The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-09-25
Why They Do Not Discuss Them.

Why They Do Not Discuss Them.
The Blaine newspapers do not discuss
the Mulligan letters. They do not print
such parts of Blaine's speeches as refer,
ever so gingerly, to the Mulligan let
tiers. The reason assigned for this pol
lev is, that ''AIr. Blaine desires the let
tiers not to be discussed by his friends
press" The motive assigned to this
desire is ''Sef-respect. The blaine
men maintain that they will not dis
cuss the character of Mr.. Blaine. and
do not think he needs any defense" 1t
is conceivable that the devotion OF
personal friendship may comfort Itself
with this reflection. 1t is not rational,
however, to suppose that such finely
wOrded excuse will deceive or satisfy
any one but personal friends. a man
whose public honesty is o;.est;oned, has
to defend himself in polit cs-Or the
general conclusion is that his honesty
will not bear defense When q large
and the most respectable portion of q
mans party bolts his nomination, on
the express ground that he is dishonest,
the primo tacie presumption of his in
nocence is really changed in the public
mind to q prinlG tGcte presumption of
his guilt. In the case of Mr.. Blaine.
''siIence is confession"
Some of his less irrational friends see
this and seek to say that The charges
have all been examined and the man
has been clealed. There is no use OF
l,n of Ic trI1n
The charges were examined by the
Committee of the House i'll 1S76-up to
the period at which Mr.. Blaine was re-
quired to produce the Mulligan letters
and stand cToSs-eXamination on them.
Two things prevented that step from
being taken. Mr.. Blaine had an OPP
perfume sunstrokc and he resigned his
seat in the House, with the result, and,
indisputably with the intention, of put
ting himself beyond its jurisdiction.
Then the examination had TO cease.
The Republican National Conventions
of 1876, and 1880 and 1884 examined"
these charges also. The first two con-
ventions flung Mr.. Blaine out because
of the letters. The nomination of
Mr.. Blaine in 1881 has caused the men
ut conscience to fling themselves out of
the organization because OF those let
tiers. These facts explain why MIR.
Blaine has passed the word that no dis
cussion of the Mulligan letters shall
take place among his friends; but they
put an entirely different face on the
reasons from that which he would have
them wear.
A consideration of the letters makes
every Republican, with logical mind
and an upright intent, an anti-Blane
man. There are plenty OF men with
upright intent who are Ior Blaine, but
they lack the logical mind. The union
OF the power TO reason correctly, with
the possession of a patriotic purpose,
makes Republican, who examines the
Mulligan letters. condemner of Blaine.
Some of them viii vote against him.
Others will refrain from voting. 9th
erS will reluctantly vote for him, but
will not put forth any efforts to elect
him. That is why Mr.. Blaine prescribes
silence on the Muliigan letters. Sew
eral times a policy of silence has got
Republican politicians out of bad
scrape. 1t will not a Mr.. Blaine, this
time. Tie charge of throwing mud
will no. serve. The matter is Mr..
Blaine's writing. Every conspicuous
present advocate of his has deliberately
declared in the past that the letters show
the conspicuous guilt Of Mr.. Blaine.
The cry of democratic calumny' will
not avail. AS many Republicans rs
Democrats demand the defeat of Mr..
Blaine on account of these letters.
The tilmy plea of dignity" and
''self-respect" will not do-for Mr..
Blaine set the example of discussing
these letters (D by stealing them and
violating his promise to return them;
90 by garbling them, reading them
out of their order. and emitting 10 read
four of them altogether, after false
ly saving that he had read them al,
and (3) by running away from the in
quiry ut exactly the stage where he
would have been require to stand a
cross-oXamination on the letters, by re-
signing from the House, when resigna-
ton was confession and dishonor.
Every fact and reason in the case ac-
counts for Mr.. Blaine's prescription OF
silence to his friends about the Multi
gan leiters-but his explanation OF way
he has lirec ell that the matter be ig-
nored is found to be rs fimsy as any
pretense of statesm anship on his part,
based on the fact of thirty years OF o.
hce-j obbing. Albany -ArqiIS.