New-York tribune., 1886-02-26
NEW-YORK DAILY TRIBUNE. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20 lo0o

modesty Beyond naked record OF tne No'es '"''
showing that Mr.. Blaine was a leading cal''iua'',
there is nothing to explain the intense excitement
and dson fe,lino which then prevailed. Kindly and
inst mention of the high position and pupHc ser-
y;cas of other candidates. which had caused theh
IN be preferred by many for the highest oifce IN te
Gift of the neope is followed by the remark, Inc
| only other candidate who had an active support
was Mr.. Blaine So carefully has the historian
omitted Mr. Blaines large part in previous ehorVS
and deeds in the shaping of Legislation anu III 'n'
struggles of parties, that stranger 10 the nS.olS
of the country reading Mr.. Blalnes WON W ''io
point would be struck with wonder that u man vi
! whom 50 little had been said should suddenly hp-
near as the foremost candidate and the first choice
of delegates from twenty-eight States ana seven
Territories If it was blemsh in Senator Ben'ohs
Thirty Years that there was too much of Benton
in IT, the bemish in Mr.. Blaincs record Is that MS
own participation in public affairs is too often mod
estly ignored No trace of irritation at the prefer
ment of President HAYES appears, and the estimate
OF the strength of Morton Bristow, Conlling ana
Hayes and the sources of their support IS nj once
| candid and impartial I he steps by which MT
! Tilden had graspcd complete control OF the Demo-
cratic party are described with singulariy ds'rIm-
mating view of his character and methods. MI
Blaine makes it perfectly clear that the creation o
the Electoral Commission was entirely the WORK oi
! Democrats, who expected to trick their opponents
out of the Presidency by securing in Judge DhVis
| tue odd member of the Commission, ana the eNui
bitioa of their childish rage when court Oh the'l
own creating decided against them is severe but
Just. The subsequent disclosures by means oi
cipher kilograms are rected, with Mr.. IlIdenS
sworn statement that he know nothing OF them
and Mr.. Blaine says: r,
There is nothing in the testimony to cCntradcI
the oath taken by Mr. Tlden, aud there has lt peen
70 desire to fasten guilty responsibility upon MN;
! But the simple fact remains that frcsluentiMl M
canvass which began with pCnder0ns lnaniesto 70 III
favor of reform in every department of the Gov
| err ment and which accused those who had been
entrusted with power for sixteen years 0i every
form of dishonesty and corruption, enaeu WIZ q
persistent and shameless eDort 10 Drlbe thc ecc'oi'
OF thTcO States. ID. o3l.l
The Silver act of 1875 t has been said, ls not
adequately treated by Mr. Blaine. There Is no
explanation of the actual exclusion OF silver from
use by tie act of 1s3l of the recognition OF It's
disuse by the of 1878. and little idea is given OF
the popular excitement which led to the act OF re-
nonetZation or of its causes. The fact that Oreat
Britain and Germany have strong interest III torc-
ing this country to a silver basis, and for that
reason refuse any change OF policy while there Is
still hope of that consummaton, would have eX-
planned the ill-success of the international confer
ences of 1878 and 1851. But as has been said, the
fulness With which Mr.. Blaine has treated the de
yelopment of reconstruction problems ana measures
explains the brevity with which other SUBJECTS OF
legislation are necessarily dismissed. Much moro
space is given. however, 10 Canadian reciprocity
| and tho fisheries arbitration. and the Unfair con
duct of Great Britain in the negotiation IS described
with distnctness.
Mr. Blaine does not ceusure President Hayes for
the failure and final abandonment OF efforts 10 pro-
tect citizens of the Southern States in the exercise
\ Of IL Loir tuh Indeed i
left that he deems such q result unavoidable, IN
view of the temper Of the Northern people and the
| election of a Democratic Congress which mpeded
the enforcement of the laws by every means il ltS
power This is undoubtedly the truth. Mawkish
sentimentali-m at the North had made 1t impossible
for the Executive to discharge the most sacred ob-
! cations of the Nation 1t might have been better
! TO speak only of law-breakmg Democrats instead
! of "the white men, in the following otherwise
| lust remarks:
If was we'll known to oil familiar With political
struggles in the South that the white men were not
required to use force after the protection o @ TUE
| National Government was Withdrawn CooIcu
! voters were not equal 10 the physical contest
necessary TO assert their civil rights ana thehc9-
! forward pcrsonal outragcs I'm large degree ceased
! The pcace which followed was the peace of forced
submission and not tie Teace OF contentment'
/ Even that form of peace was occasionally pIoN'I
| by startling assassnatiOns for the purpose oil
| monitIon and discipline to the cOl0red race iP
! G4IJ
Mr. Blaine indulgcs the hope that the Republican
reconstruction policy though unaYailing thus lar
to secure toe rights guaranteed to the eniranchsed
will yet prevail. and says:
Reaction will como in the South itself. The
passion aud prejudice which influence men who were
dcfea ted in the war cannot be Transmitted To snc
ceedng generations. Principle will re-assert itseli
/ local and state interest VIII command 'hauke
! The signs even now are hopeful. 0p. t7lD
II Mr Blaine is able to see Signs of hone in the
results of recent elections at the South, or IN the
conduct Of Southern men since their return to
power In the Government, the buoyant spirit OF MS
youth has surely been chilled by advancing
years The loyal men of the Nation Will yet he
Obliged to adopt other measures 10 secure decent
! respect for the Constitution and the laws IN some
parts OF the country. In the necessary preparation
for that task no work be more valuable to
them than Mr.. Blaine's careful philosophical and
IMPARTIAL history of the great struggle which it
was fondly hoped would have ended with the
withdrawal of troops from the South
No other book gives so just n conception of the
! men who have been prominent in that long struggle
on both sides. Mr.. Blanes most bitter enemies Will
concedc If they read this book, that his knowledge
Of the men with whom he lived ard acted was in
deed unGivallcd and that impression would not be
lett by his work had he been less than marveousy
impartial and faithful in recording his impressions
of them. But in n broader and deeper sense, Mr.
| Baines knowledge of men his comprehension OF
the people of their instincts and habits of thought
their enduring motives and their occasional prone
ness to wavcring or impatiencc his understanding
of tho clements of which our nationality is COM
posed and of the distinguishing characteristics the
strength and the weakness OF each, render his work
a remarkably faithful and valuable history of the
American people in their of greatest trial 1t is
Mt once "A monument to their character and to the
keen and swift appreciation which has made James
| G.. Blaine to-day their II ost trusted leader.