Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-09-05
Augusta. Me-, Sept 4th, 1884.
Shameless Malignity.

Under the heading "Blaine's Corruption, -
| the Boston Post publishes story attributed
to Mr.. Chas. II. Bergner of Harrisburg, Pa.
The substance of this story is that Mr.. Blaine
was defeated in the contest for the Presiden-
tal nomination in 1876 because of an account
of his personal corruption which was given
to the Pennsylvania delegation when they re-
tired for consultation at the close of the sixth
ballot. The story. which is attributed to
Mr.. Bergner, and purports to be given in his
own words, is as follows:
Just as the votes were about to be taken, Mr..
Kemble arose. He asked the de legates to pause in
the matter, and gave his opinion that the nom
inaion of Blaine would bring defeat to the party.
He referred to the damaging stories that would be
told and to the doubtful record Mr.. Blaine had made
during his public life He drew from HE pocket
two cancelled checks, and continued, 81 never had
any legitimate business transactions with Mr. Blaine.
They are signed by me. made payable TO his order
and Endorsed and returned to me. When Mr.. Blaine
was Speaker of the House of Congress I was inter-
ested in some pending legislation. asked his as
sistance in way of favorable ruling. He agreed to
| rule as asked for 5000. | paid him the money
with this che exhibiting $50OO) subsequently
Blaine came to me and demanded $500 more, and I
was obliged to yield and make the second payment
with this check exhibiting the $500 cheeky Now,
said Mr.. kemble q defy any man to say that ] had
any other business transaction with Blaine, and
DEFY any man TO dispute the genuineness of this in.
dorsement in Blaine's handwriting. If he is nomi-
mated by this convention will give these facts to
the public, and his defeat is certain to follow.
have no objection to man being bought if he will
stay bought. but protest against him demanding
the pay twice
The effect of this speech electrical" contin.
ued Mr. Bergner. when kembe sat down he hand.
| ed the Cancelled checks around among the delegates
and they were examined carefully, critically. had
them in my hand and am satisfied that they were
genuine. Immediately after the vote was taken and
the delegation decided to cast its vote for Hayes
That vote decided the issue against Blaine"
The above accusations against Mr. Blaine
were made in the Harrisburg correspondence
OF the Warren, Pa , Ledger, and were said
to explain the alleged fact that Mr.. Bergner.
although republican. did not propose to vote
for Mr.. Blaine. The New York World OF
Aug % copied the letter, and the Post now
takes the charges from the same source, duly
crediting them to the Warren Ledger. I'm
nediately on the republication of the Oh rges
in the World MIR. Bergner wrote to that jour
nal the following letter;
To the Editor Of the Worid:
Although a radical republican, l am regular
| reader of the World, and therefore say that in
my opinion you discuss political questions with a
fairness that is not common among partisan news
papers This commemorate trait in your publication
inspires me with the belief that you will not refuse
me the opportunity of denying the authenticity of
the article that appeared in the supplement of the
World of August sd, 1884, credited as "Harrsburg
| Letter TO Warren (Pa.) Ledger" That article, so
far as it refers to me- is entirely false. not in
Cincinnati at the time OF the alleged occurrence and
| resented as detailing. You know that such an oc
currence as made to report could not have taken
place under the circumstances and been kept secret
for the last eight years. The article contains such
inherent imprObabilities that l surprised the
World coulu be decoyed into reproducing It.
Yours respectfully, c. II. BERGNER.
Harrisburg Pa, Aug. %.
This letter from Mr. Bergner was printed
in the World week ago, and it would be an
excess of charity to suppose that it could
have escaped the notice of the Post The
letter is an explicit denial of the entire state
ment attributed to Mr.. Bergner. The same
accusations in substance were printed in the
Harrisburg Patriot OF June Is, in the form of
| an alleged interview with Mr.. Bergner, and
that is the source from which the Warren
Ledger two months after reproduced them
On the appearance of this bogus interview in
| the Patriot Mr.. Bergner promptly pronoun-
| ced it lone of the most infamous falsehoods
that ever was printed and said that there
was not "a single word of truth in it," The
Harrisburg Patriot was compelled to publish
a retraction of it, Yet this infamous false.
hood, twice denounced by the man to whom
| it was attributed, and formally retracted by
the paper which first published it, is now re-
vived by the Boston Post as a good enough
lie for its malignant purposes. Has the Post
candor and decency enough left to publish
the rehabilitation Journal,