West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-09-12
An Odious Comparison.

Somo of Mr.. Blaue's friends have
'nshly assorted that he is mo worse
han other public mcn, and that no
'nc WIS ever in political life rs long N
lc without being accused OF oiIchscs as
serious as those that are laid at his
ioUr This, we say. isrash because IL is
an insult to the American people which
hey will not patiently endure, and which
many of them will incline To avcngc
directly ON Mr., Blaine. Tho pubiic
men who havc been chosen to tho hiph
post to which Mr.. Blaine aspircs. or
who have from timo To time been prom
lncnt rs candidates for that place, have
been men whom the Republic could re-
gard without modification, and against
very few of tho leaders of TN Rcpub-
lican party since it first organized i'm
defense OF human freedom have any
charges been brought that. If proved.
could have placed Them ON the level OF
Mr.. Blaine
or those who have passed away. and
who in their day incurred the most bit
ter hostility and invited from desperate
foes the most reckless opposition, the
thoughts of all men will turn to Mr..
Lin oln when these foolish apologists
for stained reputation invite compari-
son. Certainly he was heartily abused,
but in the iiercost heat of civil war his
most unscrupulous assailants never
dared To say that he was dishonest
man, or that he used, or wanted TO use.
the power intrustcd to him 10y his coun-
trymcn to fill his purse. And linked
with him in the memory Of the Nation
aS the man who would have taken his
place had the assassin done his work
earlier is Hannibal Hamln. viii any
of MIR. Blaine's supporters in Maine
venture to assert that there exists i'm
Mr.. llamlin's record Of long and con
spicuouS public service any such owl
dcncc of personal impurity rs has accu-
mulatcd against their candidMcP And,
since we arc speaking of Maine. what
will these loose-tongucd apologists say
of parallel between the career of MIR.
Blaine and that of tho blameless Will
lam Pitt Fcsscndon, or the less dis.
tinguishod but not less honest Lot Nj.
MorrillP
These arc men OF the old time Repub-
licaus from the very dawn of the Re
publican day. and there are others like
them. Two men singularly unlike i'm
gifts and temperament and methods of
action, but sharing through many years
the burdens and tho honors Of the
struggle for the Republican cause, were
Seward and sumner They faced from
the beginning tho most envenomed
abuse, but what tongue ever wagged
against their personal intcgrityP Were
they ever accused of seeking pocuniary
reward lorlacts done in official scrviccP
Did they ever write letters on their per-
sonal business of which they had TO
possess themselves by falsehood for
fear they would find their way 10 AN in-
vestigatng cOmmitte, or can any one
conceive of them hushing inquiry into
their dealings with Government cor
pOration from anxiety for an election TO
the Senate. Salmon Il. Chase was n
Senator of the United States aud was
aftcrward Secretary of the Treasury
when money in almost uncOunted
millions was collected and expended
under his direction. and when fortunes
were made IN day from the transac-
tions he controlled. Is any man living
who would have dared To- suggest of
Mr.. Chase that he made one dollar
from the abuse Of his position. Can
any one conceive OF him ~ begging n
share in the speculative schemes of that
day on the ground Of n decision made
in his official capacity, and the assur-
ancc that he would mot be dead
head?' And "Bluh Ben Wade" and
Thaddeus Stevens and John i. Hale
and Senator Grimes and all the old
guard OF the party--can we conceive pf
them as open 10 the charges under
which Mr.. Blaine now sulIcrsp
But We may be- told that the standard
of political morality was higher then
e. A ~ III
entitled TO bo Judged by the existing
one. There is some force in the claim.
The standard is lower, for In that time
no man could have been nominated for
President by the Republican party who
was Justly suspected Of the sins Of the
Chicago candidate. But il the stand
ard Of those who control tho party bC
lower, IL remains 10 bc seen what YER
dict the American people will pas,
upon 10 in the trial To- which they are
challenged And there are still met
living, ia both partieJ honorcl anC
honorable. who furnish the means %
comparison. The man who was re
iccted for Mr. Blaine by the Chicago
Convention is one Of these. When TIA,
charges long since formulated agains
Mr.. Blaine were again brought 10 th,
attention Of the public his ardent, II
amateur, attorney, MIR Phelps, hast
cncd 10 try To- prove that he had don,
no worse than Mr.. Edmuuds. instinct
lively perceiving that Il they coul,
be shown 10 be guided by the sam,
standard Mr. Blaine was safe. But th,
attempt drew ont a simple and savag,
explanation from Mr.. Edmunds tina
settled that question forever, and
showed Mr. Phelps and his client that
however desirable 10 was 20 establish
likeness 10 that gentleman, 10 was ~
impossible as % prove that black ID
white If we turn 10 the noxt most con
spicuous figure in recent politics. an,
compare Mr.. Blaine with the man win,
was for years !he object Of his most am
bilious rivalry, the result will not b,
more favorable 20 Mr.. Blaine RoscOt
COnkiing and no one will suspect u
Of being pre.udiced in his favor in {
long career Of activity in politics, ant
Of not the noblest activity, was neve
suspected Of prostitutin0 his publ,
trusts 10 private gain. There never wa
n moment in his life that IL would hav,
been safe ~ open negotiations Will
him. such as Mr.. Blaine conducted re-
garding the Fort Smith bonds; 10 &
simply inconceivable that he, lik,
Blaine, could have opened them him
self " T. Times (Ind.)