The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-10-16
Alike Clear Through

Mr.. Blaine has pretty well lost the
reputation for audacity with which he
went into The campaign. There was
not very much of it left before the pub
LEGATION of the last lot of his letters.
Now there is nothing. In those letters
he shows everywhere whining and
cringing spirit. His friends say he had
fallen into the hands of sharpers, and
doubtless they are instructed by him to
say so. But an honest man, conscious
of having done no wrong and finding
himself the victim of sharp practice,
gets angry. He tells his prosecutors
what he thinks of them. He calls them
to account, and his correspondence is
sure TO show what his estimate is of
Their character and his own.
There is nothing of this in Blaine's
letters lie is accused of misrepreSent-
alton and takes it meekly. He is told
that he is trying to get more than be-
longs to him. and never resents it. He
is asked how his friends. with whom he
pretendS to have dealt generously,
would feel if they knew the facts, and
he makes no sign of Indignation. Ev-
crywhcre in this pitiful correspondence
Ills pen II AGSNlAhiuC W SlNOo vi
At times he complains; he never shows
the righteous anger of an honest man
falsely accused. Throughout, his Ian
guage, temper, demeanor are those of a
sneak. If this were all that we knew
of Mr.. Blaine's real character it would
be for those who have been taught to
believe him a dashing, impetuOuS,
proud and confident man serious dis
appointment-''very bitter. | assure
YOU" as he himself says. But the sig
nificant fact is that this revelation OF
his real character is of perfect con-
sistency with his public course, in
which real courage has played a very
small part. This was shown in his
brief and inglorious career as Secretary
OF state.
We have been told over and again that
he could be relied on to give us an ag-
gressive foreign policy in which the full
right and dignity of the American Ma
tion would be asserted and its self-re-
spect would be firmly maintained. But
when he had in effect absolute power
over the conduct OF our foreign affairs
his policy was not of this sort. There
is not in all the history of the State De-
partment a period of equal length so
humiliating to the American people.
Other Secretaries of State, like Madison
and Marcy and Sew ard, had known
how, at times when the country was in
sore straits-or. at best. was relatively
weak-to maintain its rights and secure
recognition from Powers of far greater
strength aud prestige. 1t was reserved
for Mr.. Blaine, st moment when the
country, though in profound peace with
all the world, had reached the
height of its material expansion
and prosperity. to subject it to
the most notifying and contemptu-
Gus treatment from Governm ents whom
he had deemed feeble enough to be
bullied. In the case of Chill and Peru
1t was Nh. Blaine's weak head and
weaker spirit that brought upon the
Government the necessity of withdraw
ing from position of understandable
menace. In the case of Mexico it was
Mr.. Blaine's amazing stupidity and
blindness combined which first made
our Government distinctly threaten 8
friendly Republic and then tamely sub.
init to see the threat absolutely ignored
Let any candid American contrast the
attitude the United States took toward
the Emperor of France regarding Mex
leo in The crisis of our civil war anG