The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1884-06-21
JAMES G. BLAINE.
BLAINE'S EXPLANATION.

BLAINE'S EXPLANATION.
1t Was Perfectly Satisfactory in 1876 to
George William Curtis and "Harper's
Weekly"-"As Thorough Ref utationas
Was Ever Made"
From Harpers Weekly. May l3, 1851
In speaking of the railroad d-bond
scandal about Mr.. Blaine we said that
at least it would be admitted that he
had always shown himself acute enough
to escape the traps into which the hon
est but dull often fall. If high princi-
pie should De denied to him, and if, as
is sometimes asserted, he is merely
politician, yet surely he is politician
of sagacity enough to know that, in
public life, honesty, if nothing more, is
certainly good policy. The substance
| of the charge against Mr.. Blaine was
| that when he was the speaker of the
House, and when Mr.. Thomas Scott
| was president of the Union Pacific
Railroad Company, he caused the COM
pany to buy bonds to the amount of
$4,000, which were almost worthless,
for $4,000, and the insinuation was
| that this was bribe to secure the IA
vor of Mr.. Blaine for Mr.. SCOTS rail
way projects before Congress. Plainly
stated, this was the charge, OF course,
if believed, it was fatel to Mr.. Blaine
| and at this time, when the public mind
| is very suspicious, the mere accusation
was not unlikely to be of great injury
to him. The story had been privately
whispered, and there had been a CON
| ference of Republican editors at Gin
| cinnati, which ended by acquainting
him with the rUmor. Suddenly it was
| made public in a Democratic paper at
Indianapolis, and in other journals in
other parts of the country. Then, of
| course, it was echoed and re-echoed
through the whole press. Mr. Blaine
instantly published an absolute and
complete denial and having collected
evidence that is apparently conclusive,
he made brief, clear, simple statement
| in the House. which was as thorough q
| reputation as aOas eUer made, and, in
the absence of other eUideRce, ledUes
| him al1aSpOtted.
He showed by the testimony of the
officers and bankers who had been cited
as agents that he had never received
from them directly or indirectly any
money, as charged. Mr.. Scott, in the
| most explicit manner declared that
MIR. Blaine had never had any transac-
tions whatever with him, directly or in
| directly, involving money or valuables
of any kind. The treasurer of the
road, Mr.. E. FL. Rollins, was equally
precise and unqualified in his declara-
ton, and Messrs. Morton, Bliss & Co.,
| who were said to have been paid the
money, said: Nothing has been paid
by us, in any form or at any time, to
any person or any corporation in which
you were known, believed, or supposed
to have any interest whatever" Mr..
Blaine states that he bought in 1869
| some bonds of the Little Rock & Fort
Smith Railroad, which derived its
franchise and rights entirely from the
state of Arkansas. He paid for his
bonds the price that ali buyers paid,
and, with other buyers, he lost by them.
His loss was more than $4,000. All
| the bonds that he ever bought he held
until the company was reorganized in
1874, when ne exchanged them for
| stocks and bonds in the new concern,
| which he still holds. When the At
lantic & Pacific and the Missouri, Kan
| sas & Texas Roads bought some of the
| securities of the Little Rock Road, Mr..
| Blaine knew of the negotiation, but
none of the bonds sold to these roads
| belonged to him, nor did he have sin
gle dollars pecuniary interest in the
| transaction.
This is the statement of Mr.. Blaine,
| Nv, |, II t.C
| He has not sought investigation be-
| cause he knew by experience how long
| he would have to wait for a report !;
| and while awaiting the slow action of a
| committee, with the charges still pend
| ing, he could not publish the ev-
| idence which he has now submitted
He knew, moreover, although he does
| not say, and everybody knows, that the
Democratic investigating committee
| would have delayed any report until
after the Cincinnati convention, as a
| fatal blow to Mr.. Blaine's possible can
didacy. But if the House now wishes
to open an inquiry he viii gladly give
all the assistance he can to make it rig
orous and thorough. In justice to Mr..
| Blaine we present the concluding sum-
mary of his speech
| Let me now Mr. Speaker, briefly summarize
| what presented: First, that the story of my
| receiving S64 600 or any other sum of money,
| or ANYTHING of value from the Union Pacific
| Railroad Company, directly or indirectly. or in
any form, is absolutely disproved by the most
| conclusive testimony. Second, that no bond of
| mine was ever sold to the Atlantic 4 Pacific. or
| Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad Company.
| and that not a single dollar of money from
| either of these companies ever went to my profit
| or benefit. Third. that instead of receiving
| bonds Of the Little Rock Il Fort smith Road as
| a gratuity l never had one except at the regu-
| lar market price; and instead Of making large
| fortune OFF that company, | have incurred a Sc
| we're pecTniary loss from my investment IN its
Securities. which | still retain; and out of such
affairs as these grows tie popular gossip of
| large fortunes amassed IN Congress. l can
| hardly expect. Mr.. Speaker. that any statement
| from me Will stop the work Of those who have
| so iniustriousy circulated the calumnes.
| For months past the effort has been energetic
| and continuous to spread these stories iu pri
yate circles. Emissaries of slander bave visited
| editorial rooms of leading Republican pa pers
| from Boston to Omaha, and whispered of rev.
| elations to come that were too terrible even to
| be spoken in loud tones, and at last the reye-
| iations have been made, l am now, Mr.. Speaker,
| In the fourteenth year OF not inactive service
! IA this hail: / have taken and have given blows:
/ have no doubt said many things In the heat Of
/ debate which I would now gladly recall; | have
| no doubt given votes which IN fuller light
| would gladly change; but have never done
! ANYTHING in my public career fof which could
be put to the fsintest blush in any presence, on