Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-06-24
ELAINE IN 1sss.


n 1aRRHht1A VI 1891 huNNneA NNG
Piumed knight 90 ssDon't."
oiean Times, June 10.
We are sorry TO see determination ON
thepart OF some Republicans Of no incon-
siderable reputation and inhuenceto push
Mr.. Blaine for the Presidency again, and
the Indications are not slight TINT Mr..
Blaine himself fayors the movement In
deed, the last Presidential canvass, in
which he was the Republican candidate,
had hardly been decided by his defeat
when his particular friends and partisans
began renominating him for 1888, and the
Same effort has been kept on foot with
more or less urgency and emphasis ever
since. None admire Mr.. Blaine for his
many great and sterling qualities more
than we do, and none gave him heartier
support than we did in 1884. And we
say in advance that il the sense and voice
of the party shall again concur in his
nomination we shall do our part in aid of
his election.
But we think ii would be serious, and
are afraid it would prove fatal mistake
to again place his name at the head of the
ticket. In the first place, he would enter
on the canvass with the prestige of his
former defeat against him--a drawback
of no trifiing importance when ii is con-
sidered how many of the odds are against
us. When he was our candidate two
years ago he had the advantage of over 20
years Of continuous dominancy of his
party. The sympathies of the current
national administration were strongly
with him and for him, and he was backed
with more or less Of enthusiasm by the
Federal office holders throughout the
country. Yet with all these advantages
he was defeated. How can any reasonable
hope be entertained of different result
under his candidacy in the coming
contest?
1t may be said he was defeated by acct
dent, henten 10y the fatuous ALTERATION in
DIR. Burchard's speech. But accidents of
some kind are likely to happen, and
follies of some sort are sure TO be perpe.
trated in every Presidential election. A
much more serious contretemps occurred
in Mr.. Garfeld's canvass, but while il
diminished his majority and probably lost
him one state, il did not defeat him. The
Morey letter was far graver accident (?)
than Burchnrd's speech. Mint we want
is n candidate who can discount such ac-
cidents and still succeed-a man who can
command II majority large enough to set
such occurrences at defiance.
Again il will be said, il has been said,
that MIR. Blaine was defeated by the indie
pendent Republican vote, and he would
not encounter that element of opposition
in another canvass. Why not ? We see
no indications of their reconciliation to
him. On the contrary we fully believe
that in second candidacy the boiling
vote against him would be greatly in
creased. Many men voted for him in
1884 who would vote for his adversary in
1883. The truth is that there is in the
party large and influential class of
honest and earnest men who, while adj
hitting Mr.. Blaine to be nm able man,
still believe him TO be somewhat sordid,
and not by any means immaculate. The
great majority of these preferred him to
his adversary in spite of their scruples,
and either voted for him or refused TO
vote at all. But this is not likely 10
happen again, and tho probability is that
that class of people, reinforced by many
sympathizers, would vote in solid phalanx
against him. We see no promise of re-
eruits, but rare prospect of assertions
i'll the event of his denomination.
We cannot concede that the choice of
the party is restricted to him or that he
embodies all the ability and availability of
the organization. On the contrary we
are persuaded that there are among its
champions not few quite as eapa.
BILE and many far less obnoxious to
trenchant hostility inside the party and
trenchaut criticism outside.
Nor can it be claimed that the renomi-
nation is debt due TO him from the
party. We repudiate the theory of such
an Indebtedness from a party TO any man
no matter how eminent or how great his
service. But if the Republican party ever
incurred such debt TO Mr.. Blaine they
discharged it, principal and interest, TO
the last penny. They have from m early
| day freely bestowed on him their APP
| plause, their favor, their votes, and high
places within their gift. They crowned
him with the Inst and highest honor
within the bestowal of generous con.
stituency, an honor which greater men
than Mr.. Blaine have hoped and struggled
for in vain, the honor of their nomination
and loyal suffrage, for post beyond and
above the utmost reach of kingly ambi-
ton. II would be well for him and better
for the party il he would be content with
this supreme token of their regard, and
forego aspirations which he can no longer
indulge with dignity to himself or ad.
vantage TO his party.