The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-05-30
SETTLED By MIR. BLAINE.
He Makes a Statement in Justice TO
His Friends and Himself,
Reaffirming the Decision Of the Flor
eDce Letter.
That Letter Intended as am Absolute
Withdrawal,
After Which Acceptance Would be I'm.
possible.
Mr.. Blaine Confident Of Republican
Success in November.

New YORK. May 29.-The Tribune will
print tomorrow the following letter from
Mr.. Blaine to Whitelaw Reid. dated Paris.
May nth:
Since my return to Paris from Southern
Italy. ON the sth inst. 4 have learned what l
did not before believe) that my name may
yet be presented to the national convention
as candidate for the Presidential nomina-
tion sof the Republican party. A single
phrase of my letter of January 25th. from
Florence, which was decisive of everything
l had personal power to decide, has been
treated by many of my most intimate friends
as not absolute conclusive. in the ultimate
and possible contingencies. On the other
hand, friends equally devoted and disinter-
ested have construed my letter. as 1t should
be construed, to be unconditional in with
holding my name from the national conyen-
ton They have, in consequence, given their
support to eminent gentlemen who are can
didates for the Chicago nomination, some of
whom would not, / am sure. have consented
to assume that position if l had desired to
represent the party in the presidential con-
test Of 1888.
If I should now, by speech or by silence,
by commission or ommission, permit my
name, in any event to come before the con-
yention, | should incur the reproach of being
uncandid with those who have always been
candid with me. speak, therefore, because
am not willing to remain in doubtful at
titude. | am not willing to be the cause of
misleading single man among the millions
who have given me their suffrages and their
confidence. am not willing that even one
of my faithful supporters In the past should
think me capable of paltering in a double
sense with my word. Assuming that the
Presidential nomination could by any posi-
BILE chance be offered, could not accert it
without leaving in the minds of thousands of
these men the impression that / had not
been free from indirection, and therefore i
could not accept it at all. Misrepresen-
tations of malace have no weight
but the just displeasure of friends l could
not patiently endure. Republican victory,
the prospects OF which grow brighter every
day, can be imperilled only by lack of unity
in council or by acrimonious contest over
men. The issue of protection is incalcula-
bly, stronger and greater than any man, tor
it concerns the prosperity Of the present
and generations yet to come. Were it posi-
BILE for every voter of the republic to see for
himself the condition and recompense of
labor in Europe, the party of free trade in
the United States would not receive the sup
port of one wage worker between the two
oceans 1t may not be directly in our power
as philanthropists to elevate the European
laborer but it will be lasting stigma upon
our craftsmanship if we permit the Ameri-
can laborer to be forced down to the Euro
pean level. And in the end, the rewards of
labor everywhere will be advanced if we
steadily refuse to lower the standard at
home.
Yours very sincerely,