The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-06-23
NOTIFYING BLAINE.
The Republican Notification Com
mittee at Blaine's Home.
On the Lawn in Front of the States
mans Home He listens to the
Official Tender of tue Noaai-
nation.


committee appointed by the national con-
vention to notify James G. Blaine of his
nomination to the presidential candidacy of
the Republican party to perform that duty
a considerable crowd had collected around
the Augusta house to gaze with curiosity
upon the members of the committee.
Promptly at II o'clock the national COM
mittee proceeded in a body TO MIR. Blaine's
residence, and were received by Airs. Blaine.
As the day was oppressively hot, and the
rooms of the mansion crowded almost TO suf
location, it was suggested that the presenta-
ton address he made upon the lawn.
Accordingly, the committee and guests pro-
| ceedei to well shaded portion of the
grounds, where semi-circle was formed
and all stood with uncovered heads, making
an impressive scene The fustling of the
spreading branches of the great elms and the
buzzing of insects were the only sounds to
| disturb the stiffness When all were in read
mess Mr. Blaine was escorted to the lawn,
| where he stood within the arc OF the semi
circle.
General Henderson then stepI,ed forward
| and presented the address of the committee.
Reading from manuscript, he spoke as fol-
ows:
Mr., BLAINE-Your nomination for the ei-
/ fee of president of the United states Dy the
| National Republican convention, recently
| assembled at Chicago, is already known 10
YOU. The gentlemen before Yoii, constituting
| the committee, composed OF one nemoer
| from ,aeI stats and territory OF the country
| and one from the District OF Coium-
| bia. now come as the accredited organ Of
] thai convention to give you formal no,ice of
the nomination, and to request your accept
ance thereof. 1t is of course, known to you
| that, beside Your OWN, several other names
nong the most honored in the councils of
ne Republican party were presented by
their friends as candidates for the nominal
ton. Between your friends and the friends
of the gentlemen so justly entitled to the
respect AMI confidence OF their political asso-
ciateS the contest was one of generous rivalry,
free from any faint Of bitterness, ana
equally free from the lepTuach of injustice.
AT an early stage Of the proceedings of the
convention, 1t became manifest that the
Republican states, who's aid must be ill.,
vokei at last To insure SUCCESS to the ticket,
earnestly desired your nomination 1t was
equally manifest that the desire s. earnestly
expressed by the delegates from those states
was but the truthful reflection of the ire
sistibe popular demand. 1t is not thought,
nor pretended. that this demand had its orr
gin in any ambitious desires of your own or
| i'll the organized WORK of your friends, but II
was recognized to be wrat it truthfully is,
| the spontaneous expression by a free people
of love and admiration of chosen leader.
MIR. Henderson then referred to the disap-
| pointment of certain Republicans with the
| choice OF the convention, ami recalled the
| state of affairs at the tune of Lincoln's first
| Grants second, and Garfield's nominations
| expressing the hope that sober second
thought" would bring back the wanderers
He preceded;
| III rendering you the nomination, it gives
Us pleasure to remember lhose great meas
| uTes which furnished cause for party con-
| ordinations by the late convention al Chi
| cago, aud which are noW cTystallized into the
| legislation of the country-measHreS which
| have strengthened and dignifed the Nation,
| and while they elevated and ad
vancei the people, have at all times
| and on all proper occasions, received
| your earnest and valuable support 1t was
| your good fortune TO aid in protecting the
| nation against the assaults of armed treason;
| you were present and helped to unioose the
| shacrles If the slave; you assisted IN placing
| Ii new guarantee of freedom in the Federal
| constitution; your voice was potent In pre-.
| serving the National faith when false theories
| of finance would have blasted the national and
| indiy idual prosperity. We kindly remember
| you as fast friend Of honest money, of COM
mercial integrity; In all that pertains to the
| security ami repose of capital, the dignity of
| labor, the manhood, elevation and freedom
| of the people, the right of the oppressed TO
| demand, and the duty of the government to
| afford, protection, your public acts have re-
| ceived unqualified Endorsement and popular
| approval But We are not unmtndf1l OF the
fact that parties, like individuals, can
however splendid the ! record The
present is ever charged with immediate
| cares, and the future presses on with its new
duties and its perplexing responsibilities,
parties like individuals, however, that are
free from stain of violated faith in the past
are fairly entitled to the presumption of sin
cerity In their promises for the future.
Among the promises made by the party
in its late convention at Chicago are:
Economy in the party administra-
ton; protection of citizens, native and
naturalize I, at home and abroad, prompt
restoration of the navy; wise reduction
of the surplus revenues, relieving the tax
payer without injuring the laborer; the pres
ervation of the public lands for actual
| settlers, import duties, when necessary at all,
| to be levied not for revenue only, but for
the double purpose Of revenue and pro-
= lection; the regulation OF internal COM
I merce; the settlement or international diff
ferences by peaceful arbitration, but coupled
with the reassertion AMI maintenance of
the Monroe doctrine as interpreted by
the fathers of fhe republic; perseverance in
| the good work of civil service reform, to the
end that dangers to free institutions which
In TX in the power of official patronage, be
wisely and effectuaily avoided; and an hon,
3 est currency based on coin of intrinsic value,
r adding strength to the public credit and Civ
ing renewed vitality to every branch Of
| American industry.
Mr. Blaine, during the last twenty-thres
: years the Republican party has builded 6
D new republic, a republic far more splendid
\
y As its proportions are already grand, they
may vet be enlarged; its foundations may
e yet be strengthened, and its columns adorned
i with beauty more Respondent still. To You
as its architect in chief, will soon be assigned
| this grateful work
g Mr.. Blaine listened to Gen. Henderson,
:, address, standing under an elm tree, with hi
aims folded on his chest, and his eyes USUALLY
y cast down, but at times wandering about AM
Ii scanning the faces of the audience. Whel
= Gen. Henderson had concludA speaking
I, Mr. Walker Blaine, the candidates son
II stepped forward and handed his father tn
o manuscript of the address in reply to that o
the committee. MIR. Blaine then read a
Il follows:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN OF TIL
e NATIONAL COMMITTEE; receive, not with
o out deep sensibility, your official notice o
! the action of the National convention alread
Drought 10 my knoHledge through the publ
ie press. | appreciate, more profoundly than
lie can express, the honor which is implied il
: the nomination for the presidency by tb
Republican party of the Nation, speakin
through the authoritative voice of its duly
accredited delegates To be selecte
as candidate by such a
assemblage from the list of en-
u inent statesmen whose names were prs
Of seHted, fills me with embarrassment. l ca
m only express my gratitude for so signal a
II honor, and my desire to prove worthy {
:, the great trust reposed in me
It In accepting the nomination, as now dc
il am impressed and am also eppressedpvit
as sense of the labor aud responsibility whic
b. attaches to my position. The burden
Ne lightened, however, by the host of earGes
~ men who support my candidacy, many {
y whom add, as does your honorable COMM
he tee, the cheer of personal friendshi
a. to the pledge of political fealty. A MOI
b. formal acceptance viii naturally be e,
Is pected and viii IN due season be comrlun
= Gated 1t may, however, not be inapprt
&c pirate TO this time to say that have alread
in made careful study Of the principles al
10 nounced by the national convention, and