Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-04
Another Republican Boomerang.

The following passage from Edmund
BrREE's speech "on the Bristol election -
is cited by a certain clergyman in iusiifi-
cstion OF his determination 10 support Sir
BLAINE for The presidency;
LINT first beg leave just to hint 10
you that we msy suffer very great detrI-
mcnt by being open 10 every talker.
IL IAN inquiry into cOuducD must be with
discretion, and with attention 10 all the
circumstances and TO all the motives; like
sound judges. and not like cayillng p TIL
foggers and quibbling preachers. prving
into flaws and hunting for exceptions
Look. gentlemen, 10 the uhOte tenor of
your members conduct. Try whether his
smbifion or his ayarice have jostled him
out Of the straight line Of duty. or whether
that grand foe Of the offices OF active life.
that master vice in men Of busness-a de-
generate aud ingloriOus sioth-has made
him dag and languish In his course. This
Is the object OF our inquiry. II our men,
ber's conduct can bear this touch, mark il
for sterling. He may have fallen into er-
rors; he must have fallen into faults; but
our error Is greater, and our fault is radi-
csily ruinous to ourselves. IL We do not
bear. II we do not even applaud, the whole
scter. Not to act thus Is folly-I had
almost said 1t is imp'ety. he cenSireS God
rho qtiarreis Nth the impertectionS Of
mtn."
BURKE In this speech was explaining to
bis constituents his course in Parliament,
with which they had found fault. The 3os-
ton Herald thinks the quotation an unfor-
tupsts one for the Republican party, and
we are inclined TO agree with II. The quo
taiion IL calculated to start Il course Of rea-
soping In the public mind that Mr.. BLAINB's
friends did not anticipate. II is deci-
dedly more suggestive than II was intended
10 be. The Herald says:
The charge against Mr.. BIaine--or. 10
speak more accurately, the revelation of his
own acknowledged letters-isthPt his cam
bition or his ayarice" has "jostled him
out Of the straight line OF duty" The
plain intimation that he would prostitute
his public Office for private gain was not
SIMPLE "!ostle" from the line Of duty; it
was = premeditated and deliberate jump
from that straight line. Il. was no, merely
an "error" or "iault"; but, pressed
with pertinacity for three months in
order 10 secure an interest In
railway enterprise which he confessed
hirnself very "anxious to acquire" 1t is an
offence against public morality which could
only be committed bya nan who's unit to be
trusted In a high Office. The "whole COM
pound aud mixed mass" Of Mr. Blaine's
character shows him TO be man whose pub.
lie csreer has been controlled by the two
master passions named by Burkc-amhilion
and syRrice. He has pursued his ambition
until be has, after two unsuccessful efforts,
secured q nomination 10 the prC.ideacy.
lie has been governed by his ayarice until
he has become the pOSseSsor OF vast and Un-
explained wealth upon the moderate salary
Of congressman. A minister OF the eos.
pei must lie gifted with a very worldly
vision " he can see In such conduct and
such career the "sterling mark
This would seem 10 demonstrate couclu-
siyely that Mr.. BLAINE does not pass
BuHKE'stest. But the Herald does not stop
here. Continuing, It applies .he test TO
Mr.. CLkvEIASD. After declaring that the
great English statesman. in speaking for
himself, speaks as fully for CLEVELAND as
though The words were uttered yesterday,
"and with direct reference 10 this clse,"
our Boston contemporary comments:
he declares that an inquiry into conduct
"must be with discretion and with atten
ton TO all the circumstances and To all the
motives; Tie sound judges. and not ike
oduiiiiag peitifoggerS dad clubbing preach
esS, prytRy ,Hio fdtcS and hunting for cr-
ttpiiosS." Could any words more accu-
raiely describe the assault that has been
msae upon the Democratic candidate:
The '.easiliing peitiioggeis aud clubbing
pieachsrN have mol locked into The
"wloie tenor" 81 Mr.. Cleyeiand's conduct.
They have not examined ard given due
weight to 1.-The whole compound aud
mixed mss OF his character. They have
not fentE.bered that all men, even the best.
are ilgoie 10 "iall into errors and faults"
They have deliberately prled into a siagle
Daw, srd maenited sole exception. |,
Is admitted ihef Grover Cleveland has
never been "jos;,ed " by hMf's breadth
out cl "ihe straight hne OF duty and
I,at be b. been 30 free from "lhat master
vice IN men Of business. degenerate and
helorlous sloih." that be has won tue rep.
OlgiioB o. lang the most tremendous and
Persistent worker ever known IN the GOV
CBCiis Cflice. Making these msiters the
"oi lecis Of inquiry" ~ Bucke reminded !
BIZ constituents that they should do. Gov. !
eInor Cisyeland's conduct bear, the test. |
snd usy be "msrked for sterling." 10 /
lhoso who would use a different test, we |
commend the solemn and severe, but most /
pefiiaent and true. words Of the grea. /
mind q Burke: lie censures God who /
euarIeis with the imperfeetlons Of men,"
OF eorIse the reference 70 quibbliug
preachers In this instance only dts those
wbo have played with pitch. We have no
heart for the scandal that has been dragged
Into The CANVASS, but II the Republican
party Will insist upon foollng with bOome-
rangs, through "Rey." Balls or any other
elsss o. men. Il must take the consequences.
when warfare Of this sort Is INDUCED
10. the Democratic press has but TO stand
sii'l and see u reeoiI on the sggressors.