Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-02-14
Observation-Disclosures Il, 1888.
Nfr. blaine Declines.


We print in onothcr column letter
from Mr.. BLAINE declaring unequivo-
cally that his name evil not be pre-
sented to the next Republican National
Convention.
We need rot ask whether or not Mr..
BLAINE is in earnest in this declaration.
The circumstances of the case absolutely
negative the idea that he could have
been otherwise than candid He had,
as We have often said, the nomination in
his own power All that he had to do
was to say that he would accept 1t. If
he wanted it 1t was political suicide IN
him TO write such letter as the one be-
fore us.
But why does he decline He follows
the example set by Mr.. TmDEN and Mr.
SEYMOUR in 1880, both of whom declined
the nomination for the presidency. But
they both declined the presidency as well
rs the nomination for if either had con
scented to run, he would have been
elected President. Mr.. BLAINE. as We
stated weeks ago, knows the difference be-
tween declining a nomination and decli-
ningan Office, Hehasnow dOnethe former
only. BY the way, now that he IS out of
the race, we are glad that we last week
took occasion TO give him credit for
having Joined hands with Mr.. RANDALL
in defeating the force bill We said at
the same time that he was not going to
be elected President We always favored
BLAINE for that Office whenever his name
was up-we mean, Of course, that we
favored him for the Republican DOmina-
ton. We are almost ready to say that
we regret his declination. He is so far
above such men as SHERMAN, SHERIDAN,
&c. &c, that We cannot but like him.
But why, we repeat, does Mr..
BLAINE decline? OF course we can only
guess. One thing seems to be implied
in his determination and this one thing
is that Mr.. CLEVELAND is to he reelected
Recurring TO what we said lust now, We
emphasize the fact that it is a nomina-
ton only aud not the presidency that
Mr.. BLAINE declines If he had been
confident Of election he would never
have declined the nomination.
Nevertheless, il is but fair to presume
that there were other reasons than the
fear of defeat which influenced Mr..
BLAINE's action. 1t has been affirmed
repeatedly that his health was not good.
and that he was not In a condition to
undergo the strain of a campaign for the
highest office in the world. We are in
clined to think that this report is con
firmed by his defamation. His letter
bears this construction for he says that
he was " constrained to this decision by
considerations entirely personal to him
self, of which Mr.. JONES was advised
more than year ago"
Who will I've nominated by the Re
publican National Convention? We
must admit that SHERMAN seems at
present to be the strongest of the as
pirants; but we must add that we are
still of the firm opinion that no man
will ever be nominated for President
who helped to defraud Mr., TnDEN out
of that Office. Little Phil. SHERI-
DAN will soon loom up, we expect. We
are sorry to have to say this, for we
would rather see SHERMAN nominated
than SHERIDAN. SHERMAN is somebody.
But the race is anybodys now Ed
MUYDs, HAwLEY, EvARTs, CoNKLING,
ALLISON, Foraker, HARRISON, and hume
rous other names will now come up, and
there will be a scrub-race. CONKLING is
the best man on the list But Mr..
BLAINE's friends will stab him to the
heart. FORAKER will be slain by SHER-
MANS friends.
1t is a remarkable condition Of things
that now obtains. If the southern Re
publicans would stand together they
could insure the nomination of one of
their own number for Vice-President. |
They couldnot have done 50 il Mr.. BLAINE
had consented to run, for he was SO /
strong that there was no chance to trade |
with him nor with bis friends. But the |
case is altogether different to-day. A
solid Republican South could compel ,
the noInination--eve Of MALONE /
Hardly. But certainly some southern
man could get it.
MALONE will exult-nay, is exulting-
over the declination of Mr.. BLAINE. But /
let him not fiatter himself that SHERMAN /
will be able to step into BLAINE's shoes.
II is not so written in the book of fate.