The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1884-08-29
ellaneutrs.
THE MULLIGAN LETTERS.

print the 1.-TWO important Mulligan letters"
There were fifteen letters in the package OBJ
tanned from Mulligan's possession by Mr..
Blaine, on the pledge CT his word of honor
he would give them Immediately hack, and
they are all important. We suppose, how
ever, that our correspondent refers partcu-
larry to the letters in which Mr. Blaine urges
Mr.. Warren Fisher, Jr., to let him into the
Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad enter
prise, and recounls his services as Speaker Of
the House in preventing the forfeiture of the
land grant to that railroad. There are four
letters which are essential to the proper de.
velopment of this episode in the career of
the Maine statesman.
The letters were all written while Mr..
Blaine was Speaker of the Forty-first 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 him
self useful.
"AUGUsTA, June 90, 1869.
my DEAR Mr.. FISHER Il thank you for
the article from Mr. Lewis. 1t is good in it.
self and will do good. He writes like a
man of large intelligence and comprehension.
"Your offer to admit me to participation
in the new railroad enterprise is in every re-
spect as generous as could expect or desire.
l thank you very sincerely for it, and in this
connection wish to make suggestion of a
somewhat selfish character.
You spoke of Mr.. Caldwell disposing of a
share Of his interest to me. If he really de-
signs to do so | wish he would make the
proposition definite. so that / could know
just what to depend on. Perhaps if he waits
| till the full development of the enterprise he
might grow reluctant to part with his share /;
and / do not by this mean any distrust of
him.
81 do not feel that shall prove deadhead
| in the enterprise if once embark in it. see
various channels in which know | can be
useful Very hastily and sincerely, your
friend. j. 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 deal
ing" with him but intimates that the other
Boston capitalist, Mr.. Josiah Caldwell, may
need little prodding
AUGUSTA, July 2. 1860.
"MY DEAR Mr.. FISHER You ask me if l
| am satisfied with the offer you made of a
share in your new railroad enterprise.
"Of course, l am more than satisfied with
the terms of the Offer l think it is most
liberal proposition.
| "If hesitated at ALL it is from considera-
| ton in no way connected with the character
| &c lao ~ &c m,
| with me in all our business transactions OF
the past eight years has not passed without
my full appreciation. What wrote you on
the Goth was intended to bring Caldwell to a
| definite proposition, that was all.
II go to Boston by the same train that car
ries this letter, and will call at your office to.
morrow at 10 M. Ifyou don't happen TO be
in, no matter. Don't put yourself to any
trouble about it. Yours, j. G. B.
NV. Fisher, Jr."
1t appears from the third letter that Cald'
we'll did need to be reminded how useful the
Speaker had been to the Little Rock and Fort
Smith people, at time when their land
grant was in imminent danger of forfeiture
AUGUSTA, Me. Oct 4, 1869.
"MY DEAR SIR Il spoke to you shor
time ago about point of interest to youl
railroad company that occurred at the las
session of Congress.
at was on the last night of the session
when the bill renewing the land grant to the
State of Arkansas for the Little Rock roat
was reached, and Julian, of Indiana, chair
man of the public lands committee, and, by
right, entitled to the floor, attempted to pu
ON the bill, as an amendment, the Fremont
Ell Paso scheme-a scheme probably wei
known to Mr.. Caldwell, the House was thir
and the lobby in the Fremont interest ha(
the thing all set up and Julian's amendment
was likely to prevail if brought to vote
Roots and the other members from Arkansas
who were doing their best for their own bill
Ito which there seemed 10 be no objection)
were in despair, for it was well known tina
the Senate was hostile to the Fremon
scheme and if the Arkansas bill had gon,
back to the Senate with Julian's amendment
the whole thing would have gone TN the tab
and slept the sleep of DEATH
"In this dilemma Roots came to me t,
know what on earth he could do under tin
rules, for he said it was vital to his constitu
ents that the bill should pass. told hin
that Julian's amendment was entirely out O
order, because not germane, but he had no
sufficient confidence in his knowledge of tn
rules to make the point, but he said Ger
Logan was opposed to the Fremont scheme
and would probably make the point. | sen
J my page to General Logan with the sugges
ton, and he at once made the point. | coul
s not do otherwise than sustain 1t, and so tn
bill was freed from the mischievous amend
ment moved by Julian, and at once passe
without objection.
SAT that time had never seen Mr. Cald
well, but you can tell him that, withou
knowing it, l did him a great favor. Sin
cerely, yours, ]. G.. BLAINE.
Nv. Fisher, Jr., "a India ST., Boston,"
On the same day Mr.. Blaine wrote anothe
letter to his generous patron Fisher, whic
completes the story:
AUGUSTA, Oct. 4, 1869.
my DEAR Mr.. FISHER Find enclose
i contracts of parties named in my letter {
8 yesterday. The remaining contracts will
completed as rapidly as possible as circun