Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-02-23
NOT IN THE FIELD.
Mr., Blaine Writes q Letter 10 tho M.
tional Committee.
llc Declines che Use Of sis Name for
Candidate for the Nomination
for President.

PlTrsBuRo, Pa, Feb p-,Ir, r. +,
Jones. Chairman Of tho National Rcpub.
lican Committee. has received letter
from Mr. Blaine, declining to allow his
name To be presented to the National Re.
publican Convention as u candidate .or
the Presidency. Following is Mr., Blainos
letter In full
FLORENCE, Italy. Jan. %, b +, Jones,
Esq, Chairman OF the National Republic
can Committee-SR; wish through
you to state to the members Of the Re.
publican party that my name will not be
presented to the National Convention
called To- assemble In Chicago In June
next for the nomination Of candidates tor
President aud Vice President of the
United States.
am constrained to this decision by
considerations entirely personal to myself,
df which you were advised more than u
year ago But | cannot make tho an
nOuncemcnt without giving expression to
my deep sense of gratitude Ia the many
thousands of my counlrymcn who have
sustained me SO long and 20 cordially
that their feeling ha seemed TO 60 beyond
the ordinary political adherence Of fellow
partiSnns aud 10 partakc somewhat Of the
nature Of personal attachment For this
most generous loyalty OF friendship can
make no adequate return, but | shall
carry the memory of 1t while life lasts.
Nor can | refrain from congralulatlng
the Republican party upon the cheering
prospects which distinguish the opening
Of the National contest Of 1883 as com.
pared with that Of 1884 In 1852 the Re.
publican party throughout the Union met
with disastrous defeat. Ten States that
had supported Garfield and Arthur in the
election uf 1880 were carried by the Dem
ocrais either by mj"rites or pluralitioS,
The Republican loss In the Northern
elections compared with tho preceding
National election exceeded half million
votes, and the Electoral votes of the
Union, divided on the basis of the result
of 1882, gave to the Democrats over 800
electors out of n total Of i0l. There was
u partial reaction in favor Of the Ropub
liCans In the elections of 1883, but the
Democrats still held possession of seven
Northern States. and on the basis of The
years contest could show more than 100
majority In the Electoral Colleges Of the
whole country.
But against the discouragcmenl natur.
ally following the adverse elections OF
these two years the spirit OF the ltcpubli.
can pnrty ~ 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 % single State, and that State
was carried by the Democratic party by
-
less than one eleventh Of ! per cent Of
entire vote. The change of single vote
In every 1000 Of the total poll would
have given the State to the Republicans,
though only Two years before the Demo
cratic plurality exceeded u02, 1000 one
hundred and ninety two thousand.
The elections of 1886 and 1887 have
demonstrated growing strength in the
Republican ranks. Seldom In our polili
cal history has "A party, defeated IN n
National election. rallied Immediately
with such vigpr rs have the Republicans
since 1884. No comparison Is possible
between the spirit Of the party In 1882.
's3 aud It's spirit in 1861. The two
periods present simply u Contrast--the
one Of general depression. tho other OF
enthusiastic revival. Should the party
gain, In the results Of 1888 over those Of
1880. 'S7, In anything like the proportion
Of the gain Of 1884 over 1882. 80, II would
secure one Of the most remarkable victor.
les Of Its entire existence But victory
does not depend on so large n ratio Of in
crease; the party has only TO maintain
relatively its prestige OF 1sS6.S7 to give
to It's National candidate every Northern
State but one, with far better prospect
OF carrying that one than II has had for
the last six years
Another feature OF the political stua.
ton should inspire Republicans with
irresistible strength. The present Nation.
nj administration was elected with IL not
upon the repeated assertions OF Its leading
supporters In every protection state that
| no issue on the tariff was involved
However, earnestly Republicans urged
| that question as the one of controlling
importance in the campaign, they were
met by the Democratic leaders and Jour.
nails with persistent evasion, conccalment
and denial That recourse the President
has fortunately removed. The issue
which the Republicans maintained and
the Democrats avoided In 1884 has
been prominently and specially
brought forward by the Democratic
| President. aud cannot be hidden
out Of 81 ghl in 1888. The country is now
| in the enjoyment Of an industrial system
which in u quarter OF n century has
assured large National growth, more
rapid accumulation, and n broader dis
iribution Of wealth Than were ever before
known to history. The American people
will now be openly and formally asked to
decide whether this system shall be
rcckessly abandoned and new trial be
made of an old experiment which has un.
| fortunately led to National embarrassment
and widespread individual distress. On
| the result cf such IN issue, fairly pre-
scented To the popular Judgment. there is
no room for doubt.
One thing only is necessary 10 assure
success complete harmony and cordial
co operation on the part Of the Rcpubli.
cans-nn the part Of both those who aspire
! 10 lead and of those who nre eager to
follow. The duty is not one merely OF
honorable deviation To the party whose
record aud whose aims are alike great,
but 1t is one demanded by the still higher
prompting Of patriotism.
A closer observation of the conditions
OF life among the older nations gives one
n more intense desire that the American
PEOPLE shall make no mistake in choosing
the policy which inspires labcr with hope
and crowns il with dignity. which gives
safety To capital ana protects its increase.
which secures political pnwcr to every
citizen, comfort and culture to every
home Tothis emil not les earnestly and
| and more directly ms n private citizen
than MS n public candidate, shall devote
myself with the confident belief that the
administration Of the Government will
| he restored to the party which has
| demonstrated the purpose and the powe
| 10 WELD IL for the unity and the honor
| nj Tho Rpnuhlic for the nrOspcrity and