Daily south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1881-18??, 1884-10-04


The Blaine newspapers do not discuss
The Mulligan letters. They do not print
such parts OF Blaine's speeches as refer.
ever SO gingerly, to the Mulligan let
lers. The reason assigned for this pol
Icy is, that "Mr. Blaine desires the let
ters not to be discussed by his friends
or advocates on the stump or in the
press The motive assigned to this
desire is "se(f-respect. The Blaine
men maintain that they will not "dis-
cuss the character of Mr., Blaine, and
do not think he needs any defense" 1t
is conceivable that the devotion of
personal friendship may comfort itself
with this reflection. Il 10 not rational,
however, to suppose that sStcb 3 finely
worded excuse will deceive OF satisfy
any one but personal friends A man
whose public honesty is questioned, has
TO defend himself in politcs-or the
general conclusion is that his honesty
will not bear defense. When a largo
and the most respectable portion Of q
mans party bolts his nomination, on
the express ground that he is dishonest
the prinla facie presumption of his in"
nocence is really changed in the public
mind to prima tdcie presumption of
his guilt In the case of MIR, Blaine,
sssilence is confession"
Some of his less irrational friends sec
this and seek TO say that 1.-THE charges
have all been examined ami the man
has been cleated. There is no use of
reupenihg the matter" Is this trueP
The charges were examined" by the
Committee of the House in 1S76-up to
the period at which Mr.. Blaine was re-
quired to produce the Mulligan letters
and stand cross-examination on them.
Two things prevented that step from
being taken. Mr.. Blaine had an OPP
perfume sunstroke and he resigned hia
seat in the House, with the result, and,
indisputably with the intention, of put
ting himself beyond its jurisdiction.
Then the examination had to cease,
The Republican National Conventions
of 1876, and 1880 and 1881 examined
these charges also. The first two con.
ventions Hung Mr.. Blaine out because
of the letters. The nomination of
Mr.. Blaine in 1884 has caused the men
of conscience to fling themselves out of
the organization because OF those let
tiers. These facts explain why Mr.
Blaine has passed the word that no dis
cussion of the Mulligan letters shall
take place among his friends; but they
put an entirely different face on the
reasons from that which he would have
them wear.
A consideration of the letters makes
every Republican, with logical mind
and an upright intent, an anti-Blane
man. There are plenty OF men with
upright intent who are 5or Blaine, but
they lack the logical mind The union
of the power to reason correctly, with
the possession of patriotic purpose,
makes Republican, who examines the
Mulligan letters, acondemner of Blaine.
Some of them will vote against him.
Others will refrain from voting. 9th.
ers will reluctantly vote for HIM, but
will not put forth any efforts to elect
him. That is why Mr.. Blaine prescribes
silence on the Muligan letters. Sew.
eral times policy of silence has got
Republican politicians out of q bad
scrape, 1t will not Mr.. Blaine, this
time The charge of throwing mud
will no. serve. The matter is Mr..
Blaine's writing. Every conspicuous
present advocate of his has deliberately
declared in the past that the letters show
the conspicuous guilt OF Mr.. Blaine.
The cry of democratic calumny' will
not avail. As many Republicans as
Democrats demand the defeat of Mr..
Blaine on account of these letters.
The tilmy plea of dignity" and
'self-respect' will not do. for Mr..
Blaine set the example of discussing
these letters ~ by stealing them and
violating his promise to return them
(2) by garbling them, reading them
out of their order, and emitting to read
four of them altogether, after false
ly saying that he had read them all,
and (3) by running away from the in
quiry at exactly the stage where he
would have been require to stand a
cross-eXamination on the letters, by re-
signing from the House. when resigna.
ton was confession and dishonor.
Every fact and reason in the case &C
counts for Mr.. Blaine's prescription OF
silence to his friends about the Multi
gan letters-but his explanation OF why
he has lirec ed that the matter be ig-
nored is found to be as tiimsy as. any
pretense of craftsmanship on his part
based on the fact of thirty years of Of
hce-i obbing. -Al6any Argus.