Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-02-16
The PLUMED KNIGHT
Ont Of the Presidential Race.
LETTER OF WITHDRAWAL.
His Name Not to Be Presented 70 the
National Convention.

tiOnal Republican Committee, has re.
ceived a letter from Mr.. Blaine declin-
ing to allow his name to be presented to
the National Republican Convention as
a candidate Tor the Presidential nOmina-
ton.
The following is Mr. Blaine's letter in
full
FLORENCE. ITALY, Jan. %, 1888.
B. T. Jones. Esq, Chairman Of the Re
publican National Committee:
SIR wish through you to state to
the members of the Republican party
that my name will not be presented to
the National Convention called to as
semble in Chicago in June next for the
nomination of candidates for President
and Vice President Of the United states.
l am constrained to this decision by con-
siderations entirely personal TO myself,
of which you were advised more than
year ago. But | cannot make the an
nOuncement without giving expression
to my deep sense of gratitude TO the
many thousands of my countrymen who
have sustained me so long and so cor
daily that their feeling has seemed to
90 beyond the ordinary political adhe-
renee of fellow partisanS and to partake
somewhat of the nature of personal at
tachment. For this most generous 10y
atty of friendship | can make no ade-
quate return, but | shall carry the mem
Ory of it while life lasts. Nor can l
refrain from congratulating the Repub-
lican party upon
THE CHEERING PROSPECTS
which distinguish the opening Of the
National contest of 1888, as compared
with that of 1884.
In 1882 the Republican party through
out the Union met with disastrous de
feat. Ten States that had supported
Garfield and Arthur in the election of
1880 were carried by the Democrats eth
er by majorities or pluralities. The Re
publican loss III the Northern elections,
compared with the preceding National
election, exceeded half a million votes.
and the electoral votes of the Union,
divided on the basis of the result OF
1882. gave the Democrats over three
hundred electors out of total of four
hundred and one. There was a partial
reaction in favor of the Republicans in
the elections of 1888, but the Democrats
still held possession of seven Northern
States, and on the basis of the years
contest could show more than one hun
dred majority in the electoral colleges of
the whole country. But against the dis
couragement naturally following the adj
verse elections of these two years the
spirit of the Republican party in the
National contest of 1884 rose high, and
the Republican masses entered into the
campaign with such energy that the
final result depended on
THE VOTE OF A SINGLE STATE,
and that State was carried by the Dem
Ocratic party by plurality so small that
it represented less than one-eleventh of
one per cent. of the entire vote. The
change in single vote of every (2,000)
two thousand of the total poll would
have given the State to the Republicans
though only two years before, the Dem
ocratic plurality exceeded (192,00O) one
hundred and ninety-two thousand. The
elections of 1886 and 1887 have demon
strated growing strength in the Repub-
lican ranks. Seldom in our political his
tory has a party, defeated in National
election, rallied Immediately with such
vigor, as have the Republicans since
1884.
No comparison Is possible between the
spirit Of the party in 1928 and its
spirit in 1867. The two periods pre-
sent simply a contrast-the one of gen
eral depression, the other of enthusiastic
revival. Should the party gain, in the
results of 1888 over those of 1867, in
like the proportion of the gain
of 1894 over 1882 3. it would secure one
of the most remarkable victories of its
entire existence. But victory does not
depend on so large ratio of increase;
the party has only to maintain relatively
its prestige of 1867 to give to its Ma
tional candidate every Northern State
but one, with a far better prospect of
carrying that one than it had for the
past six years.
Another feature of the political situa-
tion should inspire Republicans with If
strength. The present Nation
al Administration was elected with, if
not upon, the repeated assertions of its
leading supporters in every protection
State that no issue on the tariff was in
volved. However earnestly Republicans
urged that question as the one of CON
trolling Importance in the campaign,
they were met by the Democratic lead
ers and journals with persistent evasion,
and denial. That resource
the President has fortunately removed.
The issue which the Republicans main
tanned and the Democrats avoided in
1884 has been prominently and specific
ally brought forward by the Democratic
President, and cannot be hidden out of
sight in 1888. The country is now in
the enjoyment of an industrial system
which in quarter of century has as
sured larger National growth; more
rapid accumulation and broader dis
tribution of wealth than were ever be-
fore known to history. The American
people will now be openly and formally
asked to decide whether this system
shall be recklessly abandoned and q new
trial be made of an old experiment which
has uniformly Ted to National embar-
rassment and widespread individual dis
treSs. On the result of such an issue,
fairly presented to the popular judg-
ment, there is no room for doubt.
One thing only is necessary to assure
success complete harmony and cordial
cooperation on the part Of all Repuhli-
cans on the part both of those who
aspire to lead and of those who are eager
% follow The duty is not one merely
)f honorable devotion to the party whose |
'ecord and whose aims are alike great, |
out it is one demanded by the instinct
If self-interest and by the still higher
Dromptings of patriotism.
A closer observations of the CON
ltions of life among the older Ma
ions gives one more intense de |
lire that the American people shall
make no mistake in choosing the
policy which inspires labor with hope
md crowns it with dignity, which gives
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