The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1884-12-24
Twas Clsp-rrap for Political Effect.
d. 4


Mr.. Blaine has Withdrawn his suit against
the Indianapolis Sentinel to recover So, 600
for libel in letter elsewhere printed, in
which he virtually says he can't trust the
law, the courts or jury TO determine his
grievance. Because he apprebends there
will De Democrats on the jury be won't go
to trial 1t is true the Judge is a Republi-
oan the Marshal who summons the jurors
Republican, the officers of the court Re-
publican, and Mr. Blaine would have the
same guarantees tor securing an impartial
jury any other citizen would have; but he
fears Democrats may creep into the jury
box to his disadvantage, thus implying the
service he would exact from Republican
jurors. What q shabby sham, to be sure, is
this excuse How it contrasts with the
Plumed Knight prsncipg over the telegraph
wires from Augusta to California as the
champion of all the virtues. Here is his
dispatch concocted after consultation With
Phelps and Whtelaw Reid, ordering the suit
to be instituted.
When the suit vas instituted no well-in-
formed person ever believed il would be
tried 1t vas bit of clap trap for political
effect, just were his frequent references
to the faith" of his "revered mother" Mr..
Blaine is bard to beat. but he can generally
succeed in playing himself out.
Secret CONSEQUENCES Made Him a Coward.
1871. Louis Post Dispatch
The libel suit begun with so mnch heroic
buster by Mr.. Blaine against the IndiaDap-
oils Sentinel has terminated just as the SEN
tinel said it would The Sentinel insisted
that Mr.. Blaine would not dare face the evil
dence a trial would call forth; that he had
once before begun q similar suit in Maine,
but bad Withdrawn it for reasons best known
to himself, and that when the Sentinel suit
could no longer serve the campaign purpose
of securing temporary suspension of pub
lie judgment it. too, would be Withdrawn on
some fiimsy preIext
By a letter addressed to his attorneys but
evidently prepared with great care for the
Associated Press circulation which was
promptly given to 1t, Mr.. Blaine has verified
the SentinePs CALLING declarations as far as
they can be verified by whining order for
dismissal of the suit, on the ground that
be does not believe be can get justice in the
United States Court at Indianapolis, whore
the Judge and all the officers OF the court
are not only Republicans, but members OF
the Blaine faction of the party. Such plea
from a rich, powerful and popular man
would be terrible indictment of public JUS
tiee in thIs country, If 1t were not tso man
ifestly a confession that he is afraid of
legal investigation.
This lame and iInpotent conclusion Of a
suit begun with such public and passionate
declarations of purpose to defend the
q
cost, will leave a painful impression oil the
pub ic mind. Why should Mr.. Blaine be
afraid of mere failure 10 obtain damages,
when the failure would be tsaceabie TO the
presence of two or three preludiced Demo
Gratis among the jurymen2 Why should he
fear to lay all the evidence before the great
Jury OF his couDtrymen, il be knew ii must
be such as would sustain his own statements
and vindicate, not dam him2 What secret
consciousness made him coward in the
presence of that Just and charitable tri
bunal2
Mr. Blaine began this suit in the midst OF
q political cam paign> avowedly for the pur-
pose OF putting down campaign Islander i'm
mediately with judicial investigation and
proof. Yet the result shows that be did not
intend to go on with it, that it was the mere
bluff" OF bully and a chsrlaian, trying 10
make POLITICAL cspital out of the DETACHMENT
of his first born's tombstone and out of a
mountebank parade of the violated saDcti-
ties of his family altar. IL was monstrous
thing for a Presidential candidate TO do. III
he did not dare to face to the end the inves-
tieation he challenged, it would have been
better il be had left the Sentinel story 10 the
charitable construction of a doubling public
Now rumors sre floating about unchal
lenged that Mr. Blaine shrank from the trial
not on his wife's account put on bis own,
and TO suppress evidence of conduct of
which he bad never been publicly accused
The effect of it all will be to strengthen the
im preston that che boldness with which Mr..
Blaine bluffs" Investigations is surpassed
only by bis alertness in battling and evading
them, and that his craftsmanship aud bril-
liancy have been exhibited mostly in that
way.
THE BLAINE LETTER.