Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-02-23
NOT IN THE FIELD.
Mr.. Blaiae Writes Letter TO the M.
tlonal Committee.
lie Declines che Use OF His Name for
Candidate TOR the Nomination
for President.

PrTspuRa. Pa. Feb, i2.--Mr II. +.
Jones, Chairman Of the National Rcpub
lican Committee. has received n letter
: from Mr., Blaine, declining 10 allow his
name to be presented to the National 10.
publican Convention us n candidate ;or
the Presidency, Following Is Mr. BlaincIs
letter In full:
FLORENCE, Italy, Jan, 25. n. y, Jones,
! Esq, Chairman OF the National Ropubli,
can Committee--Sn wish through
! you to state 10 the members of the Re,
publican party that my name will not bc
| presented TO the National Convention
called to assemble In Chicago in June
/ next for the nomination Of candidates for
/ President and Vice President of the
! United States,
| nm constrained to this decision by
/ considerations entirely personal 10 myself,
| Of which you were advised more than a
ycar ago But cannot make tho an.
/ nounccmcnt without giving expression TO
my deep sense Of gratitude To the many
| thousands OF my cOunIrymcn who have
sustained mo so long and 80 cordially
| that their feeling hn' seemed TO 60 beyond
! the ordinary political adherence OF fellow,
| pnrlisNns aud TO pnrtnkc 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 Congratulating
the Republican party upon the cheering
prospects which distinguish tho opening
of the National contest Of 1893 ns com,
pared with that Of 1884, In 1882 the Ros
publican party throughout the Union met
with u disastrous defeat. Ten States that
had supported Garfield and Arthur In the
election of 1890 were carried by the Dem,
ocrats either by mHjuritics or plurniiies
The Republican loss In the Northern
elections compared with the preceding
National election exceeded half n 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 a total Of iDl There was
II partial reaction In favor of the Rcpub
LEANS In the elections Of 1888 but the
Democrats still held possession Of seven
Northern States. aud ON the basis OF the
years contest could show more than 100
majority 10 the Electoral Colleges of the
whole country.
But against the encouragement natur.
| ally following the adverse elections Of
these two years the spirit Of the ltcpubli.
can party N the National contest of 1884
rose high, and the Republican masses
entered into the campaign with such
energy tina, the final result depended on
the vote % single State, aud that State
was carried by the Democratic party by
Il plurality so small that 10 represented
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 (l02, 0O0) one
hundred and ninety 1.-TWO thousand.
The elections of 1896 and 1887 have
demonstrated growing strength In the
Republican ranks Seldom in our polili.
cnl history has n party, defeated IN n
National election, rallied Immediately
with such vigor as have the Republicans
since 1884. No comparison Is possible
between the spirit of the party In 1882.
SO and It's spirit In 1861 The two
periods present simply n contrast--thc
one OF general depression. the other OF
enthusiastic revival. Should the party
gain, in the results Of 1888 over those OF
1886. 49, in anything like the proportion
Of the gain of 1884 over lSS2.'S3, Il would
secure one OF the most remarkable victor.
les Of its entire existence. But victory
does not depend on so large ratio Of in.
crease the party has only TO maintain
relatively Its prestige Of 1SSG.'S7 to give
to its National candidate every Northern
State but one. with n far better prospect
OF carrying that one than II has had for
the last six years
Another feature OF the political situa.
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 rs the one Of controlling
importance in the campaign. they were
met by the Democratic leaders and jour.
nails with persistent evasion, concealment
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. and cannot be hidden
out Of 81 ght in 1889. The country is now
in the enjoyment Of an industrial system
which in quarter OF II century has
assured large National growth, more
rapid accumulation. and broader dis
lribulion of wealth than were ever before
known to history. The American people
will now he openly and formally asked to
decide whether this system shall be
recklessly 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 IT such IN issue, fairly pre-.
scented Ia the popular alignment, there Is
NJ room for doubt.
One thing only is necessary 10 assure
success complete harmony and cordial
cooperation on the part Of the Republic
cans--cn the part of both those who aspire
10 lead and Of those who are eager to
follow The duty Is not one merely OF
honorable devotion to the party whose
record and whose aims are alike great,
but 1t is one demanded by the still higher
prompting of patriotism.
A closer observation ~ the conditions
Of life among the older nations gives one
a more intense desire ihut the American
people shall make no mistake in choosing
The policy which inspire. labor with hope
and cruwns il with dignity which gives
safe,y TO capital ani protects its increase,
winch secures political power to every
citizen, comfort and culture to every
home. To this emil, not les earnestly and
and more directly rs n private citizen
than as 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 power
10 WELD II for the unity and the homer
Of the Republic. for the prosperity and
progress Of the people, nm. very sincere
ly yours. JAMES u. BLAINE.