National Republican., 1888-04-21
uNEou1vocALLY OUT or IT.
Blaincs Letter Emphnticaliy Dcciin.
ing the Somination.

lnE lnc "OminNtiOns
FLORENCE, Italy, Jan. %. lsSs.-B. ~ JoSEs,
rsq, Chairman of the Republican National
Committoc-SlR: wish through you to state
to the members of the Republican party that
my name will not he 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
lam constrained to this decision by ronsid.
trutluns entirely personal To myself Of which
you were advised more than u year ago. Bat
cannot make the announcement without
giving expression to my deep sense Of gratl-
tudC to tile many thousands of my country
men who have sustained me SO long and 50
cordially that their feeling has seemed to 90
lcyond the ordinary political adherence Of
fellow.paTtisai and to partakc somewhat to
the nature of personal attachment, For this
most generous loyalty Of friendship | can
make uu adequate return, but shall carry the
memory of II while life lasts.
Nor can | refrain from congratulating the
Republican, party upon the cheering prospect;
which distinguish the opening of the national
contest of 1879 as compared with TINT of 1881.
In 1889 the Republican party throughout the
Union met with disastrous defeat Ten
stAtCs that had supported Garfield and Arthur
In the election of 1870 We're carried by the
Democrats either by maiurlics or plurulitiC'.
The Republican loss In the northern elections
compared with the preceding national uleC.
ion exceeded half i million votes, and the
electoral votes Of the Union, divided on the
ba, Is II the result of l'''!. gave to the Demo.
Gratis over 300 electors ont of totHl ut lOl.
There was n partial reaction In favor of the
Republicans IN the election 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.
Hut against the discOuingcmcnt naturally
following the adverse elections of those two
years the spirit Ui the Republican party in the
national contest of 1881 rose high, and the Re.
publican masses entered into the campaign
with such energy that the final result depended
on the vote of a single state and that state
was carried by the Democratic party by II
plurality So small that II represented less than
one eleventh Of ono per cent. ut the entire
vote. The change OF single vote n every
lgOOOl two thousand Of the total poll would
have giNemthc state To the Republicans. though
only two years before the Democratic plu
rality exceeded ul90oO one hundred and
Tho elections OF issG and 1885, have demon-
Strated growing strength in the Republican
ranks, Seldom In our political history has y
party, defeated In a national election, rallied
Immediately with such vigor as have the Re.
uthliCans since 1881. No comparison l. pos.
siblc betME cen the spirit Of the party in lss.t3
ana IL ;pi;t m s the two periods pre-
preston, the other of enthusiastic revival.
| should the party gain, In the results of 1898
| over those Of 1867; In anything like the pro.
| portion OF the gain of 1881 over 1923, II would
| secure one of the most remarkable victories of
| It, entire existence. But victory does not de
| pend on so large ratio of increase: the party
| has only tO maintain relatively its prestige of
| 1856; 10 give TO its national candidate every
| northern state but one, with far better pros
| Ecct of carrying that one than 1t has had for
| the past six years.
Another feature of the political situation
should inspire Republicans with irresistible
| strength. The present national a1minstra.
tion was elected with, il, not upon, the re.
| pCatcd 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,
| journals with persistent evasion, conceal
| mcnt. and denial. That resource the Presi'
dent has fortunately removed, The issue
which the Republicans maintained and the
| Democrats avoided in 10y has been proinin'
! entity and specifically brought forward by the
| Democratic President and cannot be hidden
| the enjoyment of an industrial system which,
| IN quarter Of u century has assured larger
national growth, q more rapid accumulation,
and broader distribution of wealth than
We're ever before known to history. The
| American people will now be openly and
formally asked TO decide whether this system
shall be recklessly abandoned and new trial
be made Of an old experiment which ha. uni
| fOrmly led to national embarrassment and
widespread individual distress. on the re
suit of such an issue, fairly presented to the
| popular Judgment, there Is no room for doubt
Que thing only is necessary 70. assure sue
| complete harmony and cordial cO-operl
iton on the, part of all Rcpubllcans-on thu
| rart both Of those who aspire to lead and o
| those who are eager to follow, The duty l.
| not one merely OF honorable devotion to thc
| party whose record and whose aims are ulikt
| great, but II Is one demanded by the instinct
OF scll:ntercst, and by the still higher prompt
| ings of patriotism.
A closer observation of the conditions of lif,
among the older nations gives one a more in
| make no mistake in choosing the policy whicl
inspires labor with hope and crowns II witt
dignity, which give safety to capital aud pro
tccts its increase, which secures politica
| power TO every citizen, comfort. and culture tl
every home. TO this end, not less carnestl!
! and more directly as u private citizen than u
| a public candidate, shall devote myself Will
tile confident belief that the administration o
the government will be restored to the part,
which has demonstrated the purpose ant
the power to WELD II for the unity and tn
proSress TH Of III the % peHpc am. an" vepy sinGerci
Yours :. NNES q, BLAINE,