Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-29
BLAINE AS HE is.
A Mugwump Draws a Life-Like Picture
of the Sour Politician.

" HAoAANuAON1 OCOs bCOn
wump, "guilty of treachery to my party as
the Blainiacs put it, have had to bear vast
deal of scolding and ridicule within the past
two months. 1t is difficult to convey an ade-
quate idea of the bitterness with which the
Blalnlacs talk about the men who defeated
their party to serve their country. Suffice it
TO say that if their words were so much vitrlOl
they could not, in many cases, be more biting.
Ihe wound they received in November
likely to heal. Blame. himself, and the
acldulOus Gail Hamilton will tear it open
every time it shows tendency to heal. Let
me tell you the truth about Blaine. He is
not the calm, contented, philosophical his
torian he would have the world believe, per-
fectly satisfied to turn from the noisy field of
politics to the quiet of his library. He is amel-
ancholy, sour, old politician, full Of bitterness
and cursing; thinner, whittier, more nervous
than ever before. He has not been able to write
a chapter in his history since the election. He
has not been able to sit still long enough. lie
IS in a perpetual state of mind. His house,
the house which defeated its owner,
VIM. Windom, when he was a candidate for
reelection to the United States Senate, is
centre for the Blainiacs of Washington.
They form set quite by themselves. They
are easily recognized, for they always travel
together. just now they are cOddling Blaine.
They are trying to make the rest of the w0rld
believe that after all it wasn't much of
shower, at the same time that they are dill
gently employed ia drying poor Blaine's
weeping eyes. William Walter Phelps takes
Blaine to the theatre one night, Robert r.
Hit has him to dinner the next, then some
one of the Blaine crowd takes him up and
drives him or gives him a sleigh ride lfor we
have half an inch of snow atleast,l or takes him
to the opera. The talk among the Blaine peo-
pie Is all about poor Mr.. Blame and how the
wicked Brutuses (of his own household
amost) stabbed him to the heart. The air is
yellow with the sulphurOus fumes of
treachery, and yet it was all Burchard. ''If
it had not been for Burchard'' is the phrase
which Blaine has had stereOtyped and which
he furnishes to all his followers. Naturally
the presence of the Blaine headquarters right
in the heart of the city has quickened the
pulsations of the Blainacs of Wash
ter instead of more kindly, and
l begin to fear that some old friendships will
have to be broken permanently. When peO-
pie talk about a political corpse like Blaine
as "the candidate in 1897 they may do or say
almost anything.
ALL THIS HAS QUICKENED MY DESIRE
to know more about the man for whose cleo
tiOn the wicked and lraitorous mugwumps
are responsible. 1t has led me to ask every
body who has ever seen him what manner of
man he is to the end that l may know the
measure of my crime. There are several men
now in Washington who have been close
friends OF PreSldent-elect Cleveland for many
years. Then there are men like Bayard and
Garland and Eaton who have been to Albany
to see Cleveland since his election and SO can
give us the latest information about him.
From all that have heard, and have heard
a great deal. l have come to believe that
Cleveland is a remarkable man. Not that he
is man OF remarkable ability any more than
OF remarkable personal beauty. His face is
pock-marked and his countenance Is heavy.
His mind is well balanced, but apparently
neither broad nor deep. He is not remark
ably cultivated. On the contrary. he is
limited and ignorant of many things that
most educated men know. He has all
the limitations of the self-made
ment and a remarkably firm will, and the
happy faculty of almost always doing the
right thing at the right time. He always
means to do the right as he knows it, and that
regardless of friends or foes. When | have
said, in GaTland's happy phrase, that he is ''a
conservative Democrat, who VIII give the
country an administration in accord with the
spirit of progressive modern Democracy"
you can see the man IN rough outline. But
have said nothing as yet about his position as
a lawyer. This has been misunderstood
Republican press, Mr.. Cleveland was not "a
third rate lawyer anxious for an oflice,' when
he was made Mayor of Buffalo. He was
hrst-rate lawyer with hrst-rate practice to
begin with, and neither for this nor any
other office which he has ever held did he en-
tertain the least ambition. The desire Tor an
office, which seems innate in so many Ameri-
cans minds, was left out Of Cleveland's make
mp altogether. He has consented to run every
time that he has been nominated for office
with unfeigned reluctance. lie has new
er enjoyed either the canvass or the service.
He has always willlngly-yes gladly-relin-
quished his office at the end of his term and
turned with hearty desire to his old work
again. Between his terms of office and dur
ing his terms of office when his official duties
permitted he has always practiced his profess
sion with zest, success and perfect satisfac-
ton. / think the fact has never been printed
before that just before he was nominated for
Governor the New York Central Railway,
which never makes the mistake OF retaining
a weak lawyer. tried to retain him as consult
ing counsel for Western New York, at $4,000
year.
THIS SHOWS HIS STANDING AT THE BAR
of Western New York, one of the strongest in
tee United States, better than columns Of
rhetoric. But after all, the salient feature of
Cleveland's character is his stubborn inde-
pendence. He will rule. He cannot be
ruled. He will do what he thinks right He
cannot be Influenced by any considerations,
personal or political, to do anything else.
This seems very simple, but you will admit
that IN politics anywhere it is very rare.
heard good story about Cleveland last night, |
which shows his character as well as any.
Legislature brought forward bills !
reforming the civil service of New
York State. The Republicans of the |
Legislature, not daring to oppose the meas
ures presented, openly, sought to defeat them |
by piling amendments so restrictive in |
their character that $50 they thought) no |
Democratic Governor would or could sign the |
bill after it passed Then they delayed the |
bill in the House so that it only got through |
the Senate the day before the Legislature was |
to adjourn. Clayeland said nothing, but as |
hurriedly, afli xed his signature, and quickly
sent in q list of nominations headed by Presi-
dent Andrew ID. White. of Cornell University,
for members of the Civil Service Commits
Nson provided for in the bill, to which no
@4epublican could object. The nominations
wsSe at once confirmed, Had they not been
CleHeland would have followed them up with
a secV2d, and, If necessary, third list of un-
eXceptitnable men. His three lists were all
ready before the bill passed the Legislature.
In senseAle is partisan. He is as good |
Democrat, ~ far as principles are concerned, |
as any man y his party. In sense, he is 9s
much of an Independent as any mugwump of
us all. He does right always, and never fears
the consequences. His insensibiity to official
honors, his indifference to money,
his independence of thought and ac-
ton, his decision, and stubbOrnness,
coupled with the Unprecedented success
of his political career, give warrant for
Hewitt's claim that he is a ''man of destiny"
II have known HIM we'll" said an old friend |
of Cleveland yesterday, land yet | don't
understand him at all. l think he is an un-
discovered genius-undiscOvered evenA by
himself Now let me tell you two things. |
First, the probability is that the Southern
members of the Cabinet will be Garland and
a near neighbor OF yours as yet unmeAtioned.
Second, that Cleveland will sweep out of the
Federal offices of the South all the unworthy
men who have disgraced them.
BROWNsFLOYp