The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-12-04

it. They were there for a purpose at
once proper and creditable to them,
to present their sympathetic condo
lenCes to the family of a beloved and
honored American citizen, who by his
manly virtues and great qualities, had
challenged the respect not only of his
political supporters, but of the whole
American people. Inspired by mot
ives equally creditable to him, MIR.
Blaine presented himself at the resi-
dence of the late Elk President, and
was suddenly, unexpectedly, and with
out consultation, ushered into the pres
ence of Mr.. Etmunds, with accom-
panying the announcement "Mr. Blaine
gentlemen" Mr.. Edmunds rose, and
advancing, presented his hand to Mr..
Blaine. The latter made no demon
stration whatever, but simply did not
reciprocate by extending his hand. 1T
he had been a man of less self control.
or less experienced in social courtesies,
he might even justifably have been more
demonstratve in MS manner. Only
the day before the gentleman then ex
tending his hand, had allowed the pub
LEGATION OF an old letter written by him
self TO friend, in which Mr.. Eimunds
had done that one thing at which, by
the universal code of decency and good
manners, every respectable man IN
politics or out of politics, draws the line
of forbearance xhausted-lmputation
of personal dishonesty. Mr.. Blaine,
cherished, and had the right to cherish,
not All unrighteous but righteous in
dignatlon, that his party brother, and
lis wnilom party associate had 50 un
justly assailed him. the resentment
which Mr.. Blaine felt at tnat little awk-
ward moment which precedes intro
ductions generally, was perfectly nat
ural one, and which any one would
have INDUCED, save those possessed OF
that sancuhcd nature, which we hear
of only from the pulpit. 1t is true
that we associate the possession of
higher moral natures, finer senslbili-
ties and sounder judgments, with the
possession of high Intellectual endow
ments. But the association is not the
general rule. Men of the highest in
tellectual gifts, aud whose lives are sup
posed to be moulded in the educating
processes of high life and distinguished
ASSOCIATION, are moved by the same i'm
pulses, and inpelled by the same weak
nesses of human nature as ordinary
mo1taIs. We are not sure that our ex-
perience in life shows, that those pro-
fessedly Christians, are any slower to
cherish resentments at real or imagined
wrongs, than those whom the world
treats as unregenerate. We all do what
it is natural to do under similar circum-
stances, Christian, Jew, Pagan and
Heather. The only difference lies in
thu p,etb,5 of tba ,I,.;,u
AS ground of censure of Mr.
Blaine's act, we do not think any thing
lies in the occasion. There was no
more, nor was there less due from MIR.
Blaine towards Mr.. Edmunds, in the
Elk Presidents reception room, than in
the open street. The idea of Mr..
Blaine gong to Elk President Arthur's
house in penitential mood generally
towards those who had persls,ently and
cruelty maligned him is sentimental
nonsense. SO far as the ri hit of ex-
pectlng forgiveness, and warm shake
of the hand as its token, Mr. Ed
munds had less to expect from Mr..
Blaine than an ordinary party clacquer.
What Mr.. Blaine might nave overlooked
as thoughtless offence, done by an
over Jealous and ignorant partiz IN, was
quite an other mltter when coolly and
deliberately done by man of MIR. Ed
munds' frigld and sublimated nature.
He was every inch the bigger sinner,
and therefore subject to more consid-
Grafton from those whom he had DELHI
erately sinned against. What greater
merit would have distinguished the act,
had Mr.. Blaine for the moment played
the role of hypocrite and warmly
shaken the proifered hand? AS for
ourselves, we infinitely prefer a blunt
outspoken honesty of character, which
occasionally trenches upon the canons
of what the world calls good taste"
to the sycophantic hypocracy which
freezes by Its tormality and chils by its
insincerlty. While everybody except
the partizan oppon" nts OF these gentle
men must regret the occurrence of
these disagreeable episodes in the lives
of public men, yet justice no less de-
mands, that when We criticise, our Gen.
sure should be rightly bestowed.
Josh Billings says: '.N-Xt To D., clear
shlence for solid coiu:nrI, Guns ard old
shn - "A n ly ~