The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1884-11-27
BLAINE'S KEY
He BLOWS THE BUGLE,
WITH THE MUSIC OF THE
FUTURE.

AUGUSTA, Me, November 18.-A
large number Of devoted personal and
political friends of Mr.. Blaine seren-
AIDED him this evening, as an expression
Of personal good will and admiration
of his conduct in the National cam
paign. They marched through the
streets under the marshalship Of Colo
mel Frank Nye. When they reached
Mr.. Blaine's house their compliments
and friendly regards were expressed in
a speech by Herbert M. Heath, Esq,
Of the Kennebec bar.
Mr.. Blaine responded as follows,
his speech being continually inter
rupted by applause:
FRIENDS AND NEIGHBoRs.-The
National contest is over, and by the
narrowest of margins we have lost. I
thank you for your call, which, If not
one Of joyous congratulations, is one,
I am sure, Of confidence, Of sanguine
hope for the future. | thank you.for
the public opportunity you give me to
express my sense of obligation not
only to you, but to all the Republi-
cans Of Maine. They responded to
my nomination with genuine enthusi-
asm, and ratified it by superb vote.
| count it as one of the honors and
qualifications of my public career that
the party in Maine, after struggling
hard for the last six years, and twice
within that period losing the State.
has come back in this campaign to the
old-fashioned twenty thousand plu-
-rality. No other expression of popu-
lar confidence and esteem could equal
that of the people among whom I have
lived thirty years, and to whom [ am
attached by all the ties that ennoble
human nature and give joy and digni-
ty to life.
After Maine-indeed, along with
Maine-my first thought is always of
Pennsylvania. How can 1 feelingly
express my thanks for that unparal-
leled majority Of more than eighty
thousand votes, popular Endorsement
which has greatly touched my heart,
and which has, if possible, increased
my affection for the grand old Com
monwealth, an affection which I in
herited from my ancestry and which |
shall transmit to my children.
But do not limit my thanks to
the State Of my residence and the
State of my birth. I owe much to the
true and jealous friends in New
England who worked so nobly for the
Republican party and its candidates,
and to the eminent scholars and di-
vines, who, stepping aside from their
ordinary vocations, made my cause
their cause. and to the loyalty to prin-
ciple added the special compliment Of
standing as my personal representa-
tives in the National struggle.
But the achievements for the Re-
publican cause in the East are even
surpassed by the splendid victories in
the West. In that magnificent Gordon
Of States that stretches from the foot
hills of the Alleghenies to the Golden
Gate of the Pacific, beginning with
Ohio and ending with California, the
Republican banner was borne so loft
lily that but single State failed to
join in the wide acclaim of triumph.
Nor should | do justice to my own
feelings if | failed to thank the Re
publicans Of the Empire State, who
encountered so many discouragements
and obstacles. who fought foes from
within and without, and who waged
so strong battle that change of
one vote in every two thousand would
have given US the victory in the Ma
ton. Indeed, a change Of little more
than five thousand votes would have
transferred New York, Indiana, New
Jersey and Connecticut to the Repub-
ican standard, and would have made
the North as solid as the South.
My thanks would still be incomplete
if | should fail to recognize with spe-
cial gratitude that great body of work
ingmen. both native and foreign born,
who gave me their earnest support,
breaking from old personal and party
ties, and finding in the principles
which l represented in the canvass
the safeguard and protection of their
fireside interests.
The result Of the election, my
friends, will be regarded in the future,
[ think, as extraordinary. The Nor
thern States, leaving out the cities of
New York and Brooklyn from the
count, sustained the Republican cause
by majority Of more than four hum
1red thousand almost half million,
indeed-of the popular vote. The
cities of New York and Brooklyn
threw their great strength and infu-
ence with the Solid South, and were
the decisive element which gave to
that section the control of the Ma
tional Government.
Speaking now not at all as defeated
but simply as a loyal and
devoted American, l think the trans
Ter Of the political power of the Gov
to the South is a great Ma
;ional misfortune. It is misfortune
because it introduces an element which
AN not insure harmony and prosperi-
y to the people; because it introduces
nto the Republic the rule Of a mi
lority. The first instinct Of an Amer
can is equality equality of right,
quality of privilege, equality of polit-
cal power-that equality which says
o every citizen, your vote is just as
.ood, just as potential as the vote of {
ny other citizen
That can not be said to-day in the