Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-11-17
INTERVIEW WITH BLAINE.

INTERVIEW WITH BLAINE.
An Augusta (Maine) correspondent sends
the following interview with Mr.. Blaine Sat
nrday afternoon before the result of the
count had been announced: II asked Mr..
Blaine what he thought would be the result
of the count in New York, aud he replied
that he had no more means OF knowing it
than the unborn child He had from the
first had no other desire than that n fair
count should be made, and so far as he was
nersopally concerned, he would be content
with either result. Success would not e.aie
him, aud defeat would not depress him. He
was engaged in congenial and prof able
work. which bad been Interrupted by the
campaign, and the deep regret that he
would feel at democratic triumph would
be altogether for his party and the country,
not for himself"
81 lived too near the presidency in 1881"
Mr.. Blaine added, after long pause, land
have too keen sense Of its burdens, its en-
barrassments, and its perils, to be unduly
anxious for the Office"
TO the inquiry how be accounted for the
closeress Of the election in New York, Mr..
Blaine said well considering the loss by
the bolt of the independent republicans, and
the far larger loss from the action of the
republican prohibitionists, the wonder at
first sight is that the democrats did not car
ry the State by large majority, as they
confidently expected they would. This re-
suit was prevented by the great accessions
to the republican ranks Of Irish and Irish.
American voters aud Workingmen Of all
classes, who sustained me because ofmy ad-
vocacy of protective tariff They believe
and believe wisely, that free trade would re-
duce their wages
"You really think, then, that you got IL
considerable Irish vote in New York;
"Oh,I had thousands upon thousands, re
piled Mr.. Blaine, land should have had
many more but for the intolerant and ut
terly improper remark of Doctor Burchard,
which was quoted everywhere to my preju.
dice, and in many places attributed to my
SELF though it was in the highest degree dis
tasteful and offensive to me. But lie, you
know, travels very fast, and there was not
time before election to overtake and correct
that one, and so I suffered for it,"
The reporter asked AIR. Blaine if he
thought the lrish-Amerlcan vote was organ
lied al all, or had competent leaders.
"les," said he, ~ was deeply impressed
by the ability, the earnestness and the sin
certify of these whom | me:. These mel,
with others whom l did not personally
meet, have made break in the Irish dem.
| ocratic vote-one that believe will widen
and increase in the future rs the full signiti
canoe of the attitude Of the democratic
party on the tariff question becomes under
stood aud appreciated. Our Irish and Irish
American citizens will in Time get tired of
voting in accordance with the wishes Of the
English free traders"
| Mr.. Blaine was asked if he thought the
prohibitionists were honest in their support
Of St. John.
Il have never during the campaign" re
piled Mr.. Blaine, REFLECTED upon the mo-
| tives of any map, and shall not do 90.
content myself with saying that | think the
prohibitionists were misled, and that they
did not correctly measure the possible re-
suit of their course"
Mr.. Blaine added that he believed that if
the day Of election had been fair instead Of
rainy his vote in New York would have
been larger probably by 10000 votes and
certainly by from 5000 to 5000.
A special from Augusta, written after the
result Of the count had been received, says:
MIR. Blaine regards the official account in
New York as practically settling the Prcsi-
Dental question. Mr.. Blaine received yes
ter''ay telegram from New York anncnnc-
ing he completion of the official canvass in
that city, and informing him that the plu,
rality for Cleveland in that State would be
1.l37. Mr.. Blaine, it is said accepts the
result very cheerfuIly, and has no regrets
growing out of his connection with the
campaign. He feels that he has made
good fight, and he gracefully bows to the
verdict of the American people. Mr.. Blaine
leaves for Washington the middle of the
week, where he and his family will spend
The winter. He has leased the Sargent
House, in Farragut Square. and will shortly
resume his work on the second volume OF
Twenty Years in Congress