The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-10-17
The Central Question.

A recent number of Harper's Week.
ly says 'To-day there is one issue,
and but one, before the country-an
issue fully recognized by every intelli-
gent voter-and that is whether the
author of the Mulligan letters shall be
elected President of the United
States
This is very important issue none
can be more so. The man who fills the
chair of Washington should be above
suspicion as regards honesty and truth
fulness. This cannot be said of James
G. Blame. He has not only huckster-
ed his official rulings as Speaker, but
lied about 1t. When he declared in
the House that the Little Rock and
Fort Smith road did not rest on an act
of Congress, he knew the bill granting
land to that corporation passed while
he was Speaker, and that the point of
order, made by Logan at his sugges-
ton, saved the bill. When he declar-
ed in the same speech, he had purchas-
ed the bonds of that road like other
buyers, at their market value, he knew
they did not cost him one cent, fact
which Mr.. Fishers letter some time
afterward fully proves. He also says
he had advanced Blaine, at various
times, large sums Of money, but he had
not paid back dollar of the principal
nor any interest. When the bill grant
ing land to the Little Rock and Fort
Smith road had become law. Blaine
hastened to write the managers of the
company, to let them know his actor
had saved the bill When he sugges
ted to Fisher he would not be "dead
head in the enterprise, and that ht
saw 'various channels" in which hi
could be useful, he meant he woult
would again use his official influence tt
help the road, if he meant anything
The "priyate business" dodge of tn,
letters will not hold water, for thu
abuse of public place is not private
business. What is thought of man
in ordinary business transactions, WHIT
tries to impose upon the public a lette
of another as his owni He is Sc
down as a cheat and fraud. Blsin
attempted to do this thing by sending
| to Mr.. Fisher the draft of letter I,
be copied, signed by Mr.. +, and return
ed as his vindication OF BIS character
| If his conduct had been straight wha
need was there of vindication from
any one? What miserable, disrepu
table trick for any man to be guilty OF
and it is much worsein one who occupies
the position Blaine then held. If sucl
correspondence had been discovere,
against Washington or Jefferson, doe
any one believe either could have bee
elected President 7 If the Mulliga
letters were ''entirely consistent wit
the most scrupulous integrity and hon
orr why did Blaine charge Fisher
after he had copied the letter viudica
ting his character, "Burn this letter ?
/ If all right, there could be no necessit
for burning it. On the theory tina
"dead men tell no tales Blaine b,
lieved if the letter were turned int
ashes, it could not be witness agains
him. Bat it was not burned. VIII
did Blaine urge Mr.. Fisher. "Do nc
show it to any one 7" The reader ca
answer. These letters speak for then
selves and cannot be explained away
They make up part of Mr.. Blaine
public record, and he can not get ri
OF them. Does such abuse of ofiicis
trust, and such evidence of uutrutbfu
ness disqualify man for the high o.
flee of President of the United Statel
This is the central question.