Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-03-02
Mr. BLAINE AGAIN



An untcrview with Hin, IL FIoreuco
IN WHICH HE SAYS HE HAS POSITIVELY WITH
DRAWN FROM THE PRESIDENTIAL CANVASS.
The New York World of last Sunday
contained three column interview with
Mr. Blaine sent by cable by the Worlds
London correspondent, T. G. Crawford,
who went to Florence for the purpose of
interviewing Mr. Blaine The object of
the interview was evidently to learn what
Mr. Blaine would say by word of mouth to
the charges that he was not sincere. in
writing his letter Of withdrawal, and that the
letter did not mean what it said Follow
ing is the essential part of the interview
Mr. Blaine asked questions at first he
wanted to know what had heard as to the
way his letter had been received. told
him that had no information, except mea-
gre scraps that had been cabed to the Lon
don papers. The general opinion howev
or, among unfriendly papers, was that he
was not sincere in writing the letter to Mr..
Jones, aud that it was considered by such
unfrendly papers as calling public atten-
ton to himself again as a candidate.
In this connection asked Mr.. Blaine the
direct question whether he would, under
any circumstances, permit his name to be
used again as a candidate. He replied in "A
most emphatic negative; but then added
81 do not wish to make any new affirma-
tions upon the subject. Ihave said all that
! wish TO say upon this subject in that let
ter. That letter, as you must know, was
not hap hazard, off -hand affair. 1t was
the result of much deliberation and careful
thought You will remember that told
you in Paris last December that | had no
intention of being candidate again, and
that had practically made up my mind at
that time to forbid the use of my name in
the approaching convention"
Mr. Blaine said, further on in the CONVEX
sation, that he came to Europe to get away
from politics, and to be in a position where
his actions could be subject to as little mis-
representation as possible. Several weeks
ago he saw that there was such move
ment in the Republican party as to make it
almost certain that he would be renominat-
ed, and twas to head off this that he wrote
the letter to Mr., Jones.
Mr.. Blaine then said in speaking of his
withdrawal, that he had been urged to
more speedy action ON account of the can
didacy of other prominent Republicans. If
there had been no other candidates in the
field at this time he might have delayed it
little but he wished to leave the field clear
for other candidates now in the field. 1t
could not be said that he was deserving the
party in any way, as there were now
number Of good candidates in the running,
and that upon his return home he would
work to the extent Of his ability for the
success Of any candidate nominated by his
party. Growing more explicit, he said
81 hold that have no right TO be a can
didate again. A man who has once been
candidate of his party and been defeated,
owes it to his party to withdraw and not be
candidate second time More than this, &"
he added, there is another plain reason
for my withdrawing. | could not 20 through
the burden and fatigue of another presiden-
tial canvass, such one as the canvass of
the last campaign. To accept a nomination
and do less than before would be impossi-
bic 1t would look as if had no faith in
myself or in the success of the party"
Mr.. Blaine talked easily and without the
slightest apparent feeling. He is out of
politics. something that his enemies will find
very hard to believe. No one who knows
Mr.. Blaine can question his sincerity.
saw him nearly every day during the last
presidential campaign, and know just how
much of burden he carried then. Since
that time he has fully recovered from its ex-
haustiOns and its disappointments. He be
lieved and perhaps still believes, that his
final defeat was owing to a mere accident,
though he accepted the result with philoso-
ply from the beginning but he now pre-
fers life Of quiet aud study 10 that Of the
fevered action of politics. He does not
now expect to return to the United States
until after the Republican convention in
June He wishes to avoid the slightest crit
icism directed against him as desiring to in
tluence i'll the remotest degree the action of
the Chicago convention.
Mr.. Blaine was asked when he had posi-
lively determined to withdraw. He said
that he had made up his mind long ago not
to 90 through another political campaign.
| called Mr.. Blaines attention to the con
versatiun which | had with him in his
house in Washington Just before the Chi
cago convention of 1884 At that time he
clearly foresaw the campaign. lie said
then that he felt perfectly confident the
Republican party was going to be defeated ;
in other words, he felt that the odds were
all against the party, and that it had an up
hill fight before it Mr.. Blaine said he re
membered distinctly this conversation. He
did not believe in the spring of 1884, that
the Republican party could win. The de-
feats Of 1882 and 1888 and the dissatisfac-
ton evident throughout the country, made
him believe that the Republican party was
doomed to defeat in that year. Today the
situation is different He now believes that
the Republican party will win in the COM
ing campaign, if upon no other issue than
upon that of the tariff. But he has, in
spite of that belief, passed beyond the posi-
ton of reluctance to one of absolute de-
termination to never enter the political
field again as a presidential candidate. He
said upon this head
Il could not go through this contest with
the certainty of the presidency at the end
of it. The struggle is too great, and there
is nothing in life worth such contest"
| asked Mr. Blaine if he had not fully de
termned TO retire from politics when he
came to Europe last year. He said that he
had his letter of withdrawal prepared some
weeks ago. He had withheld it from publ
cation only out of regard for the appeals in
letters and dispatches from personal friends
in the United States, who knew of his in
tention, and who had made repeated re-
quests to him to keep back his declaration,
and to stand again. They had urged upon
him that the prospects of the party were
now much brighter than they were in 1884,
and that he could and would have a much
better chance of being elected. He had re-
piled to them, however, that he did not feel
equal to the task of another campaign, as
he had reached that period in life when,
if he ever was to have any pleasure or
happiness with his family, it was now, and
when any great burden or strain would
certainly injure his health.
| said to Mr.. Blaine, that when he pub
lished from Paris his criticism of the Presi-
dents tariff message, people in the United
States generally regarded this as his for
mai temperance in the campaign as a can
didate, Mr.. Blaine replied that he had un-
derstood this was the impression. At the
time of permitting that interview to be
published he was fresh from reading the
message, and he saw in it an opportunity
for his party. He became convinced at
once that it could win this year upon the
issue made by the President What he said
then was for the purpose of bringing out
and making clear the possibilities of victo-
ry indicated by the message At the time
of his talk with the Republican correspond
ent at Paris, he was us fully decided upon
his letter of withdrawal as upon the day of
its publication.
Mr.. Blaine said he thought that he had
made this possibility Of victory very plain
and clear in his letter, and he could add
nothing to that He had no personal sug-
gestions TO make beyond the general out
line which he had already given of what he
thought the Republican party should do to
win.
Women and the Rum Traffic.
From the Rutland Heraldl
The Massachusetts, senate, by the casting
vote Of President Boardman, has refused