Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-06-21
BLAINE AND LOGAN,
Heroes OF the Lobby Scandal of
1869.
Where FaHO Marks Were First Discovered
A Pair Of a Kind.
" Y. SIN.

correspondent in Saratoga asks us to
reprint the two important Mulligan let.
ters.' There were fifteen letters in the pack
age obtained from Mulhgan's possession by
Mr.. Blaine, on the pledge of his word Of
honor that he would give them Immediately
back, and they are all important. We sup
pose, however that orr correspondent refers
particularly to the letters in which Mr.,
Blaine urges Mr. Warren Fisher, Jr., to let
him into the Little Rock and Fort Smith
Railroad enterprise. and recounts his SER
vices as Speaker Of the House in prevent
ing the forfeiture of the land grant to that
railroad. There are four letters which are
essential to the proper development of this
episode in the career of the Maine states
man.
The letters were all written while Mr.
Blaine was Speaker Of the FOrty-frst
House of Representatives In the earliest
OF these interesting epiStleS the third officer
Of the Government of the United
States goes down on his knees to the Boston
capitalists and tells them that he knows
how to make himself useful:
"ArGusrA, June 20, 1869
my DEAR MR FISHER | thank you for
the article from Mr.. Lewis 1t is good in
itself and will do good. He writes like
man of large intelligence and cOmprehen-
sion.
Your offer to admit me to a participa,
ton in the new railroad enterprise is in
every respect as generous as | could expect
or desire. thank YOU very sincerely for
it. and in this connection | wish to make
suggestion of somewhat selfish charac-
ter
You spoke of Mr.. Caldwell disposing OF
a share Of his interest to me. II he really
designs 10 do so, wish he would make the
proposition definite, so that could kn Nv
lust what to depend on. Perhaps if he
waits till the full development of the enter
prise, he might grow reluctant to part with
his share; and | do not by this mean any
diStruSt of him.
Il do not feel that shall prove dead
head in the. enterprise if once embark in
it. / see various channels in which know
| can be useful
VERY hastily and sincerelysyour friend,
~. G. BLAINE.
"Mr. FISHER, India street Boston
In his second letter on the subject the
Speaker and statesman expresses his appre-
citation of Mr. Fishers liberal mode Of
dpaEng" with him but intimates that the
other Boston capitalist, Mr.. Josiah Cald-
well, may need little prodding:
"AvGUsrA, July ,. 1869
MY DEAR Mr. FISHER: You ask me if
| am satisfied with the offer vuu made OF
share i'm YOUR new railroad enterprise.
"Of course, | am more than satisfied
with the terms Of the offer. | think it
most liberal proposition.
If hesitatea at all, il is from consid-
GRAFTON in no way connected with the char
acter of the offer Your liberal mode of
dealing with me in all our business transac-
tions of the past eight years has not passed
without my full appreciation. What L
wrote you on the both was intended to
bring Caldwell to a definite proposition,
that was all.
II 90 to Boston by the same train that
carries this letter, and will call at your OF
fee tomorrow at II NJ. If you don't hap
pen to be in, no matter. Don't put your
self to any trouble about it, Yours,
"J.GB.
"W. FISHER, Jr.
II appears from the third letter that
Caldwell did need to be reminded how use
ful the Speaker ha3e been to the Little
Rock and Fort Srlith people, at time
when their land grant was in inmlnent
danger Of forfeiture:
[PersOnal
AUGUSTA, ME,, Oct. 1, 1869.
MY DEAR SIR: spoke to you a short
time ago about point of interest to your
railroad company that occurred at the last
session of Congress.
Ill was on the last night of the session,
when the bill renewing the land grant to the
State of Arkansas for the Little Rock road
was reached, and Julian OF Indiana, Chair
man OF the Pubic Lands Committee, and
by right entitled to the floor, attempted to
put on the bill, as an amendment
the Fremont FL PaSo scheme
scheme probably well known to
MIR Caldwell. The House was thin, and |
he lobby in the Fremont interest had the 1
hing ali set up and JuhanS amendment
vas likely to prevail if brought to vote.
Roots and the other members from ArSan-
as. who were doing their best for their own
ill Ito which there seemed to be no ohJec-
ON. were in despair for it was well known
hat the Senate was hostile to the Fremont
cheme. and if the Arkansas bill had gone
Jack to the Senate with Julians amend
nent the whole thing would have gone on
he table and slept the sleep OF death.
"In this dilemma Roots came to me TO
now what on earth he could do under the