Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-02-13
SIR. Blaine.
NJ. B. F. Jones, chairman of the national
republican committee, has received the fol-
loving letter from Mr.. Blaine:

fLOkENCEi 4taiy, Jul. -, 1000
"-B +. Joae8. esq Chairman Of the Republic
can National Committee.
''SIR wish through you to state 20 the
members OF the republican 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
for President and Vice President o. the
United States.
81 am constrained TO this decision BY con.
siderations entirely personal to myself OF
which you were advised more than year
ago. But I cannot make the announcement
without giving expression to my deep sense
of gratitude to the many thousands OF my
countrymen who have sustained me so !oRg
and go cordially that their feeling has
seemed to 90 beyond the ordinary political
adherence of fellow-partisans and to partake
somewhat OF the nature Of personal attach
ment For this most generous loyalty OF
friendship can make no adequate return but
shall carry the memory Of il while life lasts.
''Nor can | refrain from congratulatilg,
the republican party upon the cheering
prospects which distinguish the opening Of
the nstional contest of 1855 as compared
with tbst OF 1884 In 1882 tbs republican
party throughout the Union met with 3
disastrous Geieat. Ten States that had sup
ported Garfield and Arthur in the election
of 1880 were carried by the democrats either
BIZ majori,ics or piuFalities The republi
caa loss in the No.thern elections compared
with the proceeding national election ex-
ceeded half a million votes, and the electoral
votes of tue Union, divided on the basis Of
the result of 1882, gave 10 the democrats
over 800 electors out of total of40l. There
was partial reaction in favor Of the repub.
licaus 10 The elections of 1883, but the dem
ocrats still held possession of seven North
ern 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 Encouragement natural
ly following the adverse elections of these
two years the spirit of the republican party
in tne national contest of 1884 rose high,
and the republican masses entered into The
campaign with such energy that the final
result depended GA the vote OF a single State,
and that State was carried by the democra
tic parry by plurality so small that it re-
presented eas than one eleventh of one per
cent. Of the entire vote. The change of
single vote in every (2000) two thousand Of
the total poll would have given the State TO
the republicans, though only two years be-
fore the democratic plurality exceeded 1922
0G0) one hundred and ninety-two thousa3d
The elections of 1856 aud 1887 have dem
onstrated growing strength in the republic
can ranks Seldom ia our political history
has party. defeated in national election,
rallied Immediately with such v!gor, as have
the republicans since 1884. No comparison
is possible between the spirit OF the party in
1925 and its spirit of 1867. The swo pc
RODS present simply q contrast-tbe one Of
general depression, the other OF enthusiastic
revival. Should the party gain, in the re-
suits of 1855 oger those of 1867 in anything
like the proportion OF the gain Of 1854 over
| 1928, il would secure one OF the most re.
markabIe victories of its entire existence.
But victory DOES not depend on SO large g
ratio of increase; the party has only to
maintain relatively it's prestige Of 1867 TO
give TO It's national candidate every North
ern State but one, with q far better prospect
of carrying that ons than it has had for the
past six years.
Another feature of the poitica situation
should inspire republicans with irresistible
strength The present national administra-
ton was elected with, if not upon, the re-
peated 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
AID journals with persistent evasion, con-
ceaIment and denial. That resource the
President has fortunately removed. The is
sue which the republicans maintained aud
the democrats avoided in 1884 has been
prominently and specifically brought for
ward by the democratic President. and car-
not be hidden out of sight in 1888. The
country is now in the enjoyment of an
Industrial system which in a quarter Of q
century has assured larger national
growth, Il more rapid accumulation ana
broader distribution o. wealth than we're ever
before known TO history. The American
people will now be openly and formally ask.
ed to decide whether this system shall be
reckleSsly abandoned and a new trial he
made Of an old experiment which has uni
formly led TO national embsrraa- ment and
widespread individual distress Ga the re.
suit o such an Issue, fairly presented TO the
popular Judgment, there is no room for
doubt.
sore thing only is necessary to assuresuc.
cess-comDlete harmony and cordial coop
Grafton on the part of all Repnblcans--op
the part both Of those who aspireto lead and
of those who are eager TO follow. The duty
is not one merely OF honorable devotion to
the party whose record ard whose aims are
alike great, but it is one demanded by the
instinct of self-interest and by The still high
err promptngs of patriotism.
"a closer observation Of the conditions Of
life among the older nations gives one more
intense desire that the American people |
shall make no mistake in choosing the poll
cy which inspires With hope and crowns
it with dignity, which gives safety to capital
and protects its increase. which secures pol
itical power to every citizen, comfort and I
culture to every home. To this end notle
earnestly and more directly rs private cti
zen than as public candidate shall devote
myself with the confident belief that the
e thn Enrnrr ma mill Inn |