Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-10-08
WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER s, 1884.
Beecher VS.. Blaine.

The MpIIIaAS letters constitute a terri
bic indictment Of Mr.. BLAINE; but we nj c
not sure that letter Just written by HENRY
WARD BEEcByR does. not show BLAINE in a
worse light than any Of his letters to
FISHER. Let us introduce Mr.. BEEcHER's
letter. Recently the Blaineites gave ont and
caused to be published the cablegrams fol-
lowing:
DETROIT. September 30. 1ssi.-To joy.
care Broom. Shipiey d. Co., London: Did
Blaine offer 10 appoint committee to suit
you II you took Little Rock bonds of his
hands Henry Ward Boecher says youtold
him Blaine did. ALGER.
LoSpoS, September 3d. To II. A. Aiger,
Detroit, Mich. Blaine never made me any
offer TO appoint committee TO suit me in
any manner or form, or for any considera-
tion OF any kind whatever. j. i. JOY.
The reader will see at once that Mr..
BEEcHrR's veraciiy was impugned, and that
he had TO clear up the matter. Accordingly
he wrote TO General x. A. ALGER. stating
that his cablegram and Mr. joys reply to
IL compelled him (Mr. BEECHER) to appear
in print, and justify him in publishing the
facts OF an interview with JOY, at his
house, on or about september 80, 1871. Mr..
BEEcHER writes
al have steadily refused TO give to the
public press the story OF that interview at
the bospitable board OF a private house.
But as the ut.eranee oil public man about
a public man had tight to mention ii
privately among my intimate friends. In
what way the partial and imperfect story
of that interview got into the newspapers
I don't know. Certainly not with my
knowledge or priyity."
Dir. BEEcngR asks Mr.. AIGER TO send TO
JOY the following narrative, and assures
him that Mr.. JoY will not contradict 1t, nor
will any one OF the several gentlemen who
were at the table with Mr.. BEECHEB, nor
will other witnesses, not few, deny that
the same substantial statements have been
made by Mr.. JOY to others not infre-
quently.
Mr.. BEECHER's narrative is as follows:
"Toward the close Of the dinner, Sep
TENDER 20, 1877, political matters were IN
troduced, and, among other things, Blaine's
failure 10 receive the nomination that went
10 Hayes. Mr.. Joy spoke with contempt
uous severity OF Mr.. Blaine and gave this
statement
"Wher a difficulty occurred IN regard 10 certain
lands In the southwest In which was Interested
q committee was about 20 he appointed by Con-
gTess 10 examine The matter, Blaine being speaker
Of the House. Through n friend, ! asked SIR.
Blaine TO have one lawyer appointed on tina,
committee did MOI ca ,s e Of which , party
MIR Blaine sent me word through friend that he
had certain sepreciated bonds, and that if would
committee n / wanted H."
!cannot forget with what cutting scorn
Mr.. JOY leaned back in his cbaii and saidt
"That Is the man Blaine is; and he
added 81 refused the offer, and as the
courts soon settled the matter, no commit
tee was appointed"
AT that time knew nothing Of the lands
in question nor Of the bonds alluded 10,
but did understand fully Mr.. joys opin-
ion Of James G.. Blaine. What changed
MIR. joys notion and led him TO nominate
MIR. Blaine mt the Chicago Convention of
1850 / don't know. 1t can probably be
found out by inquiry Of the editors OF GER
tain great daily newspapers who hardly
found language bitter enough for years t.
inveigh against Mr.. Blaine, and who now
cannot find language enough to pour con-
tempt upon the men who do not approve OF
placing Mr.. Blame in the presidential chair.
l shall not prolong this letter by nara
ting Mr.. DlaDe's views OF the matter in
an interview with me which took place at
ter my speech at Cooper Union during the
Garfield canvass, at his own request. in the
Fifth Avenue Hotel. ] can hardly believe
that he has forgotten that. | cannot but
admit the iudomitabIe pluck with which
MIR. Blaine Is defending himself against
such cloud OF charges as was never made
against any other presidential candidate
since the Government began. Yet II cannot
allow myself TO be misled by sympathy
with his undoubted kind-heartedness, cour-
age, and audaciiy.
Unsound in statesmanlike Judgment, un.
scrupulOus in political methods, dim-eyed
IN perceiyng the distinction between truth
aud untruth. Accordingly ambitious, but
shOr sighted as 10 the methods Of crafty
Ing his ambition, hut. with a genial, social
disposition and a brilliant rhetorical capa-
city, MIR. Blaine makes an alluring candi-
date. but would make dangerous Presi-
dent. i pray you TO excuse my adding to
the cares OF your canvass by reconsideration
Of these matters. IL was, however, but
just to you TO point out how misleading was
your telegram to Mr.. JOY, and how irrele-
want TO the sublect.matter was his reply.
HENRY WARD BEEcHER.
"That is The man Blaine IS" And what
sort Of man: II would seem as il he were
almost as destitute Of moral sense as Beast
BUTLER himself. Mr.. BLAINE in this ease
plsinly offered TO sell committee appoint
ments for money and to whomsocver would
take his deprecated bonds off his hands.
Lord BACON was called the
"w.sest, greatest, ard meanes, Of mankind"
What shall he said Of BLAINE? Can his.
tory produce his matchy
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