The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-04-13
BLAINE'S BAD RECORD.
His Appointment 40 "a High office
an imPugnment of National
Honesty.
fSt, Louis ReDuhlic 4

After Mr.. James g. Blaine had been
SO sun-struck as to stop the investiga-
ton OF his methods of securing money
while speaker of the house of repre-
sentatlves, he retired to Augusta, and
when an attempt was made TO resume
the investigation, his physician, DR.. ii.
II. Hill, telegraphed: "What he needs
is absolute rest.'
TO that opinion we hold now. With
no malice toward Mr.. Blaine, we
must tell the truth about him as long
IA he insists on taking public office for
which he is unfit. He needs absolute
rest-and repentance.
Mr.. Blaine's record is too long for
review here. 1t fills many pages that
| shame the American people with in
d1spntable evidence OF the venality of
man trusted in many high trusts and
false to them all. Though we cannot
review the record in a single article,
1t is our duty when he is given the
helm of a national administration by
the party of which he is representative
to revert briefly in protest to some of
| the more salient points of his career
In,tially we extract the following from
the New York Tribune, in which it
appeared editorially on September 20,
1872:
"If Speaker Blaine thinks he has eff
fectually "sguelched" the Credit Mo-
| bilier scandal by his pompous denial
he may find new exercise for his pecu-
liar talents in that direction in the sto-
ry which we print to-day. In the course
of railway litigation, proofs of Mr..
Blaine's operations in railway stocks
have come out and are now in posses
sion OF lawyers in this city. We pub
llsh as much of this business as Mr.
Blaine will find time to attend to at
once. By these documents the speak
er is proved to have received $4,000 of
assessable stock of the Union Pacific
railway, E. D., and 1000 unassesssble
shares OF the same. Why Is the speak
er of the house dabbling in this busi-
ness? Why receiving stock?
| The entries show that it was assign
ed to him, among others, to secure the
ratification OF the Delaware and Potta-
watamie treaties and the passage of a
bill in congress. Mr.. Blaine's record
in regard to railway matters grows
darker as it is examined. He has
never yet given any explanation of his
conduct in peddling stock in the Fort
Smith & Little Rock railroad among
his neighbOrs in Maine. He has now
all opportunity to rise to an explana-
ton of his extensive operations in Un-
ion Pacific, K. d.. stock. 1t may be
nobody's business how he has become
millionaire on congressman's pay !;
| but it is the business of his constitu-
ents and that of the country to know
how the speaker of the house of repre-
| sentatiS es came into this rich railway
speculation"
Why Mr.. Blaine was receiving "32,.
500 OF assessable stock OF the Union
Pacific railway, E d.. and 1000 unas-
sessable shares of the same" appeared
later on in evidence in similar connec-
tions, leaving no one room to doubt
| that be became "a millionaire on a
congressman's pay" by selling himself
taking bribes, betraying his trust,
perjuring himself.
The Blaine whom Harrison has call
ed to the highest Office i'm his gift il
the person referred to by the Tribune
in the above extract; the person who
used his public trust for blackmail; !;
who as speaker of the house of repre-
sentatives forced the Union Pacific and
other railroads interested in pending
legislation to bribe him by buying from
him at high prices the almost valueless
| securities OF the Little Rock and Fort
| Smith.
1t is as detected thief and as a con-
victed liar that Mr.. Blaine is called to
| the premiership of the Harrison admin.
| istratIon and of the republican party.
The following is from the testimony of
| MIR. James Mulligan, confidential Sec
| retary of Mr.. Blaine's friend, Mr.. War
rem Fisher, Jr:
"Mr. Blaine said if should publish
them it would ruin him for life,
and wanted to know if [ would surren.
| der them. told him no, and that [
| would not give them to the committee
unless it would turn out it was neces-
| sary. After my examination here yes
terday Mr.. Blaine came up to the ho-
tel, and there had a conference with
Mr.. Adkins, Mr.. Fisher and myself.
He wanted to see the letters I had.
declined to let him see them. He pray
ed and almost went on his knees-l
would say on his knees-and implored
Inc to think of his six children and his
wife, and that if the committee should
get hold of this communication it
"ouiu siih dHu
him forever. / retired to my
room and he followed me up, and went
over the same history about his family
and children, and implored me to give
them up to him, and even contemplate
ed suicide"
On April 16, 1872, Fisher wrote
Blaine:
az have placed you in positions
where you have received large sums of
money without a dollar of expense to
you, and you ought not to forget the
act on my part. Of all the parties con-
nected with the Little Rock and Fort
Smith railroad, 10 one has been SO
| fortunate as yourself in obtaining mon
| ey out of 1t. You obtained subscrip.
! tions from yonr friends in Maine for
the building of the Little Rock & Fort
! Smith railroad. Out of their subscrip-
! tions you obtained large amount both
of bonds and money free of cost to you.
! L have your own figures and know the
| amounts. Owing to your political po-
sitiOn you were euabled to work off all
your bonds at very bigh price.
TO this Blaine replied on April 1S.
1872:
"MY DEAR FISHER II answered
yours very hastily last evening as you
! said you wished an immediate reply.
I The demand you make OH me