The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-18
MIR. BLAINE IN MICHIGAN.

He Denies Emphatically the Charge that He
Was Know-Nothing.
DETROIT Oct 17-It was about 10 o'clock
this morning when Mr.. Blaines special train
started from Saginaw TO Bay City, where elab-
crate preparations had been made for his rccep-
ton. He and General Fremont were escorted
through the city to a stand in the park, around
which were assembled fully Is, 900 people. After
a short speech by Senator Palmer, Mr.. Blaine
was introduced. He spoke very briefly, and then
introduced General Fremont Both
ceived very enthusiastically and when Senator
Palmer spoke of the Importance of the tariff to
the people engaged in the salt works and in lum
bering he was loudly applauded There was
large procession which Mr.. Blaine was expected
to review, but time did not permit.
The best arranged reception given to Mr..
Blaine so far, on his trip through Michigan, was
at Flint. Dispensing with carriages and the
paraphernalia of a procession the local commit
tee had erected a stand on fiat car, onto which
Mr.. Blaine stepped from the train. Around the
stand was q very large and enthusiastic meeting
of several thousand people. Mr. Blaine spoke
here at greater length than usual After calling
attention to the protective tariff as the great
issue of the campaign, and expressing his belief
that Michigan, State so much interested in
protection, would follow the lead of Ohio, he
said:
IT have received, since have been in this
State, two or three letters from persons asking
me to state whether | had ever been member
of the Know nothing party. In connec-
ton with these inquiries from persons
in Michigan l have received some
telegrams from the Pacific coast.
asking whether was not a supporter of Mr..
Fillmore when he ran in 1856, as a native Amer
lean candidate for the presidency. Let me say,
in full and explicit reply to these inquiries by
letter and telegraph, that | never was member
of the Know-nothing ORDER that never voted
for man who was nominated by it, either for
State or for national Office, and that instead of
supporting Mr. Fillmore in 1856. when l was
young man of twenty-six, had the honor to be
a member of the national Republican conven-
ton which nominated Gen. Fremont Icheersl
and as the General is now on this platform, he
will be able to bear testimony that, however
inefficient my support may have been, it was
very earnest and very ardent Renewed cheer
ing] was then the junior editor Of the Ken
nebec Journal, and the paper was entirely 9e-
voted to Gen. Fremonts advocacy, and
aided in giving him the largest majority ever
cast in Maine for a presidential candidate of any
party. CHEERS. The Know-nothing order
holds views in regard to immigration and natur
alization with which never had any sympathy,
and from which | never hesitated to express dis
sent
"But, in connection with that subject, let me
say that there are at present three wrongs
which, in my Judgment, require correction.
"First-I think that the habit which has
crown up on the part of some European coun-
tries of sending their paupers to the United
States ought not to be tolerated. Cries, Good,
Good and cheers, l believe in the good
American system, which requires that each
town or county shall take care of its own poor.
Cries of That's it. That's it, and cheers If
in European countries their laws tend to impover
ism their working people, those countries ought
TO take care of them when they are reduced to
want, instead of shipping them to us. Great
cheering.
Second, and still more Objectionable, is the
practice of shipping their criminals to u.s. as has
been done in many cases, criminals being
leased from punishment condition that they
shall come to the United States. l think that is
% very grave offense against this country which
should not be permitted.
Third, if o tariff for protection is designed to
elevate the laboring man in this country, and Sc
cure him good wages-and II 1T Is not for that it
is not for anything-then | think the custom
which some men are trying to Introduce of i'm
porting cheap contract labor from foreign coun-
tries to compete with home labor ought to be
prohibited. Renewed cheering 1t is species
of servitude which is against the spirit of our
avs and Injuries all who are in any way con
neeted with it,
There are three evils that think ought to
beremedied: but as to every honest immigrant
trying to better his condition, whether he come
from the British isles or from the great German