Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-05-22
What Halstead Says About His Con
version to Blaine.

version to Blaine.
Mr.. Halstead, in reply to letter writ
ten from Washington, as to his advocacy
of Mr.. Blaine, says:
You call for information about my
conversion. as you are pleased to term
it, by Mr.. Blaine. Allow me to impari
the following: Eight years ago advo
Gated the nomination for the Presidency
of General Bristow and opposed MIR
Blaine incidentally. Now l am not de.
voting aysef to toll in favor of any
particular nomination, though my ex-
pressed preference is John Sherman, and
| am not assailing Mr.. Blaine, President
Arthur, Senator Edmunds OF General
Logan-bolding them all in high esteem.
Perhaps | have changed my policy. l
profess 10 have prOfted by eight ycals o
enlargement of experience. During these
years l have been more deeply than ever
convinced That there is no responsible
hope OF doing any good with the Demo-
cratic party. and have lost faith in the
Efficacy Of independent movements.
/ have bad share in the labor of
holding parlor consultations with few
excellent citizens with the view of shat
tering both the great ,.olitical organiza-
tiuus of the country. and wsnt to spend
my time to better purpose. In this 1
perceive DO occasion for public regrets
or private sorrow. propose to support
the Republican national nominations,
and it occurs to ne to reserve ny strerg 9Th
until after the proceedings of the con
vention. The journal with which am
connected is not at war with any of the
candidates, and believe In the cause
above them all.
l am grateful to Mr.. Blaine for his
large share in defeating the third term
aggression against American Republic
anism, AID ! feel persuaded that in the
atmosphere Of suspicion of 1875, some of
US accepted too readily the theory that
the smoke Of accusation against Blaine
meant that there must be . hidden fire
soon to break out and consume him.
Whenever attempted to hunt up the
facts that were assumed to be fuel, they
failed to materiallza. should not, if
lie were the candidate, feel alarmed about
his record. We know all that can be
Intellectual before the people at large as
In the Republican party, and that there
is no candidate unassailable.
Mr.. Blaine's enemies, who are violent,
and quoting themselves to show that
hard things can be said of him, are not
important and have mistaken their mis-
sion. know of some matters in which
Mr.. Blaines assailants are utterly in
error. President Garfield told me that
at the first of his Cabinet meetings he
opened business by saying to alias he
could that moment do without offense
to any-they would get along psaceably
only by carefully limiting themselves to
their own department of duty. He said
Blaine acquiesced and complied fully
up to that day it was the last day of
June, 1881.
And President Garfield said Blaine
was not responsible for the New Y ork
appointments upon which Conkling re-
signed; that they were his own and
made under sense of duty to his friends
and himself as the President of the
United States, upon the belief that when
the shock WAS over there would be a
better understanding.
When l compare my knowledge with
the charges current against Mr.. Blaine
about those transactions and so often re-
peated that refutation becomes tedious,
| am free to believe that be has been
falsely accused in other matters, and |
hnow enough of those who are making
business of hostility to him to be sure
that if the line were drawn on them
tha they apply they could be made un-I
hap y.
L think our strongest candidate and
safest President would be John Sber.
man. and gladly give President Arthur
ct dit for lis admirable administration,
nut | do not believe that the millions of
Repu blicans who kindle with enthusi
asm at the name Of Blaine lKve gone far
wrong. N. HALSTEAD.
Cincinnati, Nav 10. 1884.