The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1884-09-03
j. G.. Blaine VS.. Indianapolis Sentinel,
IPrinpnfnn Dnmncraf

James G. Blaine has brought a libel suit
against the Indianapolis Sentinel. A story
concerning Blaines life before his marriage
while tesching school IN Kentucky has long
had wide circulation. 1t got into public
print in 1876 IL not earlier and that too
through Republican newspapers. Before the
Sentinel published the article for which it is
sued the Kentucky story had been pub.
ished in leading papers in many States.
Among others in the New York Herald, the
Chicago Times, the st. Louis Post Dispatch
and the Emporia (Kas.) Republican
The editor of the Emporia Republican is
an ex-Republican Governor, the editor of a
Blaine Republican paper and his name is G..
V. Eskridge He says editorially: at has
been published in previous campaigns that
quite soon after, when young Mr.. Blaine
moved from kentucky to Maine he was fol-
lowed by an irate Kentucky gentleman and
his daughter, and being found by them at
Bangor. marriage VOWS which had been ex-
changed in Kentucky, were speedily consum-
mated and the propriety of which soon be-
came apparent to all parties concerned,
Letters to Chicago and Louisville papers
by correspondents who were upon the
ground in Bourbon County, Kentucky, where
Mr.. Blaine's transactions are said to have
taken place, giving in detail the circum-
stances and corroborating the story concern
ing Mr.. Blaines character that has been SO
long current, have also been published.
tanned no more than was in other articles.
1t simply referred to the fact that the rumor
was current and inquired if it was true. If
the charges against Mr.. Blaine were I'M
founded, the most natural and easy way for
him to have cleared it up and saved the
honor OF his family, would have been TO have
told the truth" Mr.. Blaine aud his wife
were school.teachers They know where
they were married and when, aud who was
present. They know the date and the place
Of the birth OF their children, whether dead
or living.
1t is the most common thing to give
history of public men and their family EN-
bracing the date and place of marriage and
names and birth of children. Mr.. Blaine or
any other man would shrink from the idea
of having even a suspicion resting upon his
family relations would have said TO 5
friends under the circumstances, tell the
truth about this matter. Write little his
tory of the facts. Put me in the right light
before the American people," Mr.. Blaine did
not either by himself or through his friends
| give the American people this little bit OF
history. He did not undertake to follow
the advice of Cleveland, tell the truth"
He did not undertake to clear up the matter
at once, as Cleveland did, by having the
truth told. Instead of that, six days after
the publication in the Sentinel he sent a
clustering telegram to Indianapolis to sue
the Sentinel, and attempts to pose before the
country as injured innocence. Ordinarily
men who did not want to make money or
political capital out of law suit would be
slow to rush into court with such a case for
the mere purpose of indicating character.
II is a thing that can be so much more
readily done by simply telling the truth
where the truth vindicates. Why did Mr..
Blaine not bring a suit against the New
York, the Chicago, the .Emporia, and the
Louisville papers2 Is not the character of
bis family as much in need of vindication in
New YORK, In Kentucky in Missouri, Illi-
nois and Kansas as in Indiana? There is
but one answer to the question. indiana is
regarded as a close State. while the others are
not The suit Is brought not for the purpose
of eliciting the truth but for the purpose
attempting to prevent the facts from be-