Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-05
MIR. BLAINE AT HOME.
His Friends Anxious to Draw Him From
His Retirement

Ats Retirement.
From TIE Baltimore ineriean tRep.)
WASHINGTON, Jan. 31.-There has been
much surprise expressed here this season
that Hon. James G. Blaine has not ap-
peared at the national capital for even a
day. 1t is well known that he is fond OF
Washington life, but his friends say that
he mas been too busy completing his book
to leave his home in Augusta. Hon. VIII
liam Walter Phelps, one of his most intt-
mate friends, has in yam, so lar, tried to
persuade him TO come to this city to COM
plete the sitting for a full-length portrait,
which Mr.. Phelps is having painted for
his New Jersey home. Mrs. Garfield gave
Mr.. Phelps large picture Of her hus-
band, and that gentleman wishes this one
OF Mr.. Blaine as a companion. The pic
ture is three-quarter length, and Is
WOndertully-gOod portrait. 1t is nearly
complete, the artist needing only cou-
pie more sittings. MIR, Phelps, IN talking
to the correspondent, said that MIR. Blame
was now busy revising the proofs OF mis-
book. The last chapter OF the second vol
ume was completed few days ago. Mr..
Blaine found much greater difhcultY in
preparing the last volume, because II
deals with events of recent date, and
these being so vivid in his memory, it was
hard for mr.. Blaine to keep within hls ln-
tended space. A good portion of the last
volume was written by MIR. Blaine him.
self, but finally be was compelled to en-
ploy stenographer. The fret day OF dlc-
Catlon WAS done in the old Window man
sion in this city. Mrs. Blaine was great
ly alarmed, soon after the work began, by
hearing loud discussion and tramp OF
feet in MIR. Blaine's library. She rushed
to the room and opened the door, aud
found Mr. Blaine pacing the floor and die
tatlng his book, speaking IN the same
tone and earnestness as was his wont on
the floor OF the House of Representatives
Mrs. Blaine could not help but laugh as
she told Mr. Blaine that she thought he
was having terrible discussion with
some enemy. and FASTENED to see who 1t
was who had excited him so. She be-
sought hini to be less vehement. for"
she said, sunless you make less noise we
will have the police in upon us for dis
turbing the neighbors." MIR. Blaine,
however, continued to use stenographer
but before long Mrs. Blaine became ac-
customed to it.
Mr.. Phelps said that at present Mr..
Blaine was living very quietly at Angus
ia. The Blaine house there is rOomy and
large, and there are big, CHEEKY wood
fires, making plenty Of warmth during this
cold weather. Gail Hamilton arrived on
Jan. l, and will remain there some time.
MIR. Blaine spends the morning writing.
In the afternoon ne goes out riding or
sailing In his ice-boat.
He is getting so fat" said Mr.. Phelps,
"that l fear for him should the boat meet
with an accident"
Mr.. Blaine is greatly interested in the
erection of his new house at Bar HarboT,
and this has kept him occupied when he
had spare hours. The house is to be
model. Every one of the family had sug-
gestions for 1t, and so all will have just
what they wanted in the house. II will
DE a magnificent structure. Talking
about Mr.. Blaine's political future, Mr..
Phelps said that at present MIR. Blame
was not thinking of politics. He was a
man who gave himself up mentally, phys
ically and emotionally to the subject IN
hand. That business has been his book.
He has done nothing else but that, nov
that it was finished, his new home was
his object.
Mr.. Blaine himself is not thinking Of
1888, but bis friends cannot help but see
that the anti-Blaine elements all over the
country have died out. The party has
been beaten, and there is no anti-BlRine
element. The Republican party is again
united. While Mr.. BIaine's friends do
not think of again placing him forward,
they recognize that New York will again
be the pivotal State; but they also recog-
nize that to carry that State the irish
vote will be necessary. When the rush
World refused to support Mir. Davenport,
1t said that while the Irish vote withdrew
its support from that candidate, it want
ed TO state that the Irish vote was indie
pendent, and had not changed its views
Tor Mr.. Blaine and was willing to vote for
MIN again. Now, the friends OF Mr.
Blaine see that Senator Sherman and SEN
atOr Logan are the TWO leading candidates
Of the Republicans. Sherman is strong
est in the East, Logan in the West. Both
are acceptable to Mr.. Blaine. Can either
carry the irish vote: The friends OF MIR.
Blame will carefully consider this point
when the time comes, and il they fad that
there is no one which they believe can en-
list the Irish vote, and, at the same time,
carry New York, then they will urge Mr..
Blaine to again run. Certainly the friends
OF Mr.. Blaine in this emergency will be
willing to sacrifice him, and if this is so,
Mr. Blaine should be willing to sacrifice
himself.
There is an incident in the last cam
paign which has never been fully under
stood, and for which Mr.. Blaine has been
most severely criticised, not only by the
press but by the public, because they
never understood the truth IN regard to
the matter. It is the celebrated million
aire dinner in New York. When it was
first announced Mr.. Blaine opposed it. He
tOresaw what the public would say. He
opposed il from the start. he actually
telegraphed that he could not attend, and
subsequently refused verbally. Finally,
delegation OF leading Republicans call
ed on him, and said that although there
were six or eight milliOnaires 10 be pres
ent, there were 100 OF the most prominent
and influential Republicans OF the State
and city. They wished, as repre-
sentative Republicans, 10 hear his
plans and converse with him. They ar
gued that these leading men of his party
thought that il was for the party's good
that he should attend the dinner. Why
should he let his own individual opinion
weigh against the united opinion of such
vast representative body OF men, VINO
only had his welfare and interests al
heart? 1t was only after this argument
that Mr.. Blaine yielded, but even then be