The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1888-09-27

AUGUSTA, Mg,, September 20 The Ken
nebee Journal to-day will publish the fol-
lowing A representative Of this paper
called on Mr., lllane Monday 10 ask II he
desired TO say anything In answer 10 the
recently published letter attributed 10 the
late Senator Conklng,
Mr., Blaine said Nothing could Induce
me 10 enter into controversy over Mr..
Conkllngs grave During our Joint service
IN Congress sixteen years In alive
had some exasperallng controversies, but l
never spoke or wrote word concerning
him except publicly and now that he 10
dead, my lips are sealed against every form
OF criticism or unklnd expression, no mat
TOR what way be the imprudenee or the In
justice Of any ot his surviving friends"
Our reporter asked Mr., Blaine II he had
noticed that doubt had been expressed Ia
several papers rs TO Mr., Conkllng being tho
author Of the published letter Mr., Blaine
replied that Of course he knew nothing
about that point, but II waa great sur
prise 10 him that such letter should have
been written by Mr., Conkllng, The date
shows that the letter was written Just SIX
days after the close Of an eKasperatng per-
s0nal debate with Mr. Conkllng, and II Mr.,
Conklng had intended 10 say anything OF
the kind he would have been apt TO say II
then and not Immediately after
ward In private letter which
was not given TO the public for twenty
two years iand not until Mr.. Conkllng
had been dead several months, Tho whole
affair was not In accordance with Mr.,
Conkling's habtual courage In debate,
When asked II he knew anything OF Cram
dali or Haddock, Mr. Blaine replied that
ho had never seen either OF them, aud had
never heard the name OF either, except on
the occasion Of bis personal debate with Mr,
Conkllng In April 1860, Though lao had
not charged his mind with the fact, no ~
TO remember accurately, his strong impress
sion was that they we're both officers IN
New York under the enrolment act during
the war and that both had been dismissed
from the service for misconduct In Office.
Mr.. Blaine was then asked II hc had any.
thing TO say about the charge that he had
made money out OF the recruiting funds Of
the war.
lie replied that II might with equal truth
be charged that no made money by robbing
the mails or by piracy on the high seas.
The reporter asked II the whole business OF
the recruiting scandal had not been inyes'
tlgatod In Maine,
Never said Mr. Blaine twas subject
moro thoroughly or moro persistenty In
yostgOted than the recruiting scandals
which grow up In this State the last year Of
tho war, in coneotion with the filling OF
town quotas by what were known rs paper
credits II was investigated by special
committees Of two Legislatures, and finally
and most searchingly by apubic commits.
sion, composed Of three prominent gem
temen. Two Of whom were eminent
lawyers and the third distinguished OIL.
Ger In the late war, One Of the lawyers
was Democrat Of the most pronounced
type, There Is not word OF evidence or
even suggestion or hint In any one OF tho
reports that had any more connection
with the matter than had Mr., Conkling or
his unwise friend who publishes this letter
and attributes II 10 the dead statesman"