The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-10-11
MR.. BEEcHER TALKS PLAIN.
A Letter to Gen. AIger, of Michigan.
which Takes Mr.. Joy i'm Hand.

Wn1en Takes Mr. Joy
The Rev. Henry Ward Beecher was called
upon at his residence in Brooklyn Monday by
New York World reporter. He was ruddy
and chatted cheerily.
II see," remarked the reporter, that Mr..
Blaine proposes to remain in Ohio until after
the election
''That's the place for him. calculated Mr..
Beecher ''His entire battle is staked on that
state. Should it go Democratic, or should the
Republican majority be largely reduced. Mr.
Blaine's chances for the Presidency will have
gone up in fume.
''But suppose, Mr.. Beecher, that Ohio
should give a good Republican majority, what
then?''
at would not affect the result in Novem-
Der. The people are going to put Mr.. Cleye-
land in the Presidential chair any how. The
quiet farmer and business vote will do it.
The following letter will explain itself:
BROOKLYN, N. Y, Oct. 6, 1884.
To Gen. R. A. Alger Candidate for the Cub
ernatorial Office in Michigan.
DEAR SIR: The publication of your tele-
gram to Mr.. James F. Joy, of Detroit, but
now in London, and his reply compels me to
publish the facts of an interview with him at
his house at or about Sept. %, 1877, in order
to clear myself of the charge of bearing false
witness against him. | have steadily refused
to give to the public press the story of that
interview at the hospitable board of private
house; but as the utterance of q public man
about public man had right to mention it
privately among my intimate friends. In
what way the partial and imperfect story of
that interview got into the newspapers | do
not know. Certainly not with my knowledge
or privity. Misled by these reports you tele-
graphed to Mr.. Joy in London:
DETROIT, Sept so, 1884.
"Joy, care Brown, Shipley & Co., London
"Did Blaine offer to appoint committee to
suit you if you took Little Rock bonds off his
hands? Henry Ward Beecher says you told
! him Blaine did. ALGER."
Henry Ward Beecher said nothing of the
kind-as you shall soon see. 1t was easy for
Mr.. Joy to reply.
''R. A. Alger, Detroit, Mich.
''Blaine never made me any offer to ap-
point a committee to suit me in any manner
| or form or for any consideration of any kind
! whatever J. F. JOY"
Please send to him the following narrative
| and you may depend upon it Mr.. Joy will not
contradict its substantial accuracy; neither
will any one of the several gentlemen who
were at the table with me; nor will other wit
| nesses mot few deny that the same sub
| stantial statements have been made by MIR.
/ Joy TO others not infrequently. Towards the
close of the dinner, Sept. %, 1877, political
matters were introduced, and among other
/ things Blaine's failure to receive the nomina-
| ton that went to Hayes. Mr.. Joy spoke with
! contemptuous severity of Mr.. Blaine and gave
! this statement:
| "When a difficulty occurred in regard to
| certain lands in the Southwest, in which L
( was interested, committee was about to be
sd ,,N m
/ Blaine being Speaker of the House. Through
a friend / asked Mr.. Blaine to have one sound
lawyer appointed on that committee, did
not care of which party. | simply wanted
/ sound lawyer. In day or two Mr. Blaine
\ sent me word through a friend that he had
l certain deprecated bonds, and that if would
I enable him to place them at par l could hare
/ n.y committee as / ,cantetk it,"
I cannot forget with what cutting scorn Mr..
\ Joy leaned back in his chair and said,
/ "1Hat is the man Blaine is" and he added ::
| 81 refused the offer, and as the courts soon
! settled the matter no committee was ap-
( pointed"
( At that time knew nothing of the lands in
! question nor of the bonds alluded to, but did
| understand fully Mr.. joys opinion of James
| G. Blaine What changed Mr.. joys notion
\ and led him to nominate Mr.. Blaine at the
| Chicago Convention of 1880 do not know.
/ 1t can probably be found out by inquiring of
| the editors of certain great daily newspapers,
| who hardly found language bitter enough for
| years to inveigh against Mr.. Blaine, and who
! now cannot find language enough to pour con-
| tempt upon the men who do not approve of
| placing Mr.. Blaine in the Presidential chair.
| shall not prolong this letter by narrating
I Mr.. Blaine's views of the matter, in an inter-
! view with me which took place after my speech
| at Cooper Union during the Garfield canvass,
! at his own request, in the Fifth Avenue Hotel.
p, | can hardly believe that he has forgotten that
! | cannot but admit the indomitable pluck with
which Mr.. Blaine is defending himself against
| such cloud of charges as was never made
against any other Presidential candidate since
! the Government began; yet cannotallowe my
| self to be mised by sympathy with his UNI
| doubted kind-heartedness, courage and au
dacity.
| Unsound in statesmanlike Judgment, I'M
scrupulous in political methods, dim eyed in
distinction between truth and untruth, absorb
| ingly ambitious, but short sighted as to the
methods of gratifying his ambition, but with
genial social disposition and Il brilliant rhe
torcal capacity, Mr.. Blaine makes an allur-
ing candidate, but would make dangerous
| President.
| | pray you to excuse my adding to the cares
of your canvass by a consideration of these
matters. 1t was, however, but just to you to
point out how misleading was your telegram
! to Mr.. Joy and how irrelevant to the subject
matter was his reply.
Henry WARD BEEcHER.
| -o->%