Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-01
MI. Rla,ne's Frlonds.


that it is possible that as Mr.. BLAINE IS
still under sixty years of age he prefers
10 wait until 1892 before appearing again
upon the presidential rsce-track. This
suggestion is based upon the assumption
that the Republican party will probably
be stronger in 1892 than it now Is, and
upon the further assumption that MIR.
BLAINE will be as popular with his party
then as he is now. But Mr.. BLAINE
is not the man to allow himself
to be deceived by such n mi
rage in the political horizon. He
knows well that nothing succeeds like
success. He sees that Mr.. CLRvKLASD's
Vecupancy of the presidential chair has
contribh ,ed as much as the popularity OF
bis policy towards rendering his renomi-
nation certainty. Mr.. BLAINE knows
alsothatif the Republican party is defeat
ed this year that defeat will end the exist
ence Of that party as the war party, and,
ordering the bloody shirt to the rear,
viii compel the voters to align them
selves on new issues. In that event he,
rs a defeated nominee of the defunct
party, would of course disappear from
view as an aspirant to the office of Pre-
sident.
On the other hand, if the Republicans
should elect the President this year, he
would almost certainly be a candidate
for denomination in 1892, and thus keep
Mr. BLAINE in enforced retirement.
tits "now or never" with Mr.. BLAINE.
We see, therefore, no reason to doubt
that if Mr.. BLAINE is ever to run again
for the presidency he must run this year.
But he will not consent to run this year
unless be shall be nominated as if by
reclamation by the Chicago convention.
In word, he will not consent to run
unless he is forced to run. Mr.. Sly
MoUR, president of the Democratic Ma
tional Convention Of 1863, said on the
platform to the convention itself, "Your
candidate / cannot be, and yet he was
nominated, and, stranger still, he ac-
copied the nomination. Why may not
Mr.. BLAINE be in like manner cOnstrain-
ed against his will to stand once more
for the highest office in the world ?
Is it not worth while for his friends
TO determine TO put him to the test?
In Virginia the Blaineites, or anti-M
HONE Republicans, have this one card to
play in order to kill off MALONE and
SHRRMAN-both now their enemies-and
secure for themselves the respect to
which they are entitled as the best repre-
sentatives of the Republican party. Will
they play it
What are the signs of the times
amongst Blaineites in other States ? We
reply that inasmuch as it is universally
conceded that Mr. BLAINE is the choice
of a large majority, not to say nine
tenths, of the Republicans all over the
Union, it rests with the Blaineites them
selves to decide whether he shall or shall
not he the nominee OF the Chicago con-
VentiOn.
But what are the Blaineites in other
states doing? Well, they seem to have
been dazed by Mr.. BLAINE declination,
and not to have recovered entirely from
the effects of that blow. We take it for
granted, however, that If Mr. BLAINE's
principal organ, which is also the leading
Republican paper in the United States,
the New York TrsbuRe, shall intimate
that Mr.. BLAINE ought to be nominated
in spite Of his declination, the Blaineites
everywhere, and particularly those in
Virginia. will act upon that hint.
Let us read between the lines some of
the TriJvne'S utterances. 4 day or two
pgo il repeated what it said when Mr..
BLAINR's declination was first made
known, that cit withdraws his name
from the consideration of Republicans
for the nomination in their approaching
national convention SO. far as it is in his
power to do So"
$50 far as it is in his power TO do So"
What mean those words except that Mr..
BLMNE may be compelled to run?
Again The tribune recently said:
cit is au obvious fact that the Re
publican National Convention will be
almost wholly composed ofardent friends
OF Mr.. Blaine. Such a convention can
not possibly nominate any one who is
recognized as especially hostile 10 him,
or likely TO spurn his advice. If the
hostility OF Mugwumps and so-called
independents is as potent as they pre-
tend that II is, there would seem to be
but little prospect of ayefting that hos
tility by the nomination OF any candi-
date VINO would be acceptable to a ma
iority Of the convention"
In other words, asks the organ, why
should Mr.. BLANE's friends, OF whom
the National Convention viii be "almost
wholly composed" nominate anybody
else than Mr. BLAINE, seeing that the
Mugwumps and so-called Independents
VII refuse 20 support any man that may
be nominated ? Why not nominate the
man of our choice and take the conse-
quences
And only day before yesterday the
Tribune put ont the following significant
feeler. Read il between the lines and
learn lbs meaning. We quote:
1.-The anxiety OF Democrats 10 make
4. certain that Mr. Blaine is not 70 be
the Republican candidate affords food
for thought. II there we're any real be- |
lief that Mr.. Blaine could be easily or
surely beaten not Democratic journal
10 the country would be found" &C., &c.
flood for thought? What does
that mean Z? II means "learn from your