Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-12-14
BLAINE's BAD MANNERS.
He Deliberately Insults Senator
Edmunds at Arthur's Funeral.

Widespread comment has been in.
dulged in by the entire metropolitan
press during the past few weeks OF
the meeting of Blaine and Edmund.
at the Arthur obsequies last month
and almost without exception the
opinion is freely expressed that the
chasm in the Republican ranks has
become so wide that certain defeat
now stares the Grand Old Party in
the face, unless new man, or rather
some other man beside Blaine is put
up as the Republican standard bearer
In 1888. The Sunday Gazette is en-
tabled to give what it believes to be
the true story of the meeting, and
which, as will be seen further on, is
calculated to again bring ruin and
disaster to the political ambition of
the Plumed Knight.
1t is well known that Blaine dis
pissed Arthur during the latter's life
time, and that he never failed to an
noy the ex-President when opportun-
ity offered. Arthur in turn attribu-
ted his political misfortunes largely
to Blaine's hostility. Such being the
case, very many of Arthur's friends
felt that it was in bad taste, to say
the least, for Blaine to attend the
funeral. The latter's ambition, how
ever, seems to know no bounds, and
thinking, doubtless, that a point
could be made by "paying his res
poets" to the dead President he noti-
fed Colonel Clayton McMichael, the
gentleman in charge of the ceremo-
mics, that he would be present-much
to the Colonel's disgust. However as
Blaine had announced his coming, il
was concluded to make the best of it.
AS is well-known, President Cleve-
land and several members of his Cabi-
net, together with committee of
Senators, committee from the
House, the ex-mcmbers of Arthur's
Cabinet, and many personal and po-
litical friends of the dead ex-Presi-
dent were there and the crush was
tremendous. Mr.. Cleveland and his
party were ushered into one room,
the Senatorial committee in another,
the House committee in a third, ex-
members of Arthur's Cabinet in a
fourth, personal friends in fifth,
and so on. At this moment Blaine's
carriage come dashing up, and Colo
mel McMichael escorted him up stairs
to yet another room. A few mo-
ments afterwards MIR. Edmunds put
in an appearance, and without think
ing, and for want of more conven-
lent place, Colonel McMichael led the
way to the room that Blaine was in,
with the remark:
Gentlemen, you are undoubtedly
well acquainted with each other, and
a formal introduction is unnecessary"
Mr.. Edmunds at once approaching
the delicacy of the situation, stepped
forward and offered his hand saying,
SLOW do you do, Mr.. Blaine?" The
Plumed Knight curled his lip and
coldly stared Mr. Edmunds in the eye
without uttering word. He took
no notice whatever of the profferod
hand, and, in a word, deliberately
insulted the Vermont Senator.
Colonel McMichael quickly inter-
posed, assuring Mr.. Edmunds that he
sincerely regretted Mr.. Blaine's gross
discourtesy and bowed him out of
the room. Senator Edmunds did
not attach the slightest blame to Nc
Michael for the oversight, and so told
him. A moment after the Colonel
again re-entered the room, where
Blaine wasstill standing, and the
latter then and there tried to make
light of "such a trivial circumstance"
Colonel McMichael, however, was
not TO be appeased. lie told Blaine
that he had been grossly insulting,
and that common decency under the
should have caused
him 10 act with more decorum.
With this Blaine flared up, and Nc
Michael left the room.
Blaine had made another blunder,
and one that will cost him hundreds
of thousands of votes in 1883 if,
through chicanery, he again secures
the nomination.
The same day ex-Posimaster Gen
eral Frank latton met Blaine face to
face without in the slightest degree
recognizing him. Shortly afterwards
ex-Secretary Chandler met ex- Presi-
dent Hayes without sign of recog-
milton, and the returns are not all in
yet. The funeral of ex-President
Chester A. Arthar most certainly put
several nails in the coffin of the Re-
publican party-providing Blaine
shows up as a candidate in 18SS.-Ex.