St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-07-03
EX-GOVERNOR ID. III. CHAMBERLAIN,


EX-GOVERNOR ID. H. CHAMBERLAIN,
OF NEW YORK CITY.
| gladly comply with your request for
my views of the present political situa-
ton and duty. | think the first aud
greatest duty is to secure the defeat of
Blaine and Logan. Turning the mat
ter over in all its lights, this seems to
me the supreme duty. Some say
"SuppOse the democrats nominate a
bad man F | answer, deliberately,
would still defeat Blaine and Logan.
Not, indeed, by voting for the bad
democrat, but by voting against Blaine
and Logan. | say it is far better for
the cause of good government, and for
true republicanism, to have II bad
democrat elected than bad republican.
| But some one says: "Are there no
worse men than Blaine ~ Yes, proba-
ably; but there is line beyond which
we can make no distinctions. Blaine
is positively bad. That is enough. If
any one is worse, it does not help
Blaine.
Now | am perfectly aware that there
are many good men who support
Blaine. Why do | say, then, he is
positively bad | certainly mean no
atf'ront to the integrity or intelligence
of such men; but | want to state pre-
cisely why | still say Blaine is posi-
lively bad. | have known Mr.. Blaine
pleasantly. do not wish to wound
the feelings ofany one but do intend
to speak The truth about any man who
asks my support for office.
| First than RI,ina hao ,yri4tan hin,
self down corrupt, dishonest man.
No enemy has done this. James G..
Blaine, with his own hand has written
it. The Fort Scott and Little Rock
letter to Warren Fisher, dated October
4th, 1869, is an open, undeniable proof
and confession that he wished to use,
and did try to use his official action
and position for purposes of personal
gain. Such IL spectacle, | suppose, was
never before presented in this country
"a man who sought, in plain words,
to get pecuniary reward for his Off
cial action, nominated and supported
| by good men Does or can the fact
that good men do support him change
my duty d? While that letter remains,
can | support him
But the Mulligan incident is, if pos
sible, worse. A public man begs the
return of IA bundle of his own letters,
goes down on his knees before the man
who holds them, and finally obtains
them on the promise to return them.
| Then, having obtained them, he Snaps
his finger at the world, and asks you
and me to vote for him for president
''But," his friends say, che afterward
read them in the house" | answer, no
man but Blaine knows whether he read
them all or not. Where are those let
tiers If Blaine has not destroyed
them, he can at once put an end to
doubt. Till he does this, he must not
ask me to believe less than that those
letters contained evidence of guilt.
Mr.. Blaine, then is q corrupt and dis
honest man.
Now, if this is true, 1 add, that il
Blaine were in all other respects Ed
mund Burke, Daniel Webster and
Charles Sumner "rolled into one" he
would deserve the contempt and OPP
position of all honest men.
But, his friends say, he is a great
man, great statesman. Let us see
With what statesmanlike act or meas
ure is he connected /? What speech OF
his exists which can be said to be OF
any value? / think know his history
| say he is not a great man, least of al
a statesman, great or small. The sim
pie truth is, he is derterOuS demdgOgue
His position ON the Chinese question
was and is that of pure demagogue
His last public utterance on scheme
for distributing our surplus revenues
is only less grOtesque and absurd than
| Wharton Barker's. The man who
could write that letter is a demagOgut
and charlatan.
But the most decisive exhibition o
his demagogery was his action as sec
retary of state, in South American af
fairs and the Panama canal question
Here 1t may be said that he succeeded
only In creating a scandal at home dnt
a nladdle abroad. For absolute fatuity
folly and failure, know no parallel t.
Blaine's diplomatic career. Searcl
him where yOu will, and you find NJ
features but those of the demagOgue
L concede a majority of the Chicago
convention deliberately preferred him
l might cOneede, perhaps, that a ma
jority of the republican party prefe
E him. Does this change the facts whicl
| have recited
The question remains: How shal
} republicans defeat this ticket
answer, without hesitation, by rOtiR.
for the democratic candidates if they ar
personally honest and competent men
and, If they are not, by nominating an,
UOtiRg tor some honest republican
Blaine cannot destroy the Republican
party; that can only be done by gOO'
, men voting for him and electing him
l despise the cOwardice, set the foo
a OF my uttermOst contempt on the mora
lmbeeIlity which stands paralyzed be
= fore this momentary triumph of cor
D ruptiOn and demagogery.
i have but one word for mYself o