The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1888-02-16
HE DECLINES.

letter of Hon. James G. Blaine withdraw
ing from the presidential candidacy:
FLORENCE, Italy, Jan. rs, 1888.
B. F. Jones', Esq, Chairman of the Re
publican National Committee.
Sn-I wish through you to state to the
of the republican party that
my name will not be presented to the ma
tional convention called to assemble in
Chicago in June next for the nomination
of candidates for president and vice pres
ident of the United States. / am con-
strained to this decision by considera-
atious entirely personal to myself,
which you were advised more than a |
Sear ago. But / cannot make the an
nouncement without giving expression
to my deep sense of gratitude to the
many thousands of my countrymen who |
have sustained me so long and so cor
daily that their feeling has seemed to go
beyond the ordinary adherence of fellow
partisans and to partake somewhat OF
the nature of personal attachment. For
this most generous loyalty of friendship
can make no adequate return, dut l
shall carry the memory of it while life
lasts. Nor can refrain from congratu-
lating the republican party upon the
cheering prospects which distinguish the
opening of the national contest OF 1888
as compared with that of 1884. In 1882
the republican party throughout the
union met with a disastrous defeat.
Ten states that had supported Garfield
and Arthur in the election of 1880 were
carried by the Democrats either by ma
iorities or pluralities. The republican
loss in the northern elections compared
with the preceding national election
exceeded half million votes, and the
electoral votes of the union divided on
the basis of the result of 1882, gave to
the Democrats over three hundred electors
out of a total vote Of four hundred and
one. There was partial reaction IN
favor of the republicans in the elections
of 1885, but the democrats still held pos
session of seven northern states, and on
the basis of the years contest could show
more than one hundred majority IN the
electoral college of the whole country.
But against the discouragment natural
" following the adverse elections OF
these two years the spirit OF the republl-
can party in the national contest of 1884
rose high, and the republican masses
| entered into the campaign with such en-
| ergy that the final result depended on
the vote of single state, and that state
was carried by democratic plurality so
small that it represented less than
one-eleventh of one per cent of the entire
vote. The change of a single vote in
every two thousand of the total poll
would have given the state to the repub-
licans, though only two years before the
democratic plurality exceeded 92,OOO)
one hundred and ninety-two thousand.
The elections of 1886 and 1887 have
demonstrated growing strength in the
republican ranks. Seldom in our political
history has party, defeated in nation
al election, rallied Immediately with such
vigor as have the republicans since 1884.
No comparison is possible between the
spirit of the party in 1928 and its spirit
in 1867. The two periods present sim.
ply a contrast-the one of general de
preston, the other of enthusiastic revival
Should the party gain in the results o.
1888 over those of 1867, in anything
like the proportion of the gain OF 1854
over 1928, it would secure one OF thu
most remarkable victories of its entire
existence. But victory does not depeno
on so large ratio of increase; the par
ty has only to maintain relatively it:
!. prestige of 1867 to give to its nationa
candidate every northern state but one
with far better prospect OF carrying
that one than it has had for the past SD
} years. Another feature of the politica
situation should inspire republicans witt
irresistible strength. The present ma
tional administration was elected will
if not upon, the repeated assertions o
it's leading supporters in every protection
state that no issue on the tariff was IN
I--11 x.@,act1xy ,-or,,1h1Ioo n
urged that question as the one of con
trolling influence in the campaign, the,
were met bv the democratic leaders ant
journals with persistent evasion, con
cea1ment and denial. That resource tn
president has fortunately removed. TIL
, issue which the republicans maintained
and the democrats avoided in 1884 ha
been prominently and specifically brough
forward by the democratic president ant
cannot be hidden out of sight in 1888
The country is now in the enjoyment O
an industrial system which in a quartz
of century has assured larger nation
/ al growth, a more rapid accumulation
and broader distribution Of wealth thai
, were ever before known to history. TIL
American people will now be openly ant
formally asked to decide whether thi
system shall berecklessly abandoned AM
new trial be made of an old experiment
which has uniformly led to national EN-
barrassment and widespread individual
f distress. On the result of such an issue
+ fairly presented to the popular judgment
there is no room for doubt. One thin,
only is necessary to assure success-com
t plete harmony and cordial cooperation
: on the part of all republicans, on the par
both of those who aspire to lead and Q
those who are eager to follow. TIL
duty is not one merely of honorable de
votion to the party whose record AM
f whose aims are alike great, but it is on
!, demanded by the instinct of selfinteres
and by the still higher promptings @
patriotism. A closer observation of tn
conditions of life among the older nation
gives one a more intense desire that tn
, American people shall make no mistak
in choosing the policy which inspire
labor with hope and crowns it with dig
nifty, which gives safety to capital ant
/ protects its increase; which secures pc
: litical power to every citizen, comfor
and culture to every home. To this end
not less earnestly and more directly as
, private citizen than as public candidat
shall devote myself, with the confden
belief that the administration of the gov
eminent will be restored to the part,
which has demonstrated the purpose ant
the power to WELD it for the unity ant
the honor of the republic, for the pros
perity and progress of the people. I am
very sincerely, JAMES G. BLAINE.