Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1888-02-15
OUT OF THE RACE.
James G. Blaine, with Dignity
Retires Firm the Struggle
for Party Nomination.
The Party in the Past and
Cheering Prospects for the
Future.
BLAINE's RETIRING BOW.

BLAINE's RETIRING BOW.
A Notable Letter From the "Plumed
Knight" Renouncing all Claim ON the
Republican Conyention-How 1t Was Re-
ceiysd.
Tne Pittsburg Gazette published on
NJ 'nday the following letter from Jas.
q. Blaine, which carries coIvictiop:
FLORENCE. ITALY, Jan. 2j, 1883.
To Is. +. Jone-, ED, Chairman Of the
Republican National Committee:
FIR:
wish, through you, to state to the
members Of the Republican party that
nv name will not be presented To the
y .tionsl Convention, called % assem-
bic in Chicago in June next, for the
nomination OF q candidate for Presi.
dent and Vice President Of the United
States. 1 am constrained to this deci-
sion by considerations entirely per
sonal to myself, of which you were ad'
vised more than year ago. But
cannot make the announcement with.
out giving expression to my deep
sense Of gratitude to the many thou.
sands OF my countrymen who have
sustained me 40 long an 80 cordially,
that their feeling mas seemed 10 20 be.
'yond the ordinary political adherence
OF fellow psrtisios aud TO ptrtsks
somewhat OF the nature OF personal at.
tachment. For this most generous
loyalty Of friendship l can make no
adequate return, but l shall carry the
memory Of IL while life lasts. Nor
can refrain from cong rstulnting The
Republican party upon the cheering
prospects which distinguish the open
ing Of the national contest Of 1888. ss
com pared with that Of 1854.
In 1882 the Republican party
throughout the Union met with dis
astrous defeat. Ten states that had
supported Garfield aud Arthur in the
election Of 1880 were carried by the
Democratic either by majorities OF
plurslities. The Republican loss In
the northern elections, compared with
the preceding national election, ex
ceeding balf.milllon votes, and tht
electoral votes of the Union, divided
on the basis Of the result of 1884, gave
the Democrats oyer three hundred
electors out OF q total of four hundred
and one. There was partial reaction
Ia favor Of the Republicans in the elec-
tions Of 1853, but the Democrats still
held possession OF seven northern
states, aud on the basis OF the years
contest could show more than 100 ma
jority in the.electoral college of the
whole country.
But against the encouragement nat
urally following the adverse elections
OF these two years the spirit Of the Re
publican party Ia the national contest
of 1854 rose high, and the Republican
masses entered into the campsigr
with such energy that the final resul
depended on the vote Of single state
and that state was carried by the Dem
ocrstlc party by n pleurality so small
that IL represented less than one elev
enth of one per cent of the entire vote
The change OF a single vote 10 ever.
second two thousand Of the total pol
would haye given the state to the Re
publicans. though only two years be
fore the Democratic plurality exceed
ed $4,000.
The elections of 1856 aud 1857 hav
demonstrated the growing strength i
the Republican ranks. Seldom in ou
political history has n party, defe,te'
Ia q national election, rallied immed
ately with such yigor rs have the Il,
publicans since 1884. No compariso
is possible between the spirit of III
party in 1898, aud its spirit In 1885,
The two periods present simply con
trast-the one Of general depression
the other of enthusiastic reviva
Should the other party gain in the n
suits Of 1883 over those OF 1857 in an
thing like the proportion OF the gal
OF 1884 over 1923. IT would secure on
OF the most remarkable victories Of 1t
entire existence. But victory doe
not depend on SO large ratio OF 10
cfeIse. The party has only to main
tain relatively IL. prestige OF 1857 t'
give to lts national candidate ever!
northern state but one, with far bet
ter prospect Of carrying that one thai
II has had for the past six years.
Another feature OF the political stu
alton should inspire the Republican
with irresistible strength. The PREF
ent national administration wa
elected with II not upon the repeate
assertions Of lite leading supporters q
every protection state that no Issue o