Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-06
FEBRUARY G, 1885,
Mr.. Hlaine.s Future.

predict what will be the issues which
will then divide the two parties? Nay,
who can forctell what will be the names
Of the parties which will in that year
claim the sufrages Of the voters? IL
these days Of railroads and telephones
and telegraphs, every turn of the po-
litical kaleidoscope will show new COM
binations. New questions must arise
10 vex the ambitious, and to dash the
hopes Of the place-hunters.
The sectional issue is dead. IL can
not be resurrected. II cannot live in
the presence Of Democratic Admins
tration at Washington. So long as the
Republicans could alarm the northern
voters by telling them what dreadful
things the Democrats would do if re-
stored to power, the sectional issue
Hourished, and at least once in every
four years waxed fat and powerful.
But when the event shall have
proved the falsity Of the prediction,
ii will be repeated in vain. The bloody
shirt has been furled once for all, we
trust. Never more will it be flung to
the breeze. For twenty years it waved
over a victorious party. For twenty
years the good people of the North were
held in bondage to their fears. But
surely when facts have superseded fore
casts, those fears will all be dismissed.
The dreaded spectre cannot brighten
even children in the daytime. The
light is fatal to its pretensions.
We repeat that no one can tell what
day may bring forth. Nevertheless,
we can often tell what will not happen,
and we are not estoppcd from expect
ing the natural consequences of mans
acts to be visited upon him. And so
we set it down that Mr.. BLAINE has
by identifying himself thoroughly with
the sectional issue, remandcd himself
to private lifo-that is, SO far as
the Office Of President is concerned.
His strength in the Chicago Convention
Of last year, and in the campaign up to
the time Of the October election, lay
partly in the fact that he was supposed
to be popular in the South. In his let
ter accepting the nomination of the
Chicago Convention he spoke kindly of
the southern people. Sectional preju
dices were shown no favor in that docu-
meni. He changed his tune, however,
as soon as West Virginia refused to
yield to his solicitations. AT the &C.
tober election that State showed that the
South was still solid, and Mr.. BLAINE
forthwith became rampant northern
fire-eater. He arraigned the southern
people before the bar of the country
and charged them with all sorts Of
crimes. They were, he maintained,
guilty Of innumerable sins both of
omission and Of commission. The
southern people had done nothing to
cause this change Of tune. The Demo-
Gratis Of West Virginia had done it all.
But all this did not satisfy Mr..
BLAINE's desire for revenge. He took
the stump after the election, and poured
out the vials Of his wrath upon the
people Of this section. He went as far
as OLIVER P. MORTON ever went in
his most malignant moments. He cut
himself off from all sympathy south of
MASON & DIxoN's line, and be-
came, instead Of national statesman,
mere ranter. He caused himself to
be cIassed with GIpDINas, WENDELL
PHILLIPS, and such like heartless de-
chalmers. He Disguised the best class
Of the northern people, and offended the
southern people. lie committed sui
eide, in word. He yielded himself
70 the control Of his passions, and took
himself out Of the category Of states
men, not to say Of patriots.
Thus it was that Mr.. BLAINE blast
ed all his prospects Of becoming Presi-
dent Of the United States. Thus il
was that he rendered his nomination in
1883 next to impossible. He was at
the head Of tie procession of aspirants,
but deliberately countermarched and
took up his position in the rear. And
Ithers he win remain. Whatever may
be in store for him in the way of honors
must come from Maine. Mr.. CLEvE-
LANDS administration will make it inn
possible for any sectional agi,ator to be
nominated in 1888 even by the Repub-
iican party. And Mr.. BLAINE is now
nothing but sectional agitator.
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