Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-12-17
Review of the Campaign.

Review Of the Campaign.
From the Chicago Daily News:
Early in April the leading candi-
dates for the Presidency on the Re
publican side were President Arthur,
James G.. Blaine, Senator Edmunds,
John A. Logan, and John Sherman,
with some mention of Senator Haw-
ley, Judge Gresham, Ben Harrison,
Robert T. Lincoln, and Gen. Sherman
as possibilities. From the first it was
evident that Mr.. Blaine's campaign
was being skillfully managed, while
President Arthur, his most dangerous
rival, was content to rest his hopes
on the party's gratitude for services
well rendered Every Republican
State convention in the nation, and
then the national convention, COM
mended the Presidents administration
in the highest terms. On the other
hand, the Republican and indepen-
den. press throughout the land was
almost unanimous in warning the Re-
publican party against nominating
Mr.. Blaine. The fact that he had
been twice rejected by the party as a
candidate was pointed to, and also
the list of antagonists he had pro-
voked in his long struggle for the
nomination. In New York State,
where President Arthur. in respect to
civil-service principles, had permitted
the party patronage to espouse the
case of Mr.. Blaine, the latter was
only able to secure twenty-eight dele
gates out of seventy-two, the remain
der being divided between Arthur
and Edmunds. When the national
convention assembled the Blaine
managers, confident of their strength,
persuaded the national committee to
name Powell Clayton for temporary
chairman. The opposition to Mr..
Blaine joined forces to defeat this
move and succeeded in electing John
r. Lynch by a majority, just clearly
demonstrating that the convention
was not so overwhelmingly for Mr..
Blaine as has been since claimed.
But when the first ballot was taken
it was evident that Mr.. Blaine had
his forces we'll in hand, and unless q
speedy consolidation of those opposed
to him was affected would receive the
nomination. His vote stood 3349, to
278 for Arthur, In n total vote of
800. On the fourth ballot lie was
nominated amid whirlwind of party
excitement. Quick as the news was
flashed to the country came back the
report of party detection. Without a
single exception all the great Republi,
can and independent newspapers of
the country that had opposed his
nomination declared themselves OPP
pesed to his election. Within week
an anti-Blaine meeting was called by
1000 Republicans in Boston, and
from that the revolt spread.
Then the country turned to the
Democracy to see what 1t would do
Without doubt, had Samuel j. Til
dcn's health permitted it, he would
have received the nomination. But
In lettor of June 10 he expressly
forbade such a thing, This left the
choice between Senator Bayard, Gov.
Cleveland, Allen G.. Thurman, Joseph
+. Mcdonald, and Samuel j. Ran.
dali. Of these the first two were
most acceptable to the independents,
Senator Bayard through his long and
distinguished career in the Senate,
and Gov. Cleveland by reason of his
phenomenal victory over the late
Secretary Folger, and his firm and
honest administration of the affair;
of the Empire State. His name was
associated with reform as Mayor Of
Buffalo and Governor of New York
The chief opposition in the conyen'
ton to his nomination came from
Tammany and Ben Butler, and they
made q fierce onslaught upon his
availability, declaring that he could
not carry New York. AS no attack
was made upon his fitness he was &C
cepted by the convention as best rep
resenting the issue Of honesty in Office