The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-01-26
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.


The incipient steps for the cam
paign of the year were inaugurated
here on Wednesday evening by an
enthusiastic Republican caucus of
Senators and Representatives, presid-
ed over by Senator Edmunds. He
said, on taking the chair, that the
outlook for the Republican party in
1884 was thus early in the campaign
better than at any time in the past
fifteen years, and there was every
reason to believe fiat the party would
be successful, if it only exercised wis
dom in selecting its candidate. There
was harmony in the talk of all pres
ent and harmony in action. and every
indication of perfect accord in the
coming contest. The usual Congress-
ional campaign committee was ap-
pointed. This caucus, composed of
representative men of the party from
all parts of the country, yielded no
expression as to the personality of
Presidential candidates, but confined
itself to the appropriate work of ad-
vancing the cause of the party and
the securing of its success next Noy-
yember.
Yet outside of the caucus and in
general way the question of candi-
dates is receiving a good deal of at
tention here. President Arthur. who
is thought to have at least as good a
chance as any CT the others, is not
now in the best of health. Late
hours and the incessant pulling and
hauling of Office seekers have left
their marks on his stalWart frame
and rudy countenance. 1t is noticed
that he has gradually discontinued
out-of-door exercise. His appearance
struck some of the foreign ministers
verysforcibly at the reception on New
Years day, when he appeared to
them to be as much of an invalid as
Senator Anthony or ex-Secretary
Blaine, neither of whom can be class
ed among those enjoying robust
health. Arthur and Lincoln are
spoken of as popular combination.
General Logan also has a large fol-
lowing, especially among the soldier
element, and ticket composed of
Logan and Frye is much talked
about. Justice Miller, OF the Su-
preme Court, is another of those Of
ten mentioned among the Wire-wOrk =
ers. He is described as wise as Solo
mon, brave as lion, incOrruptible as
an angel, with judgment and e3per-
fence and tact that would never err.
He was born in Kentucky and locat-
ed in Iowa, from whence he was APP
pointed to the Supreme Bench by
by Mr.. Lincoln. He is now regarded
as the ablest man on the bench. He
is something over sixty years of age
and has the vitality ard activity Of a
man Of forty. Nothing shows the
greatness of Miller more than one in
cident in his life. He was educated
in the profession of medicine, and
practlced it until he was thirty years
of age. The gentleness and tender
ness of his nature could stand it no
longer. The suffering of his patients
he could not endure. and he deter.
mined to leave profession that gave
him nothing but pain. Then he
went to law, and sixteen years after
he entered a lawyers office he was
appointed to seat in the highest ju-
dicial tribunal in the land.
Mr.. Blaine has been often declared
out of the race this time, and most
people believe it is so yet l am told
by one who ought to know that he is
really making a still hunt. He is
steadily at work on his book, what
ever may be his intentions in a polit-
ical way. The first volume is nearly
ready, and those who have heard the
author read Jew chapters are i'm
pressed with its high literary charac-
ter and with his success in getting
outside of himself. as it were, which
is no light matter for one who is so
much of 4 partisan. Mr.. Blaine is
very systematic in his literary work L.
His methods are those OLA journalist
rather than of the professional book
maker. He is. indeed, born news
paper man and it is pity, some of
us think, that he din not follow that
calling. instead of switching off from
editing country newspaper to run
for Congress, l happen to know, by
the way, that when Speaker of the
House of Representatives he had a
great temptation to put his feet on
the very top round of the journalistic
ladder. He was offered the editor.
ship of one of the greatest New York
newspapers at salary larger than
any editor now receives. and nearly
as large as that of the President of
the United States. Curiously enough,
| too. the Offer came from a formal