The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1888-05-19
THE BLAINE LETTER.

our canUluate eau Aoe Sos oss1>>
Horatio Seymour in 1868. yet he was
the candidate. Il
Two days before the assembling IL
the Cincinnati convention in 1881. MI.
Tilden, universally credited with UNI
common astuteness as politlcian'
wrote letter to the New York delega-
ton, wherein. having reviewed the post
election proceedings of 1876. he said;
Ihaye steadfastly en- 1eavored to preserve 70
the Democratic party Of the United states tho
supreme issue before the people ior tneir oe-
cision next November, whether there snan %
a government by the sovereign people through
elections, or government by discarded sol.
wants holding over by force and fraud ana
have withheld no sacrifice and neglected no OPP
portunity to uphold, organize and consolidate
against the enemies of republican fnstitutions
the great party which alone, under Coo, can
effectually resist their overthrow.
But he protested that he desired
nothing SO much as an honorable dis
charge from leadership which had LETT
its scars upon HIM, and the convention
took him at his word. 1t preserved in
its platform rebuke for the fraud
which had defeated Tilden in 1876. and
met defeat under another candidate.
1t will be a moot question always
whether or not Mr.. Tilden's declina-
ton was unalterable. 1t is certain,
however, that by the assumption that
under 70 circumstances would he be
| candidate the convention of the party
threw away an opportunity OF triumph
as full as that enjoyed by Jackson's
friends in 1928.
MIR. Blaine's letter from Florence
declining to have his name presented
to the Chicago convention may or
may not be sincere. The bitter ex-
periences of 1884 would justify the
declaration of withdrawal. Let the
best possible showing be made for the
candidate in that campaign-and no
one could have presented it more
deftly than the candidate himself-it
remains the fact that Blaine was dis
tinctly repudiated by the American
people because of lack of confidence
in the integrity of his character as an
official. The vast Irish vote sum-
4 moned to his aid upon the supposition
of his deep-seated prejudice against
the Government of Great Britain could
not save him. He would be bold
man who, having no new evidence to
present, would venture new trial be-
fore twelve million American electors
and hope for vindication. But au-
dacity is one Of Mr.. Blaine's marked
characteristics This was shown 10
| the swiftness with which the Indian.
apolis suit for libel was instituted. and
the readiness with which, the cam
paign being over, it was withdrawn
upon the allegation that an Impartial
Jury could not be impaneled in lndi
a ana to try such an issue.
To be in the attitude of having
! nomination forced upon him would sui
$ Mr.. Blaine's purposes if he still fee
4 that he must have chance at the Pres
4 idency. but such q letter as that from
: Florence is dangerous expedient /
$ releases every politician from all sens
|. of personal obligation to Blaine ant
a sets him searching for and making in
: terest with q new leader. So far a
expression has been heard from tn
4 Republican press upon the Florenc
d declaration the willingness to let Blain
!. 90 in peace must prove humi ating t
+ man looking for protests against tn
L course he indicates as personally net
II essary and desirable.
r Whether Mr. Blaine write an ope
a letter for general reading or a privat
It letter, which he insists shall be burned
IT his reputation makes his effort unfor
Or innate. No one who knows him wi
IN incline TO the opinion that he dismiss
of the ambition of fifteen years thus rea'
% lily. The general inclination will be
70 await the progress of events. Bot Il
Sc shrewd, it may be the super-smart o.
I'd server, will flatter himself with the n
IN ton that the letter was designed
We raise up colony of rival claimants #
s. the nomination in order that their co
or tention may create Blaine's oppo
IN tunity.
I'd MIR. Blaine knows that the Americs
lie people look upon the Pr sidency as
mt great prize, and will not readily i
he lieve that any man having even t
m mere chance of grasping it will PERI
T. the opportunity to escape him. N
en- Blaine has not stated that he wou
under all circumstances decline mol
an ination. And he will be regarde
al therefore, as still possibility.-C
al