Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-05-03
"THE MASK PULLED OFF"

L ne man VINO is SAID to be RESPONSE
BILE is James G. Blaine. Now this is
probably about as silly as thousand
other things that have been said in
regard to Mr.. Blaine and Senator
Edmunds, and is just as false. James
@. Blaine, whatever else may be said
of him, is not man who harbors
petty revenges and seeks to manipu-
late the political affairs of Vermont
and other states to wreak revenge on
a state, party, or an individual, be-
cause he has not received the unqual-
flied support of every man. Mr..
Blaine, judging from his course
heretofore, as said Maine
paper recently, has never been heard
to utter word of complaint or Bit
terness in regard to the course
of his enemies, or the disaffected of
his own party.
The EGpresS makes a CLAIM that
Senator Edmnnds did not regard
Blaine ''as a safe man, considered
him as corruptionist, etc. This is off
the same piece of supposition as that
Mr.. Blaine was in the i-Edmunds
move in Vermont. Senator Edmunds
was probably not an enthusiastic
supporter of Mr.. Blaine, and vet he
took pains to come from Washington
into Vermont to vote for him. We
cannot understand how it came about,
if he considered Mr. Blaine a cor
ruptionist, that he should so disregard
his oath and the promptings Of his
conscience, as to vote for him at ALL
The breach between Senator Edmunds
and Mr.. Blaine was not as wide as
many seek to make it, and the action
OF Senator Edmunds in not going into
the republican campaign, as re-
publican speaker, his health, the
health of his family, and his natural
reluctance to participate in any stump
speaking combat, was not a crime, tho
it has been twisted into apostasy by
some since the time of election. Had
the majority for either presidential
candidate been large, Senator Ed
munds' course would probably never
have been talked about.
We were strong Blaine man, and
looked upon his defeat as national
calamity, but have never harbored
any revenge toward MI. Edmunds
for his course in the campaign. We
have been willing to think that Sen
| ator Edmunds acted no dishonorable
part in the matter, and that his cold
ness,if he had GOODNESS, might have
resulted from either personal pique,
feeling of disappointment, or con-
scientious scruples, one or all and
while we would be glad to see all
men rise above piques, envy or per-
sonal disappointment, we would not
condemn great men for harboring
some of the ugly notions which
abound in small men. Human ma
ture, as observation teaches, is about
the same in all attitudes.
The correspondence below shows
that the writer halls from a section
where the enthusiasm for Mr.. Blaine
is almost fanatical, and that every
man, big or little, who did not sup
port him must be ostracised; and be
would have Vermonters throw Sena
tor Edmunds overheard, because he
did not in some way cause the defeat
of the democratic nominee. The
people of Vermont have watched anC
measured the course of the sen
Tor Senator many years; they have
pride in his ability, faith in his integ
rity and prestige in his renown. The,
will honor themselves by honorins
him, and the proud little Greer
Mountain state will not permit he
fair name to be furnished by despit
toward Senator Edmunds:
Mr.. EditOr,-In the issue of tn
, EGpress of March 3Oth, | notice a
editorial headed The mask is bein,
, pulled away by degrees, in The anti
, Edmunds movement, and the fac
, behind it, is the face of James 6
r Blaine" | have no doubt that tn
, friends of James G.. Blaine in Yer
! mont, like his friends in the wester
states, feel bitterness against Sen
, ator Edmunds for the course he pul
( sued in the last presidential can
e paign, and justly so; and we fe'
: that his defeat would but mete OF
D to him a small mede of justice for h
narrow minded and -bliu9ed re
e icence in that campaign: cours
J.. that undoubtedly not only defeate
0 James G. Blaine, but the whole r,
;, publican party as well.
a Fifty years of close observation {
e the workings of political parties, hs
: shown me that whenever one of I'll
It leaders of a party. through vanity {
r great aspirations for higher honor
Y begins to develop the rule or ru
e policy, it is high time for the par
1t TO let him drop. You are fully ava
If that had Senator Edmunds done
N whole duty as republican, we shou
IL not now be sailing under an admin
r, tration largely composed Southe
to Brigadiers. What safety is there
Te such a man? What guarantee ha
W we that he would not betray lis pc
q. ty again? The first time he is balk
y in his vaulting ambitions. The e
A. nroee said tsTha fact Of tho huSine