Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-02-13
BLAINE DECLINES.
he Declares that He is Not q Presidential
Candidate.
Chairman Jones Gives to the Public the
Plumed Knights Able Letter.
Withdrawing His Name

PITrsBURG, Pa, Feb. l2.
The Pittsburg Commercial Gazette vii
publish the following tomorrow
Mr.. B. +. Jones, chairman of the Repub
lican National Committee, has received
letter from Mr.. Blaine, declining to allow
his name TO be presented TO the National Re
publican Convention, as candidate for til,
Presidential nomination. Jones, when asket
whether Blaine's declination would prevent
his friends from nominating him anyh
said
.'As | am chairman of the National Com
mittee, do not think il would be proper 70.
me TO have anything to say on that subject.
''Do you think Blaine would accept it, il
it was rendered TO him."
81 have no authority to speak for Blaine
and have no conjectures on the subject. His
I letter speaks for itself and must decline to
be interviewed on this subject"
/ The following is Blaine's letter in full
/ FLORENCE, Italy, Jan. %, 1855.
B. +. JONES, ESQ, Chairman of the Repub.
| lican National Committee
/ Sir-I wish through you to state to the
members of the Republican party that my
name will not be presented to the National
convention, called to assemble in Chicago,
June next for the nomination of candidates
/ for President and Vice President of the
/ United States.
! am constrained to this decision by con-
siderations entirely personal to myself, of
which you were advised more than year ago.
| But cannot make the announcement withou,
giving expression to my deep sense of graf
itude- to the many thousands of my country
men who have sustained me so long and SO
cordially that their feeling has seemed to 60
/ k., 81, ii, alb ,f
| fellow -partisans and to partake somewhat of
the nature of personal attachment.
! For his most generous loyalty of friend
ship can make no adequate return, but
shall carry the memory of it while life lasts.
Nor can | refrain from congratulating the
Republican party upon the cheering pros
poets which distinguish the opening of the
National contest of 1883 as compared with
that of 1854
In 1882 the Republican party throughout
the Union met with disastrous defeat. Ten
Staes that had supported Garfield and Ar
thur in the election of 1880, were carried by
the Democrats, either by majorities or plu-
ralities The Republican loss in the North
ern elections, compared with the preceding
National election, exceeded half a million
votes and the electoral votes of the Union,
divided On the basis of the result of 1882,
gave to the Democrats over three hundred
electors out of total of four hundred and
one.
There was a partial reaction in favor of
the Republicans in the elections of 1883, but
the Democrats still held possession of seven
Northern States and on the basis of the year S
contest could show more than one hundred
majority in the electoral college of the
whole country.
But against the encouragement naturally
following the adverse elections of these
two years, the spirit of the Rcpub-
lcan party in the National contest of
1884 rose high and the Republican masses
entered into the campaign with such energy
that the final result depended on the vote of
single State, and that State was carried by
the Democratic party by plurality so small
that il represented less than one-eleventh of
one per cent of the entire vote.
The change of single vote in every two
thousand of the total poll would have given
the State to the Republicans, though only
two years before, the Democratic plurality
exceeded (l92 ,OO0) one hundred and ninety
two thousand.
The elections of lSs6-s7 have demon
strated the growing strength in the Republi-
can ranks. Seldom in our political history
has party defeated in a National election,
rallied Immediately with such vigor, as have
Republicans since 1854. No comparison is
possible between the spirit of the party in
1928, and its spirit in 1861.
The two periods present simply a contrast,
the one of federal depression, the other of
enthusiastic revival. Should the party gain
in the results of 1888 over those of 1861,
in anything like the proportion of gain of
1854 over 1928, it would secure one of
the most remarkable victories of its entire
existence. But victory does not depend on
SO large ratio of increase; the party has
only to maintain relatively its prestige of
1867 to give to its National candidate ev-
cry Northern State. but one with far better
prospect of carrying that one that it has had
for the past six years,
Another feature of the political situation
should inspire the Republicans with irresista
BILE strength The present National admin
istration was elected with, if not
upon, repeated assertions of its lead
ing supporters in every protection
State that no issue on the tariff was involved.
however earnestly the Republicans urged that
question as the one of controlling importance
in the campaign they were met by the Demo-
cratic leaders and journals with persistent
evasion, concealment and denial. That re-
souEtt tit Has loTtuldttlt
moved. The issue which the Republicans
maintained and the Democrats avoided in
1884, has been prominently and specifically
brought forward by the Democratic Presi-
dent and cannot be hidden out of sight in
1888.
The country is now in the enjoyment of
an industrial system which in a quarter of
century has assumed large National growth,
more rapid accumulation and broader dis
tribution of wealth than were ever before
known to history.
The American people will NOW be openly
and formally asked to decide whether this
system shall be recklessly abandoned and
new trial be made of the old experiment
which has uniformly led to National en-
barassment and widespread individual dis
tress. On the result of such an issue. fairly
presented to popular Judgment there is no
room for doubt.
One thing only is necessary to assure sue
cess complete harmony and cordial cooper
alton on the part of all Republicans-on the
part both of those who aspire to lead and of
those who are eager to follow.
Duty is not one merely of honorable devo-
ton to the party whose record and whose
aims are alike great, but it's one demanded
by the instinct of self-interest and bv the
still higher promptings Of patriotism.
A close observation of the conditions of
life among older nations gives one more
intense desire that the American people shall
make no mistake in choosing the policy
which inspires labor with hope and crowns
it with dignity, which gives safety to capital
and protects its increase, which secures po-
litieal power to every citizen and comfort
and culture to every home. To this end,
not less earnestly, and more directly as a
private citizen than as public candidate,
shall devote myself with the confident belief
that the administration of the government
will be restored to the party which has dem
onstrated the purpose and the power to WELD
it for the unity and the honor of the Repub-
lie, for the prosperity and progress of the
people.
/ am very sincerely yours,