Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-04-28
BLAINE ISLANDERS.
The Old Railroad Story Fully Exposed
by Mr.. Phelps.

BOSTON, April 20.
VIM. Walter Phelps has written letter to
the editor of the New York Evening Post in
defence of Hon. Jas. G. Blaine and in denial
of certain charges made in that paper against
the latter.
Mr. Phelps emphatically denies that Mr..
Blaine, while speaking in 1856, was interest
ed in a bill before the House to renew the
land grant to the Little Rock & Fort Smith
X. X. in Arkansas, or that any of Mr.. Blaine 5
friends were interested in that bill, as the
Post charges.
Some months after the passage of this bill
Mr.. Phelps SAYS Mr.. Blaine purchased in the
open market a block of securities of the Lit
tie Rock Fort Smith Co., paying for it the
same price that others did. Afterwards Mr..
Blaine sold potion of the securities to a
number of his friends. believing them to be
of value. 1t proved, however, that the secu-
rites were WORTHLESS, and Mr.. Blaine redeemed
from his friends all of the worthless stock,
thus losing great deal of money, but saving
his friends from loss. The Post charges that
Mr.. Blaine had written to the people interest
ed in the road Immediately after the passage
of the bill, calling attention to the service he
bad rendered them in having the bill passed.
This Mr.. Phelps said was false. When
the bill, which was one of great merit. was
before the House. an Objectionable amend
ment had been fastened to it, which was likely
to destroy the efficiency of the bill.
An Arkansas member wished to make a
point of order on the amendment, but felt
himself too little of parlimentarian to at
tempt it. He consulted Blaine, and the latter
sent word to Gen. Logan to make the desired
point of order. This destroyed the amend
ment and saved the bill. Mr.. Blaine at that
time, Mr. Phelps said, did not even know
ho int fad in ho hill huf
months after in letter to Mr.. Phelps, and
after having purchased the securities re-
ferred TO, Mr.. Blaine referred in casual way
to the services be had unwittingly rendered.
In regard to a further charges made by the
same paper concerning Mr.. Blaine with .
share in the Northern Pacific enterprise. Mr..
Phelps declares that all of the evidence con-
tradicts it. In fact, he says. there is no evil
dence of any such connection, and he quotes
from letter from Mr. Blaine written at the
time, in which the latter says he could not
himself touch share.
The Northern Pacific enterprise, Mr.. Phelps
says, has been organized and re-organized
and then organized a second time. A hundred
men have been connected with it, many of
whom are personal enemies of Mr.. Blaine,
and there has never been hiat or suggestion
from any of them that Mr.. Blaine had the re-
motest personal interest in the Northern Pa
cific road.
Mr. Phelps then challenges the production
Of evidence to show any sush connection. To
the charge that after Mr. Blaine got posses
sion of the so-called Mulligan letters, he sub
sequently read such of them as he pleased to
in the House. Mr.. Phelps asserts the falsity
of this was demonstrated on the floor of the
House and in part of its records.
The charge that Mr.. Blaine received a GER
tain sum from the Union Pacific for seventy
five bonds of the Little Rock road, !, Mr.. Phelps
declares to have been made without proof
and against the sworn statement of Thos. A..
Scott, who WAS the party alleged to have
made the negotiation, and against the written
denial of Sidney Dillon, president of the
company, f. II. Rollins, its treasure r, and
Morton, Bliss & Co., through whose houses
transactions were alleged to have been made,
Gov. Morgan, Dir. Hooper, Senator Grimes,
Senator Edmunds and Senator Window.
Mr.. Phelps says all the while members of
Congress held an interest in railroads, and
no impure motives we're ever charged to them
and asked why Mr.. Blaine for the same
thing should be singled out as . target for
such charges. Mr.. Blaines reported vast
wealth, Mr.. Phelps declares consists of less
than half million dollars says he has made
these answers over his own name, and chal-
lenEes q denial of any ubstantial fact he has
stated.