The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1884-09-17
MRS. MORRILL,.
The Respected Widow Of a Republican
Statesman Insulted by kilograms
and Anonymous Letters.
my Husband Was Outraged by the New
and Corrupt Methods Which Mr..
Blaine Introduced Into the
Politics of Maine."

since the publication of her letter to the |
Ohio committee and the interview concern
ing it, the respectful ones asking for the |
exact facts. Some of the Republican organs !
have doubted the authenticity of both, so
were her expressions as to
Mr.. Blaines dishonesty and her husbands
knowledge of it, and some of the organs have
even gone so far as to depreciate the effect of
the publication by abusing her distinguished
husband and even herself.
AS to Senator Morrilps character for even
unussI elevation of mind and habits and
firm integrity one has but to talk with his
neighbors here to have the testimony of his
tory added to as proving him almost without
blemish in both his private and public life,
says an Augusta telegram to the New York
Herald. For instance, Mr.. Elias Milliken,
residento of this city of wide reputation as
business man and a Republican of thirty
years standing said tonight: 81 never
heard but one objection made to Lot NJ.
Morrill,, and that by the politicians. They
used to say that he was so upright and I'M
hinching in maintaining the right that he
made a bad politician. No man could stand
higher than he in the esteem of all who
knew him." Ex-United States Senator Brad
bury, a Democrat, said of him: ''He was
absolutely honest in every relation of pub
lie or private life" Said Colonel d. Alden,
a Democrat: Senator Morrill, could have
no enemies except among corrupt men
whose schemes he had frustrated"
What wonder, then, that Senator Morrill,
could have no fellowship with Mr.. Blaine or
his methods? Mrs. Morrill, said tonight:
II have read the publication OF an interview
with me. It is an absolutely correct report
OF the conversation. There is not word in
it which ] would change"
Il recall, said Mrs. Morrill,. can instance
of my husbands high sense of honor as COM
pared with Mr.. Blaine's Just reputation as a
marketer of his official opportunities. Some
railroad bill was up in the Senate. Senator
Morrill,, as l know, studied its provisions
for days. He became convinced that it was
a good bill, and made a speech in the Senate
advocating il. 1t was in the last days of the
session. We came home, and day or two
after our arrival a messenger brought an ex-
press package here to the house. l examined
it and said to my husband: Ny dear, this
looks like money package He replied:
NO, that can not be; l am expecting no
money He opened the package, and in it
was 81 600 and note from some New York
gentlemen. They wrote that although they
did not know Senator Morrill,, and though
he had made the speech referred to without
consultation with any friends of the road
still so great was their sense of obligation for
the service rendered, that they hoped he
would accept the Enclosure as some slight
token OF their gratitude.
During the many years Of our married
life l never knew my husband to be thor
oughly angry but once. This was the time.
This is infamous was all he said. He sent
back the package with such letter that a
few days later one of the men intimately
connected with the road came here from
New York to present profound apology.
Mrs. Blaine once expressed surprise to me
that my husband always paid his fares on
the railroads, even when holding the Col.
lectorship at Portland. Senator Morrill,
said when quoted the remark to him: The
railroads managers have no right to defraud
their stockholders by passing free any ia
vored passenger, and L have no right to put
myself under obligations to them.
I'VE have always lived modestly and
quietly. My husband left only such mod
crate competence as could be amassed by
long life of hard labor and strict attention to
expenses. When visitors to Washington
spoke to us of the great house which, when
appointed 10 the Senate, Mr.. Blaine was
about to build, and wondered why we had
not entertained much, then l could not help
saying bitterly TO my husband that proved
dishonesty seemed no bar TO social recogni-
ton and official advancement in Washing
ton. He then said. only sadly, what have
before quoted 10 you: My dear, the Re-
| publican candidate for President will be
elected this time: but unless new methods
are used in the party and better men become
its leaders, he will be the last one elected"
MY husband was outraged by the new
| and corrupt methods which Mr.. Blaine in
troduced in the politics of this State after he
came into the management of the party. He
was grieved but not surprised that the good
Of S1,oC -,
evidence in the Little Rock investigation.
He knew Mr.. Blaine, and he knew that dis.
closure must come some day. 1t was then
that he told me Il had heard of it elsewhere
| aud asked him about it, of Mr. Blaine's visit
to him after the MulligaR testimony, and of
Mr.. Blaine's passionate appeals to him for
the use of his influence to save him.
THE Senator was inexpressiblv grieved
and surprised when, after going into the
| Cabinet, Governor Connor appointed Mr..
Blaine and not Governor Chamberlain to
the vacancy. My husband was importuned
beyond resistance to accept the Secretary
| ship. He yielded TO their opportunities
| only after the most serious consideration
and from that sense of duty which animated
| him throughout all his life. When he was
apparently dying at Washington with the
illness which oVerwork brought on, Presi
dent Grant come 10 me and said: Mrs. Nor
rill, / would like to see your husband If /
can, to ask his forgiveness. L feel that it was
my entreates which indirectly led to this
81 consented" said Mrs. Morrill,, in con-
| clusion, Ito receive your visit after long
hesitation. 1t is painful to me beyond ex-
preston to appear before the public in any
/ way and the more that the memory of my
loss is ever present with me.
Il do not know that the words ] gave you
of my letter to the Ohio Committee are ex-
actly as l wrote them, but they can differ lit
tie from the exact terms, for felt then as l
feel now, that my husband, in reply to any
request for him TO help in the election of
such man as Mr.. Blaine to the noble and
exalted position of President OF the United
States would have written as / wrote: No.
/ can not assist in the success of party
when that success means the choice of
wicked and a corrupt candidate for the Pres
idency OF this great people, 1t is the same
sense Of duty, hope, to the people who so
honored him. and which / have had i'm
pressed upon me by his constant example
and teachings, that has led me to do violence
to all my inclinations, and to warn, to the
extent of my power, the people from enter
ing unwittingly upon great peril and dis
grace. No one was in such position as my
husband to know the iniquities of Mr.. Blaine.
| for they could not but be obvious to him in
his enforced relations with Mr.. Blaine here.
No one, therefore, could so well warn with
authority"