West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-10-31
Alike Clenr Through.

Mr.. Blaine has pretty we'll lost tho
reputation for audac,ty with which he
went into The campaign There was
not very much ol IT. left before tho pub
| lication of the last lot ol his letters.
/ Now There is nothing. In those letters
/ he shows everywhere whining and
crnging spirit. His friends say he had
fallen into the hands of sharpers. and
| doubtless they are instructed by him 10
say so. But an honest man. conscious
of having done no wrong and finding
himself the victim of sharp practice.
| gets angry. He tells his pcr.ccmlors
what lac thinks of them. He calls them
To account. and his correspondence is
sure To show what his estimate Is of
thor character and his own.
There is nothing OF this in Blaiue'S
letters lie is accused of misreprcscnt-
alton and takes it mceklv lie il told
that he Is trying TO get moro than be-
longs TO him and mover rcscnt3 It, Ilo
is asked how his friends. with whom Inc
prctcnds to have dealt generously.
would feel il thew knew the facts, and
he makes no sign of indignation Ev-
/ crywhcrr i'm this pitiful currcsJ ondcnco
his pen is restrained by greed or guilt
At times he complains; he never shows
the righteous anger OF an honest man
falsely accused. Throughout, his ian.
guagc, temper, dcmeanor are those ol
sneak. If this were all that we knew
Of Mr.. Blaine real character IL would
be for those who have been taught to
believe him dashing. impctuou.,
proud and confident man scrious dis.
appointment livery bitter, | assure
you, as he himself says. But the sig
niicant fact is that this revelation o
his real character is Of perfect con
sistcncy with his public course, i'm
which real courage has played a very
small part. This was shown i'm hi4
brief and inglorious career rs Sc rotary
ol State.
/ We have been told over and again that
/ nc could bc relied on to give us an az
/ grcssive foreign policy in which the full
/ right and dignity of the American Ma.
/ tiOn would be assorted and It's sclf-re.
\ spcct would bo firmly maintained. But
\ when hc had i'm effect absolute power
over tie conduct OF our foreign affairs
his policy was not of this sort. There
/ is not In all the history OF the State De.
I partmcnt period Of equal length so
I humiliating to the American people.
/ Other Secretaries OF state, like Madison
and Marcy and ScWard had known
/ how, at times when the country was in
]
weak 10 maintain IFS rights and secure
recognition from Powers OF Jar greater
/ strength aud prestige. II was reserved
for Mr. Blaine, at moment when thr
country, though in profound peace with
all the world, had reached the
height Of is material expansion
and prosperity TO sub Get IL tC
the most mouifying and c9ntomptu.
Ous treatment from Go cIum cn's whom
hc had deemed feeble enough 90 br
bullicI. In the case Of Chilli and Pcu
10 was M. Blaine's weak head and
weaker spirit that brought upon tlc
. Government the necessity Oi withdraw.
ing from % position Of understandable
menace. In the case OF McNico TO was
Mr. Biainc's amazing stupidity and
blindness comb ned which first made
our Government distinctly threaten n
friendly Republic md then tame sub.
init 90 see the threat absolutely ignored
Let any candid American contrast the
attitude the United States took toward
the Emperor Of France regarding McN
leo iu the crisis of our civil w.r and
that taken toward Mexico itself by Mr..
Blaine. and ask himself whether the
party which followed and trusted Lin.
coin and Seward can put ils couGicnc,
iu the pu-llanimous. iBvcrtelrato
charlatau who changed the grateful rc
gard Of Mexican Statesmen for tnc
United States into scornful resentment.
no, n thousand times, no. Mr. Blaine
IS not @ representative Ameri an. From
the moment when Washington scui
jay 10 England to avoid war bg aIl h0u-
orablc mean, to thc period when the
firm and wise attitude of Lincoln and
seward held at bay The eager osiily
that threatened intervention In our civil
war American foreign policy has been
one of uuswcryiug scfrc.pcc' loving
peace, ,cckiug Justice aud fearing
nothing. 10 Is uomOro cmbodic iu thc
ideas end character of Mr. Blaine. as q
public man, than is the sensitive and
proud integrity of The American man of
business embodied i'm the Greedy. tricky,
shiuy and dishonest advcntWcr and
speculatOr who wrote The letters To- Mr..
Fisher ~ v Time, (H2d)
A statement going The rounds TO
d .t...