Blaine leader. says
"the friends of President Arthur acted
in the most manly and chivalrous
spirit, and the Arthur men have made
no complaints and have none to make.