The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-08-21
BLAINE'S RECORD.
The Charges of the New York Herald
Fully Answered.

from the Boston Journal
In the New York Herald of July % appeared
a lengthy sensational article, prepared for the
sole purpose OF proving that thirty years ago
Mr.. Blaine belonged TO the Know nothing party,
and strongly favored Its principal aims and OBJ
Jects. IL needs scarcely be said that what Mr..
Blaine's political views may have been so long
ago, when he was very young man, Is not now
very important To any intelligent and honest
citizen. majority of the best public men in
the country have essentially changed their
opinions in that period OF time. 1t Is TO the
credit OF Mr.. Blaine that he has made great
progress in his political education since 1854,
and that he is now able and popular states
man Is commanding proof of his constant in
tellectual growth and OF his ripe experience as
public man.
But it so happens that the main charges of the
Herald "a to his political opinions in 1854 and
1855 are not true. They are substantially these:
l. That being one of the editors of the Ken
nebec Journal during the political canvass in
Maine in 1854, Mr.. Blaine supported Isaac Reed,
the Wing candidate for Governor, and then be-
trayed him.
p That Mr. Blaine was member of the Know
nothing organization.
3. That certain riotous proceedings toward
Catholic priests in Bath and Ellsworth in 1854
were excited, or at least not disapproved, by the
Kennebec Journal, of which Mr.. Blaine was
editor.
A. That the Kennebec Journal and Mr. Blaine
supported Arson p. Morrill,, Know-nothing,
for Governor.
5. That the Kennebec Journal, with Mr..
advocate OF the Know nothing party until COM
PEELED to abandon it by public sentiment.
The first allegation of the Herald is sufficient
ly answered in the statement that the owners
and editors of the Kennebec Journal during
the political campaign OF 1854 are now both
dead, and that they supported the Wing candi-
date for Governor that year in good faith. Mr..
Blaine did not become citizC n OF Maine and
one of the editors of the kennebec journal I'M
! Til several months after the political campaign
of that year was terminated and the election
held.
p Mr. Blaine was not member of the Know
nothing organization. On the contrary, learn
| ing that Mr.. Stevens, who became his partner
! few weeks after Mr.. Blaine had become one of
the editors and owners OF the Kennebec JOitT
nal, was a nominal member of that organization
and earnestly resolved to discard it and get il
| out of the way unit for the membership of
freemen, Mr.. Blaine commended his partner
resolution.
3. The riotous proceeding relative TO Catholic
priests in Bath and Ellsworth took place
! months prior TO Mr.. Blaine becoming a resi-
/ dent of the State, and months prior TO his be-
coming one OF the editors OF the kennebec
! Journal
4. Arson p. Morrill,, whom the Kennebec
Journal supported for Governor in 1885, was
early that year, and in the platform OF this con-
| vention there was not one word or indication in
/ favor OF the special doctrines Of Know Moth
| ings. In 1854, before Mr. Blaine came into the
| State, Arson y. Morrill, was nominated and sup
| ported by the anti-slavery Wings, by the Free
| Soil party, also by the Anti-Nebraska Demo-
Gratis Just prior to the election of that year he
was also Endorsed by majority of the Know
Nothings, whose organization had just been intro
duced in Maine. There was contest tor the
control OF that organization between the anti
| slavery men on the one side and the pro-
slavery men and allies of the Democrats on the
other. Wisely unwisely, many anti-slavery
men rushed into it to control il to prevent its
| being welded by their opponents. Arson p.
Morrill, never was member OF this organiZa-
| ton, and never cherished particle of ami
mostly against the foreign born citizen He was
then what he is to-day, at 81 years OF age, a
| large minded, liberal, earliest Republican, and
as true patriot as lives within the limits OF the
(. Most emphatically Mr. Blaine, as one Of
the editors OF the Kennebec journal, did
party until public opinion forced its abandon
ment. On the contrary, both he and his
editorial associate, immediately after becoming
owners and managers of the kennebec journal,
did put themselves actively to the effort of in
ducing the members of that organization to
abandon it and give full field to the Republican
party. The Maine Legislature of 1885 was not a
! Know othing body in spirit or purpose, but
one of the most pure and respectable legislative
bodies which ever assembled in the State The
distinctive Know Nothings made but a small
! fragment OF its members. All OF its measures
may not have been necessary. But its action
relative to naturalization was dictated by the de-
sire To maintain the naturalization laws intact,
TO protect them against abuse and fraud, and
thus prevent those shameful transactions in
cities such as Tweed and his gang practiced
| in New AOrk, which were as much an outrage
against the honest naturalized citizen as the ma
tive born. Since that Legislature closed its
| labors nearly thirty years have passed. most of
which time the State has been under Republican
| rule, and during this period Mr.. Blaine has been
| conspicuous in leadership, while not natural
lied citizen of the State has been deprived of his
rights experienced the least illiberal treat
ment by any action of Mr.. Blaine. 1t is because
he is in favor OF all citizens being considered
equal before the law and firmly maintaining
their rights at home and abroad that the Herald
| In vain tries to misead the public as to the po-
litical principles of Mr.. Blaine and his high
character as a statesman.