The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-02-29

myself in the success of the party Mr..
Blaine does not now expect to return to the
United States until after the republican
convention in June He wishes to avoid
the slightest criticism directed against him
as desiring to influence in the remotest de-
gree the Chicago convention.
4" asked Mr.. Blaine the direct question
whether he had Withdrawn in favor of any
particular candidate. He replied: / have
not. / have expressed no opinion on the
subject to any one, and do not intend to do so.
If 1 were to make the slightest suggestions
in any way it would merely afford people an
opportunity of saying that was DESTROYS of
continuing to gain power in politics through
indirect means. 1t would certainly impugn
the good faith of my withdrawal.
asked Mr.. Blaine If he had not fully
determined to retire from politics when he
came to Europe last year. He said that he
had. His letter of withdrawal was prepared
some weeks ago. He had withheld it from
publication only out of regard for the APP
peals in letters and dispatches of personal
friends in the United States who knew of
his intention, and who had made repeated
requests to him to keep back his declaration
and to stand again. They had urged upon
him that the prospects of the party were now
much brighter than they were in 1884, and
that he could and would have a much better
chance of being elected. He had replied to
them however, that he did not feel equal to
the task of another campaign. He had
was to have any pleasure or happiness with
his family, it was now and when any great
burden or strain would certainly injure his
health. He was told in answer to this that
he need not raise his finger in the campaign;
that he could be elected If he should sit per-
fectly quiet and not make single speech or
even appear at a single meeting. To this
Mr.. Blaine replied that he would not accept
the nomination and do any less than he did
in the previous campaign. He could not
mi lifnaalf N hn of mot mr. a1rip
to take as much interest in this years cam
paign as in the last presidential canvass.
&c. after due Difference to his friends, he pub
lshed his letter. | said to Mr. Blaine that
when he published from Paris his criticism
of the presidents tariff message the people
in the United States generally regarded this
as his formal temperance in the campaign
as a candidate.
" Mr.. Blaine replied that he understood
that this was the impression At the time
of permitting that interview to be published
he was fresh from reading the message, and
he saw in it an opportunity for his party.
| He became convinced at once that it could
win this year upon the issue made by the
president. What he said then was for the
! purpose of bringing out and making clear
the possibility of victory indicated by the
message. At the time of his talk with the
! Tribune correspondent at Paris he was
as fully decided upon his letter of
withdrawal as upon the day of its pub
that he had made this possibility of
victory very plain and clear in his letter,
and that he could add nothing to that. He
had no personal suggestions to make be-
yond the general outline which he had al
ready given of what he thought the repub-
lican party could do to win. | asked Mr..
| Blaine about several of the prominent can
didateS, seeking to gain some expression of
opinion from him in negative and indirect
way concerning his choice among them all.
| specially asked him about Senator John
Sherman-what he thought of his chances.
| But instead of making any answer he asked
me questions upon this subject and wound
up with a general statement that he had no
personal preferences to express and that
his hearty support and sympathy would go
to whomsoever should be nominated.
Toward the close of my last call / asked
Mr.. Blaine when he expected to return to
America. He said that he expected to reach
New York about the last of June. He ex-
poets to spend the late spring in London.
He has not yet determined upon his move
ments. After leaving Florence he will
probably go straight to England from Italy.
He said, with an air of frankness not to be
mistaken: You have no idea what re-
lief it is to me to think that l am now out of
the canvass, and that, when 1 come back to
New York in the summer, | shall not be GO
ing back there to face reception after recep-
ton and to enter into the turmoil and ex-
element of political canvass. | can now
come back quietly, after the convention
has decided the result and enjoy my own
life in my own way, free, hope, from
further criticism or comment"
The correspondent says of Mr.. Blaines
appearance: His eyes looked bright and
clear, his color was good and he displayed
the same alacrity in moving about as in
years past. In no way do his movements
indicate Illness"