Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-05-22
HE RISES TO EXPLAIN.
JAMES GEE SAYS THE FLORENCE LETTER
Presents HIS ATTITUDE.
BE CLAIMS the Right to Draw Olt Of the BatlA Yet
Carnegie and Steve E!k!l, Persists IL Assert
ing Tha; He WI. Run il Nominated
Why THIS Tb9slsSs?

NEW YORK, May 2l.-A correspondent
OF the Press in Paris, cables that paper as
follows:
The stories that have been for some
time in circulation on the othsr side OF the
Atlantic, that the intimate friends, OF
James q. Blaine, while dscrediting any
announcement that he would accept the Re.
publican nomination ii it were offered him
have nevertheless been quietly working in
almost all the States, to secure delegates
for him after the first ballot were al!
cabled over here.
The moment this news arrived took the
most strenuous means to find out what
Mr.. Blaine's attltude on the question ws1.
and ! am happy to say that my efforts have
been successful Mr.. Blaine had not heard
the foil details Of the report published in
New York, and | WAS very glad to give
them to him. Naturally, he was not d;s-
pleased, but he said, without equivocation,
that his Florence letter and his later inter
view, which Mr. Crawford secured for the
World, represented his present attitude
with complete truth. Tie had felt sure
be said that after his letter stating that his
name would not go before the Chicago
convention had been published the many
acknowledged lcgders of the Republican
party East and West wOuli be actively
pushed for the nomination, and he waa
glad to see that they had been put forward
80 honestly, and he could not sec why 20
many should assume, even in matters Of
the greatest imp )rtauce to his own d1mes-
tic and personal interests, a4 well a. 20
those of nis party, that it was impossible
for him to be honest.
He did not want ~ be candidate aud
he had reasons for not wantiugto be a can
didate which were personal to himself, and
which, as they could so readily he mag
ined, he was under no obligation 10 make
known. The fact was he had been through
one terribly hard fight. Il had been q
cruel strain upon hiI family also, and
while he could never he accused OF willing
ly shirking any of the duties of leadership
which the Republican party had honorcd
him with, he yet felt that he had right
to draw ont and leave the fight to others.
especially since they were plentiful.
'All the vague and mischIeyouS stories
about his movements and motives and
health had been very annoyingat first and
it would not have been unreasonable Ia
ask 10 be spared, hut now they hai beCom"
amusing rather than anything elte. lie
thought it a good way for all Of hiS friends
10 pass them over gs 30 much twaddie. His
health was not so good in all respects as he
should like to have il; very few men Of 6O
could say anything different from that.
But he hoped to live many years yet. lie
felt confident that he shonld greatly enjoy
his trip through Scotland with the CArne-
glea, and he has already anticipating its
pleasures ~
Andrew Carnegie was seen by a reporter
Of the Prtss last evening, and said that It
was his opinion that Mr. Blaine wouli
abide by his first statement TO the puhiI..
when he said i decline To .dn L.
meant il. He said let the army chOo-r
aGOther leader for the next campaign. I'
It will not, and calls upon him, hc cannot
and will not decline 10 lead the RrpuhI.
can party TO victory. Mr. Bldlns II too
honest man to decline to serve hIs CCuU.
try when duty calls him II the Rrpuh.i-
can National delegates at Chicago choose
James q. BGine by an unanimous vote he
will undoubtedly consent TO rum
Mrs. Blaine said Mr.. Carnegie. "ca-
bled from Paris yesterday, stating that she
had reconadcred her decision to come
home. IIerself and Mr.. Blaine are both ia
excellent health
Hon. Stephen b Elkins said last night
that there II no doubt that Mr.. Blaine viii
not change his determination not TO run for
the Presidency unless by the unanimous
voice OF the National Convention. He dis
believed that Mr.. Blaine wOuld decide
against the entire body Of Republican
national delegates if they voted to place
him in nomination.