Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-09-12
THE LErrERs IN QUESTION.


THE LETTERS IN QUESTION.
AUGUSTA. June 49, ls69.-My Dear Mr. Fisher.
thank you for the article from Mr.. Lewis 1t good
In itself and will do good. He writes like man Of
large intelligence aud comprehension. Your offer 10
admit me to participation In the new railroad enter
prise is in every respect generous could pect
or desire. thank you very sincerely for it, and in
this connection l wish to make suggestion Of
somewhat selfish character. II is this: You spoke to
me Of Mr. Caldwell's offer to dispose Of a share Of
his interest TO me. II he really desires to do So
wish he would make his proposition definite 80 that
l could know just what to depend upon. Perhaps If
he waits until the full development OF the enterprise
he may grow reluctant to part with the share: and
do not mean by this any dstrust Of him, l do not
feel that shall prove deadhead in the enterprise If
once embark in It, see various channels In which
know can be useful Very hastily and sincerely
your friend, JAMEs q. BLAINE.
Blaine speaks here of a new railroad enter
prise. What is that 1t is impossible that
it could be the Little Rock q Fort Smith
railroad, and the decision of April 9, 1869,
could not have related to this new project
And even in case the Little Rock railroad en-
terprise was meant, then the word new"
points to Messrs. Fisher and Caldwell, who
before this had had nothing to do with it, and
Blaine's decision of April could never have
been an arranged matter, which also appears
from the following letter.
AUGUSTA, NE, Oct. 4, ls69-My Dear Sir.
spoke to you short time ago about point Of inter-
est to your railroad company that occurred at the
session, when the bill renewing the land-grant to the
state Of Arkansas for the Little Rock road was reach
ed, by Julian Of Indiana, chairman Of the Public
Lands committee, and by right entitled to the door,
attempting to put in the bill amendment to the
Fremont III Pasco scheme scheme probably well
known to Mr.. Caldwell, The house thin, and
the lobby in the Fremont interest had the thing all
set up and Julian's amendment likely to prevail
If brought to a vote. Root and the other members
from Arkansas, who doing their best for their
own bill to which there seemed to be no objection
were in despair, for well known that the
was hostile to the Fremont scheme, and Il the Arkan-
sas bill had gone back to the senate with Julians
amendment, the whole thing would have gone on the
table aud slept the sleep Of death. In this dilemma
Root came to me to know what on earth he could do
under the rules, for he said 1t vital to his con.
sttuents that the bill should pass told him that Ju-
ians amendment was entirely out Of order, because
not germane. But he had not sufficient confidence in
his knowledge Of the rules to make the point but he
said Gen. Logan was opposed to the Fremont scheme
and would probably make the point. l sent my page
TO Gen. Logan with the suggestion, and he at once
made the point, / could not do otherwise than
amendment moved by Julian, and at once passed
without objection. At that time had seen Mr.
Caldwell but you can tell him that. without knowing
it, / did him great favor. Sincerely yours,
JAMES G. BLAINE.
W. Fisher, Jr. Esq, No. "a India street, Boston.
From these letters it clearly appears that
the emergency of the decision in the house
of representatives occurred at the time be-
fore either of them Caldwell and Fisher
had become interested in the enterprise.
WHAT A FAIR AND REASONABLE CONSTRUCTION
OF THESE LETTERS INDICATES.
Now, if we take the letters quite objective
ly and do not suspect rasoality behind every
word, Blaine's other words TO which you have
in your speech attached such great signif-
canoe, become clear, namely II do not feel
that shall prove a deadhead in the enter
prise if once embark in it," Letter to
Fisher, June 20, 1869, and 'At that time l
had never seen Mr.. Caldwell, but you can
tell him that, without knowing it, did him
a great favor" Letter of Oct. 4, 1863.
This is what appears to the really indie
pendent from all the letters;
l. That Blaine, in his decision of April
., 1863, followed the rules of the house.
?. That he then had no interest in the
Little Rock railroad.
3. That both the parties who are con-
cerned in the Mulligan letters had, at that
time, no interest in the railroad
L. That all the other transactions did not
take place while congress was in session.
3. That Blaine, though neither he nor the
parties named had then personal interest in
the project in which they only subsequently
became interested, had at the most done a
favor, in that he long before gave the Julian
| decision.
1t is distortion of fact when they say that
| Blaine gave the decision as a favor 10 the
railroad company, when in fact he had given
his decision as an altogether disinterested
person 81 could not do otherwise than sus-
tain it'l, and quarter of year afterward
first referred to the simple act which looked
like favor done 20 the railroad company.
We believe that We have shown by these
examples that these letters do not convert
people logically 10 your views, and if they do
not present Blaine, a priori, as a scamp, they
suggest other thoughts, ana especially the
| following;
As already stated, Mr. Blaine was elected
seven times successively TO Congress and then
to the senate by citizens of the state. This
period of his legislative action is coincident
with the time of the industrial and CONNER
cial advance of the country. Everywhere
factories were built, canals laid out, rivers i'm
proved and railroads constructed. All these
institutions required more or less congress
sional supervision The same was true with
regard to the banks taxation for the support
of the government and the payment Of the
war debts.
In the halls of Congress sit bankers and
manufacturers railroad magnates and work
ingmen, merchants and farmers Each OF
them has occasionally an opportunity to sup
port bills that benefit his calling, his position
or his trade, and to oppose others that are in
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