The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-08-28
TIE Muliigan Letters,


A readers asks what are the Mullipar
letters and Why are they called the Null
ligan letters? He thinks, from his OWL
case. that they have dropped out of the
public mind.
The letters are those written by james
G. Blame to Warren Fisher. of Boston
and which were committed 10 the Gus
tody Ct James Mulligan, a confidential
emploje of Warren Fisher. At the
time OF the writing of the letters,
Blaine.was Speaker and Fisher was g
railroad Spectator The letters were
receiy Ell from Mulligan by Blaine on
his word Of honor to return them. He
violated that promise and kept them,
but, fortunately. he did not get the cop
les. The first letter is as follows:
AUGUSTA, June ~ 1873
Ny FEAR Mr.. Fisher thank you for the ar
tcie from Mr.. Lewis. IL Is good in itself and
VIII du good. He writes like man of large
lntelii gcnce and COMPREHENSION. Your oder
to adrJIt me to pli tic. patton in the new rail-
road Enterprise is IN every respect as gener-
Gus n, / could expect or desire: / thank YOU
very sincerely for il. and. IN this connection
! wish 10 make suggestion OF a somewhat
scifisn cha; acter il i this: You sD.skOf Mr.
CaldNcilS offer 70 DISPOSE of a.Sharc of his
interest To me. If he rea Iy desires t. de- so
wish 'e would make tie proposition definite,
50 tnat cOUii know Just what to dcpend on
Perhaps If he waits til the fun dcVc. oumeut
OF the enterprise he NAV grow reluctant 10
part with the share, and do not by this mean
any d.strusu of him. I do not feel that | shall
provo dcaIhcal in the enterprise if / once
embark in ii. ] see vari puS channels in which
know ! can be useful.
Very hastily and sincerely your friend,
-
Mr.. Fisher, India street, Boston
1t will be seen that this letter ac-
knowledges an ofer by Fisher to let
Blaine into 1.-The new ENTERPRISE" 1t
was the Little Rock and Fort Smith
Railroad Company. Mr. Blaine ac-
cepted the offer thankfully. Mr..
Blame peddled the bonds of this COM
pany to Maine citizens. They turned
OIt to be worthless honds-and had TO
be taken back under threat of putting
their venders in prison. In this letter
he also asks for a longer and larger in
tercst in the company. which is to
come out Of Caldwell ; share. To i'm
press Caldwell he used the famous
words: Il do not feel that | shall
prove a dcadhead in the enterprise if
| once embark in it. l see various
channels in which know | can be use
full. How he could be useful sub
sequent letter eXpia rs. The second
letter is as follows:
H.
AUGUSTA. Ne, July >. 1869.
NV Dear Mr.. FiSher-You ask me if | am
satisfied with the Oaer you ma ic me of
share i'll your new railroad entcrpri>"? or
course, | am more than satisfied with the
terms OF the offer. / think ia most liberal
proposition. Ii hesitate at all. il j. from
in way connected with the
character of the Ofcr. Your LIBERAL mode of
dealing with me in all our business tranSac-
tons o! the past ght years has not pa sell
without nv fan appreciation. What | wrote
YOU on the -@'lh WAS intended to bring Gail
well To Il definite proposition. That was All
90 to Boston 10y the same train that carries
his letter and vii! call AT your Office to-
be in 20 matter; don't put yourself 70 any
trouble about it. Yours ]. G. b.
Mr.. Fisher, Jr.
In this letter it will be seen he. it
being but three days later, rei,erates
his acceptance of Fisher ofler-he is
more than satiSfied''-cons.ders it "a
most liberal proposition He adds.
'What L wrote yOu on the 18th first
etter) was inteaded to bring Caldwell
o a definite proposition. That was
ILL.," He was ANXIOUS for more Little
Rock bonds. The third letter is as fol-
oWS:
AUGUSTA Nc. Oct ;. ISGa-Vu peer cir:
spoke Il you 4 short time ago about point
J. interest to your raIIr,.ad company that ol-
'urrc,. a the last SESSION of Congress II was
IN the last night of the session when the bill
cneW ing the land graft to the State OF Ar
.l-cfI
~ Julian, of Indiana, Chairman of the Publ
andS Committee. and by I ssht entit ell to the
l"or attempting 10 pat IN the I'll! as an
m"ndmcnt to the Fremont I'll PaSo scheme
scheme probably well known 10 NJ Culd- /
Ell The house was thin. and the lobby in
Fremont interest had the thing all set NJ,
= Julian : amendTcnr was liHciV to prevail F.
/ bt light To 3 vote. Root and the other +
lcmbers from Arkansas who were do.n. 4
heir best for their own bill, to VIII .ch thee !
eemad to be no objection. were in dcsD lir /
or It was well known that jhe Senate was ,
o5tiie to the Fremont scheme. and it the Ar
anSaS bill had gone back IT, the Senate with !
uilan's amendment the whole thing would !
ave gone on the table and slept thu. Sicc,, 0f .
cath. In this dilemma Root came to me to .
now what on earth he could TO under tbs. /
uleS, tor. he said. il vital 10 his con slim
MS that the bill shou pass. | toll him .
nat Julian amen lmcGt was entirely ont Of (
RIDER because not "erma1c. But he had not I
efficient confidence in his knOwled.c Of the /
u!es 10 make the point, hat he sdl / General .
nd would probably pake the point. sent
Az page to General LOTan. and he M once.
lade the point | could not do othe-v.,c
nan sustain it, and 50 the bill was free! from
Ic mischieVou> amendment moved by Julian
nd at once passed without oh ectiOn At
lat time ! had never seen Mr.. Caldwell bu:
ou can tell him that, without knowing =. |
ID him great favor. Sincerely yours
JAMES g. BLAINE.
W Fisher, Jr.. EsI No. u India St. Boston
The letter explains what was brought
Mt in the first letter, how Blaine, as
peaker, was, indeed mo dcadhead''
getting the Immigrant for the road.
nj to put up its bonds above par, if
OsSible. 1t is the most direct and de-
stable way of marketing an Office and
'5bing its powers ever known. In
he plain and strong words of Mr..
eeeher, 1t is a ''rev0lting case" 1t is
violation of honor and honesty. 1t is
violation of his official oath. A man
lOuld let his arm rot TO the shoulder
9!cre he would 90 or record a deed
le :hat. 1t shows Mr. Blaine as one
rs we'll said, "a statesman for revenue.
mpered by occasional alterations of
onesty in other words, thrifty, I'M
'incip%ed greed the rule, honesty, ex-
pit Onal and only occasional. Place
ch man in the Presidential Office
III WHIST limit would there be to his
aificking? Both his oppetun ties and :
5 powers would be vastly greater than I
hen Sneaker. These letters, under !
5 own hand. show every think NO man
wv he would use them: and forbid the
ltriOtic citizen to aid in placing such :
man where he could use them. ;
The foprtk letter IS as follows: ,
". S
AUGUSTA, Ne. Oct. 1. 1S61-Rg Deer Fr. 5
SiieT: Find incoSed contracts of the uartles !
mel in snv letter of yesterday The re- ,
lining contracts will be compse ed So rapid l
as circumstances will permit. incseSe YOU !
'art OF the C0Hqre SS:uRu Globe OF April .
ataln;ng the PC!nt 10 which I referred st