The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-08-06
Our Presidential Candidates.

press is almost a unit in its opposition to
Blaine. The facts do not seem to accord
with this sweeping claim. Probably
very large majority now, as heretofore,
prefer the republican candidate. The
Evangelist, one of the great and influential,
as we'll as very conservative, of the New
York religious weeklies, under the above
heading, expresses its preferences as fol-
lows
"With the nomination of Governor
Cleveland by the democratic convention,
we have now before the country the candi-
dates of the two great parties who are to
be voted for at the approaching election
for the high Office of president of the
United States. That the governor of
New York should be selected from many
distinguished competitors, is gratifying
to our state pride. We can speak of him
with perfect impartiality because not
biased by personal acquaintance. We
never 'laid eyes on him, and should not
know him if we met him in the street,
except from the very striking physique
presented to us in the illustrated newspa.
pers. These pictures show man with
head and neck like bull, which can only
be supported by tremendous backbone;
and that gives great degree of what the
boatmeu call staying power, but what
we should call resisting power-an indis-
pensable quality in one who has to I'M
dergo an amount of pressure that would
crush an ordinary man, as the Arctic ice
brushes a weak-ribbed ship. This COM
monty goes with tremendous force of
will, which is a priceless qualification,
when united with candor and intelligence e.
These seem to be combined in our COVER
nor-perfect honesty and integrity in
forming his opinions, with courage in
maintaining them against party pressure,
which is truly magnificent. Such quail
ties would 60 far to make great military
commander, and ought to make good
president.
"Mr. Blaine we have known for years,
and have very decided impression of
him, which we give to our readers for
what it is worth. He is man whom it
is impossible to know and yet to feel indif-
ferent about. We may like him or dislike
him, but we cannot be indiffe rent his
personality is too strong. Like all who
come within the circle of his acquaintance,
we have felt the charm of his presence.
He certainly has the gift-for it is gift
of inspiring strong degree of personal
regard. Probably no man in our country
has 30 many warmly attached friends.
People at the East have little idea of the
extent of this popularity. We have re-
Gently returned from California, where we
found his name on the lips of everybody.
The magnetism of the man had spread
to the Pacific coast, and all were within
the circuit of his fascination We came
to Colorado, and were at Denver at the
time of the meeting of the republican
convention, and the Windsor hotel was
thronged with delegates. Among them
there was but one voice. 1t was not
Blaine first, and somebody else second ;
but Blaine first, second, and to the end |
They wanted him, and nobody else. We
can we'll believe what we are told, that the
nomination at Chicago was not the work
of politicians-of 'the machine for the
machine was all against him; but an ex-
preston of the will of the people-a spon-
taneous tribute to his overwhelming pop.
ularity. This manifestation of public
feeling, we have reason to believe, was as
much of surprise to Mr.. Blaine as it was
to anybody. Only few weeks before we
heard from his own lips that he was en-
tirely out Of politics. He was absorbed in
writing his History of Twenty Years in
Congress-, and never expected to enter
public life again. OF this he did not
speak with any bitterness, as if he were
disappointed man; but as man who had
finished one chapter of his life, and was
now entered on another, into which he
carried the same srdor as into the fret
and in uhich If III ara vas Iaoa of awc;ta