Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-06-17
EDITION.
BLAINE,S VINDIUATION .
George william Curtis ON IN
CHARGES when they wore Fresh.

AsA<A N As0 vANDAOA = AOS'
George william Curtis ON q
Charges when they wore Fresh.
The Chicago Tribune reproduces fror
Harper's Weekly OF May Is, 1876. tn
following article about Mr.. Blaine, CIV
ing to 1t the headlines Blaine's o.
PLANTATION 1t was perfectly satisfactor
In 1876 TO George William Curtis an
Harper's Weekly As thorough re
futatiOn o. WAS ever made
FROM HARrrR's WEEKLY, NAY Is, 1875.
In speaking o'the railroad bond scanda
about Mr.. Blaine We said that at least l
would DO admitted that he had always show
himself acute enough to escape the trap
into which the honest but dull often fall. l
high principle should be denied to him, ant
II, - IL sometimes asserted, he ID merely ,
politician Of sagacity enough to know that
| In public life, honesty, If nothing more, II
certainly good policy. The substance Of thu
| charge against Mr.. Blaine was that when HI
was the Speaker Of the House, and when Mr.
Pacific Railroad Company, he caused the
company to buy bonds to the amount Of
600, which were almost worthless, fol
90, 900, and the insinuation that this wai
bride to secure the favor Of Mr., Blaine for
Mr.. Sc0tt's railway projects before Congress.
Plainly stated, this was the charge. u
course, II believed, II was fatal to Mr.. Blaine
and at this time, when the public mind ID
very suspicious, the mere accusation was not
| unlikely to be of great injury 10 him. The
story had been privately whispered, and
there had been conference Of Republican
editors at Cincinnati, which ended by ac
qusinttng him with the ruInor. suddenly 1t
was made public In Democratic paper at
Indianapolis and in other parts OF the coul-
echoed through the whole press. Mr.. Blaine
IL stantly published an absolute and complete
denial and having collected evidence that is
apparently conclusive,he made brief. clear,
simple statement in the House which was as
" thorough retutation as was ever made,
and, In the absence Of other evidence, leaves
him unspOtted."
He showed, by the testimony Of the officers
and bankers who had been cited as agents
that he had never received from them direct
~ OF indirectly, any money, as charp ed. Mr..
Scott, In the most explicit Hanner declared
that Mr.. Blaine had never had any transac-
ton whatever with him Of any kind. The
treasurer of the road, Mr. Z. II. Rollins, was
and unqualified in his dec
latation, and Messrs. Morton, Bliss l. Co.,
VINO were said TO have been paid the money,
said: "NOthng has been paid by US in any
torn or at any time, TO any person or
any corpo atiln In which you were
ever known, believed. or even sup
posed TO have any interest whatever. MIR.
Blaine states that h: bought in 1859 some
bonds OF the Little Rock and Fort Smith
Railroad, which derives its franchise and
rights entirely from the State OF Arkansas.
he paid for his bonds the pr co that all buy.
ers paid, and. with other buyers, he lost by
them. HIS loss was more than $780, All
the bonds that he ever bought he held until
the company Was re-organiz' d in 1874, when
ne exchanged them for stocks and bonds in
the new concern, which he still holds. When
the Atlantic and Pacific and Missouri, Kan.
sas and Texas roads bought some of the 10.
curitios Ofthe Little Rock road, Mr.. Blaine
knew CT the negotiation, but none Of the
bonds sold to those roads belonged to him,
nor did he have Il single dollars pecuniary
interest in the transaction
lhls 10 the statement of Mr. Blaine, SUD-
ported by uDqueSlODahle testimony He |
has not sought investigation, besause he |
knew by experience how long he would have
70 wait for a report aud while awaiting the |
SLOW action OF committee, with the charges /
I'll pending, he could not have published I
ne evidence which he has now submitted.
tie knew. moreover. although be does not
Jay. and everybody knows, that the Demo-
ratio Invests atirg committee would have
lelayed any rep0rtuntil after the Y incinnatiI
convention, as fatal blow to Mr.. Blaine's
possible candidacy. But If the House now
wishes to open an inquiry he will gladly
give all the assistance he can to make II
igorous and thorough. In Justice to Mr..
Blaine We present the concluding sum.
nary OF his speech:
Let me now, Mr.. Speaker, briefly summa-
ne what present First, that the story Of
ny receiving $4,000 or any other sum oil
money, or anything OF value, from the Unisn
'acihc Railroad Company, directly or lndi.
ectly, or In aIy form, is absolutely disprov-
q by the most conclusive testimony Second,
nat 10 bond OF mine was ever sold to tho At,
antlc and Pacific, or the Missouri, Kansas
md Texas Ra lroad Company, and that not
siI gle dollar Of money from either of these
Ompanles ever went to my profit or benefit. X
[hlrd, That instead OF reo>ivinx bonds of the
little Rock andFort Smith road as q gratui.
y, never had one except at the regular
market price; and instead Of making q large
ortune Oft that company, have incurred a |
eVere pecuniary loss from my investment In
70 securities, which ] still retain ; and out Of
uch affairs as these grows the popular gos
up OF large fortunes amassed In Congress. III
an hardly expect. MIR. Speaker. that any
taleilent from me will stop the work Of
nose VINO have so industriously circulated
hese calumnies For months past the effort
,as oeen energetic and continuous to spread
hese stories in private circles Emissa ries
Islander have visited editorial rooms OIL
eadlng Republican papers from Boston to | |
mana. and whispered Of revelations to come
hat were too terrible even to be spoken in
Ouu tones, and at last, the revelations have
cen maze am now, Mr. Speaker, In tho
Jurteenth year Of a not inactive service in
MS hall; have taken and have given
lows have NJ doubt said many things in
ne neat OF debate that would gladly re- 4
w nave no doubt given votes which In |
oller light would gladly change; but II
ave never do1e anything In my public ca
Ger Tor which could be put to tho faintest|
lush In any presence, or TOR which | cannot
n '"ef 10 my constituents my conscience, :
nd tie Great Searcber Of Hearts.
If nobody now appears to Justify this
ccnrati n, it must be considered mere
one OF the reckless ISLANDERS 10 which
very prominent public man Is exposed:
nj no Charge that may be hereafter
lade against Mr.. Blaine, unaccompani.
Il by weighty testimony, will deserved
ny attention whatever.