The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-10-04
Tha Mulligan Letters.
From the baltimore Herald !

The Democrats played what they
considered trump card when they
made public the second installment
of the Mulligan letters. Everything
was staked upon this play. and every
thing has been lost. The Mulligan
letters have proven boomerang.
They not only did not damage Mr..
Blaine, but they supply the most con-
cIusiye evidence that Messrs. Multi
gan and Fisher are as precious pair
of scalawags as are wondering loose
about this country in this year of our
Lord, 1884.
1t has never been denied that Mr.,
Blaine had some dealings in Fort
Smith and Little Rock railroad bonds
and stock, but he declared and the
ts,.:-------pasussittAsf T.: ii ha-hoa&h'
these bonds in the same manner and
at the same price that other people
bought them that he did not pur.
chase them until long after the bill
authorizing the building of the road
was passed, and that his decisions as
Speaker while that bill was pending
were in no way improperly iniuenc-
ed. Eighty days after that bill was
passed Mr.. Blaine did secure 1 block
ofthat stock and persuaded hisfriends
to invest in it, giving them his per-
sonaI guarantee that they should lose
nothing by the transaction.
In order to help along the enter
prise, then in its infancy, MI. Blaine
raised $4,000, which he forwarded to
Warren Fisher and Josiah Caldwell.
The venture did not prove success
full, and financial ruin threatened Mr..
Blaine. He had not only invested
all his own money in the bonds, but
he stood liable to make good any
losses incurred by the friends who
had taken stock at his suggestion. In
addition to that he was personally
responsible for the repayment of the
$4,000 which he had borrowed for
Fisher and Caldwell.
All of the Mulligan letters have
reference to these matters. The first
of them shows that Mr.. Blaine, in
pursuance of his promise not to prove
dead-head, had influenced subscTip-
tions to the amount of S125, 900, and
almost all of the subsequent letters
refer to the difficulties growing out
of the failure of the enterprise. 1t is
no wonder that Mr.. Blaine, not then
a rich man, should have been appall-
ed at the prospect of being held per-
sonally responsible for S125,000 on
the stock and the $500 borrowed
for Fisher and Caldwell. These men
had accepted the loan and the money
for the stock, but they did not de-
liver the latter. Finally, Mr.. Blaine,
driven to desperation at their indif-
ference to his requests for settle
ment, agreed to sacrifice part of his
claim in order to facilitate an ac-
counting. His friends were cIamor-
ing for the fulfillment of his promises
to them, and he found himself de-
serted by the men who led him into
the mire. To use his own words:
81 have seen most of the parties to
whom bonds are due. | do not have
much trouble about the January
coupon of the first mortgage bonds
but they of course grOwl some-on
six of the bonds. 1 would be glad to
have the coupon. l promised them
indiUidudily to make it right in the
future. l did not in any way use the
name of the company nor commit
you to anything-only n1yseB."
To these reasonable requests Fisher
sent replies that at first were tempor-
izing, nay even supplicating. but
finding that Mr.. Blaine was in des-
perate straits he assumed an imperti-
nent air and told him in effect that
he might get himself out of the hole
in the best way that he could. Is it
any wonder that Mr.. Blaine wrote
these sentences:
81 hope you will not deem me uns
reasonable when again and persist
emily urge that ought to have good
notes for the $25, 900, and that ought
also to have the $4,000 bonds, which
were made by yourself and Mr.. Cald-
well the express basis of the S25, ZOO
loan. do not believe your company
has stronger or more equitable and
legal claim than mine-whilei its per-
sonal hardships to me are bitter, and
burning, and humiliating TO the last
degree"
Il
son the 29th instant, the second
note of the loan l negotiated in De-
cember last falls due. The first for
S2,O32.50, which fell due March 1-4th,
L was compelled to meet at the grav-
est possible inconvenience to myself.
drew on Mr.. Fisher for the amount,
but he declined to notice the draft.
The note which falls due on the 29th
instant is for S2,57S.35. 1t seems ex-
tremely hard and unjust that 1 should
be com Dplled tO nav this mOnaV III