Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-10-22
MIR. BLAINE'S CAREER.
Where Is There a Symptom Of
His Dishonesty as a Pub
lie Man?

[Speech of Hon. r. B. Harrison, of Conneoticut.l
The attack upon MI. Blaine has made an i'm
cent vindication which has come from Maine
has also made an impression upon many Of our
Democratic friends. There are others OF our
friends in this city who, although they believe
not as we do, are worthy Of our respect. adj
NIT with them that no corrupt man ought to be
elected President OF the United States. admit
with them that the right to bolt is also theirs.
The gentlemen to whom l refer are not the
originators of the assault upon Mr.. Blaine l
shall allude to enemies of MI. Blaine, but l
shall not class these gentlemen among them. I
do not flatter myself that anything shall say at
this late day will make any great difference with
them, and yet there may be among these gem
tlemen OF well poised and well-balanced opiu-
ions some who may be led to reconsider their
determination.
What has been charged against Mr. Blaine?
he has been charged with being a corrupt man.
able power, Carl Schurz Mr.. Schurz is vastly
more effective than those surrounding him.
What he has not said against MIR. Blaine cannot
He is apt to believe one thing day and an
other thing tomorrow. He was once a Repub-
1can and defended that great soldier, Gen.
turn again. He has now joined the Democratic
party tor the second time. And the tongue
which DETAINED one of the greatest soldiers of
statesmen of his time, James G.. Blaine But
Mr.. Sohurz will come round all right. and will
again ask tor admission to the Republican
p8TIys V1tu IcSHIu W u CeICh1u IHll02 OF MT,
Blaine, Mr.. schurz claims that it was prosti-
tuition OF official power for the purpose of
making money. Now. let us give Mr.. Blaine
that decent meaeure Of justice which is due to
every man when his reputation is at stake. Mr..
Blaine was onered an interest in certain rail
road. legitimate transaction. Mr.. Schuz re-
fers to Mr.. Blaines letter. in which the writer
stated that he should not be q deadhead in the
enterprise. What right had Mr. Schurz to charge
evil motives to Mr.. Blaine? What right has
any one to say that when James G. Blaine says
hot o 0hn .snl,
be useful to the concern, he proposed to use his
Official patronage to further the enterprise?
Mr.. Blaine also exerted himself to raise funds
not an exercise Of official power. He never at
tempted to use official power in behalf of that
There was no intimation that Mr.. Blaine at
tempted any assistance to the bill What right
has any one to say that because Mr.. Blaine made
= righteous decision at one time he under
purpose? No man OF candor can accept the in
depreciation that Mr.. Schurz puts upon it. Well,
there were great many Mulliean letters. How
MI. Blaine sought to use his influence for an i'm
proper purpose? I have read them again and
again, and stand here and assert that in all
Blaine to misuse his official power for any pur.
pose There is not In those letters any sugRes-
ton Of using his official power for any purpose
ct al. GOOD bad or Indifferent.
have thus far taken q defensive attitude
concerning Mr.: Blaine. I now propose to take
the offensive. now propose to advance to the
very center OF the citadel of Mr.. Schurz. Ipro-
pose to bring to your attention a set of facts
which are absolutely impossible to contradict.
II can break down Mr. Schurz's center. we
need not be troubled about the WINGS In this
line of attack will not ask any testimony from
Mr.. Blaine or any friend of Mr.. Blaine. l pro-
pose to call upon the responsible authors of this
accusatiOn-chief among them Carl Schurz
Mr.. Blaine was in Congress eighteen years.
for six years as Speaker. There were during
that period pending before Congress corrupt
measures Of one kind or another. During those
eighteen years there was not an hour when Mr.
Blaine, had he been inclined to do wrong would
not have been tempted to do wrong. What was
his record during those eighteen years? Mr.
Schurz has examined that record Everything
that could be hunted up against MIR. Blaine has
been ferreted out During all those eighteen
years Of Mr.: Blaine's service in Congress he
gave probably hundreds Of votes: Neither Carl
schurz nor anyone else has ever dared to charge
ure, or against good one. Mr.. Schurz, in your
great Brooklyn speech, why did you suppress
this great fact? During those eighteen wears
Mr.. blaine made good many speeches. No
one has dared charge that, all those wears. he
made speech in favor Of bad measure. or
against good one Why di Mr.. Schurz sup
press this fact? Mr.. Blaine was q great parlia-
mentarfan- Carl Schurz has not 81 arged that
James g. Blaine ever made use Of his pa lila
mentary skill to help a bad measure, or ln,rt j.
good one, Mr. Blaine was Speaker of the
House for six years Neither Carl Sehurz
nor any other enemy Of Nj. Blaine has eyer