The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-26
BURCHARD.

Burchard. the author of the resonant
and somewhat rancid rhetoric, Rum,
Romanism and Rebellion" whose mop
perfume utterance doubtless cost Mr..
Blaine some votes in New York
state in 1884, is dead. Burchard belongs
to the class of illustrious obscure
people who live in history net
because they have done anything in
particular, but because they have either
Willingly or unwittingly undone some
body; spoiled horn in their clumsy
efforts to make spoon. Burchard was
kind of clerical Erostratus, who carelessly
fired with his torch the Republican Ephe-
sian dome; he shot an arrow over his house
and killed his granny. He was a vain,
pompous man, who dearly loved to hear
the sound of his own voice; when the Ore
gon of his speech was flowing he heard no
sound save his own dashings. Frederick
the Great made a sarcastic remark to
friend concerning Madame De Pompadour
and straightway the angry harlot per-
suaded the King of France to declare a
war against Prussia; the Saxon army were
lac and the Normans became masters
of England; Lord George German
in his hurry to join party
of jewellers forgot to send Sir
William Howe an important order, and
Burgoyne's campaign ended in disaster;
Hampden and Cromwell were prevented
from going to America, and Charles the
First lost his head in consequence; Ma
poleon oversight himself at Ligny. and let
Butcher escape from ruin; General Han
cock carelessly congratulated "the
greenbackers" on their victory in
Maine, and lost the state of New
York; these are instances that
course of great events being controlled by
Insignificant and seemingly remote causes.
Burchard was Blaine's evil genius; his
noisy, tactless tongue destroyed in a few
minutes the fabric of triumphant popular
ity that Blaine had for years been fashion,
ing into an arch of victory. AS long as
Lincoln is remembered the name of Wilkes
Booth will be recalled; as long
as Blaine is dear to American hearts the
name of Burchard will not be forgotten. If
Jacques Clement, Ravaillac, Gerard,
Damiens, FELTON,, Fieschi, Orsini and Cult
eau had attempted the lives of ordinary
men they would be lost to history,
but they struck at princes and
statesmen, therefore, these obscure
assassins are become immortal.
So with poor, vain, fussy DR.. Bur-
chard, his passionate desire to listen
to the gurglings of his mouth was fatal to
Blaine on the eve of anticipated victory.
The strange feature of the whole affair
was that Blaine's mother was a devout
Catholic and another member of his fam
| lily was a member of a Catholic sisterhood
and there were thou sands of Irish
| Roman Catholics who were his
devoted friends in all the states whose low
atty was rudely shaken by the report that
| Blaine had submitted TO this sectarian
| speech without rebuking its author. As a
matter of fact Blaine did not hear what
Burchard said. Burchard grew so angry
at the denunciation and satire shot upon
him by the Republican press that he turned
| Democrat. For weeks in New York CITY
| popular burlesque actor amused his
audience by leading an obstreperous lack
ass up and down the stage and CRYING
| whoa, Burchard"