The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1884-09-23
New York Herald.
Blaine and His Party.


Some thirty odd letters written nv Mr..
Blaine and bis correspondents Fisher
and Caldwell have now been laid before
the public under the general designation
OF 1.-The Mulligan letters" They were
so called, it may be remembered, because
when their existence was first made
known they were in the custody of Mr..
MulIigan, who had been called as o Wit
ness in certain Congressional investi.
CATION, and because Mulligan's relation
ship to them was impressed upon ,he
public mind by the scandalous but dra
matte circumstance that Mr. Blaine, a
distinguished leader of the republican
party and sometimes called "the Plumed
knight" went down upon his knees to
Mulligan, PRAYING and heseecbing that
that person would permit him 10 merely
inspect the letters--which that person
did, as to some Of them; whereupon
Blaine put the letters so delivered into
his pncket and refused to return them
Baine's trickery did not avail, because
he was forced by various considerations
to read the letters before the House, and
though he had perhaps some advantage
In the defiant attitude assumed by read
ing them himself, yet their contents we're
too damaging to be materially sottened
by device of that sort. Finally, the
letters not given to Blaine are now prln.
ted, and the people have the whole Sc
ripo hofnro hon Thou hou
tinct evidence upon which to judge of
Blaine's probity. These documents pre-.
sent with reasonable clearness. two or
three events in the history Of the repuh-
lican candidate. They show his mind.
They tell what objects stirred him TO en-
ergetc efforts; what things he held to
be,important: what methods he pursued
in reaching results that seemed to him
TO be desirable; what devices his con
science did not revolt against. and how,
while perverting to the use of specula
tive schemes an official authority be-
stowe,l 10 the interests of the people. he
even descended to the infinite meanness
of cheating right and left his confeder-
ate cheats, and 10 playing pitifully sharp
games upon those friends in Maine who,
having confidence in him, put their mon
eys, through him, into what be prsised
as good investment. Thus, as friend
he was false to his friends; as a swindler
he was false to those associates whom he
helped to swinde the government, while
as public officer be did not seem to
comprehend or conceive that be wss in
place to protect the interests OF the peo
pie against precisely such speculative
schemes as those 10 which he sold out
the authority Of his Office. Rather he
conceived Of authority only as police
man who, finding some burglars opera.
ting on his beat, asks them "what he
may expect" il he protects them; and
being satisfied with the answer protects
and does not arrest them.
Let the people study these letters ard
see in the very words of Blaine himself
how high is his standard of integrity and
honor. II there. is any point touching
these letters which is worse than the let.
lers themselves it is the indication they
give Of the mental condition Of one Of
our great parties. For Blaine to have
written such letters might be discharged
from the mind finally as case of indi
vidual depravity, but for great party,
comprising at least half the nation, to
he Indifferent to their dishonesty points
to impending national rottenness.