Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1886-06-12

the defeated south what the people
there never dreamed of obtaining. II
they had strengthened the hands of
Grant, the southern people would have
given up the effort to turn back the
wheels OF time, and the color line
would have disappeared. The white
south was true TO its prejudices and
united. The republican north divided,
and was conquered. For this no man
is rs responsible as James G Blaine.
Mr.. Blaine gives an extended narra-
tive of the impeachment of Andrew
johnson, and although he voted for it
in the house he gives it as his
opinion that it was an iIl-advised
move, the failure of which was a
piece of good fortune to the country
md to the republican party. On this
| men will differ with each other, as MIR.
Blaine of 1856 differs With Mr.. Blaine
of 1868.
MIR. Blaine sees fit to lay at the door of
Mr.. Seward much of the blame for the
Inauguration of the johnson plan of
reconstruction, and in doing so alter
nately praises and damns that states
man so iInpartially, and SO after the
Blaine method, that one is lost IN won
der whether he believes him to have
OeeH ueInOD OF all angel.
1t is not necessary to dwell further
upon the history of reconstruction
under johnson. What has been said
illustrates the general tenor of Mr..
Blaine's treatment of the events of
that disturbed period. With it he
might well have concluded his book.
What follows contains little of any par
ticular interest or consequence.
IliS unI,r,noo
pages. Of these 994 are given to the
eight years from Lincoln's inaugura-
ton in 1861, to the retiring of johnson
in 1869. OF the remaining 2s3 he
spends 119 on very superficial and
sometimes inaccurate accounts of four
presidential elections, and the diplo-
matte recitals aforesaid. The remain
Ing lG4 pages contain all that the
author of Twenty Years of Congress-
deems 1t necessary to say OF the impor-
lant political and other events and con-
troversies OF which congress was the
theater during the twelve years extend
ing from the first Inauguration of Grant
in 1869, to the retirement of Hayes in
lSSl- This space is thus divided:
Grants ant second n.so ,drte term % pages.
Hayes term 81
Total. 164
Opinions will vary rs to Mr.. BIaine's
reasons tor thus COMPRISING twelve of
the twenty years into one-eighth of his
book. None can say that he found
scant materials. Some will say that
after his defeat he had no stomach for
any more work than barely enough to
make good his contract with the s'Hen-
ry Bill Publishing Company" There
is better reason than this, however.
and it is to be found in Mr.. Blaine's
political course during the period SO
sighted by him. One has to skate
very rapidly over very thin ice.
GRANTS ADMINISTRATION.
| will, in a future paper, call atten-
tion to some of the most conspicuous
of the errors, omissions, and smg-
gardly half truths" contained in SO
much of the volume before us as relates
to the eight years during which Grant
was president. This will naturally in
volve more extended account of the
occasions herein referred to, when Mr..
Blaine and the democratic party were
on better terms than they have been
since he and his tribe made Grover
Cleveland governor OF the state of
New York.