Telegram-herald., 1891-05-24
WILL BLAINE RESIGN
Rumor Has II That He Will Give
Up His Portfolio
on ACCOUNT OF MENTAL FAILURE
The Report Indignantly Denied by HE
Most Intimate Friends-ur. Poster
VIII Act ~ Diplomatic Adviser
Until blaine Receivers.

wAsHIseroN, May e3.-The reports
from New York concerning MIR.
Blaine's condition were fully and APP
meeting on Friday. The president and
every member of the cabinet present
secuted the idea that Mr.. Blaine had
any mental ailment and were
unanimous in denouncing such re-
ports as cruel and unfounded.
but at the same time the fact that
the distinguished man is not allowed
To see any body but his family and
his physician indicates to the president
that it may be weeks or even months
before he can again have the benefit
OF Mr.. Blaine's counsel in matters
which are just now of great impor-
lance. In this condition of affairs il
is reported on good authority
that the president has invited John w.
Foster, the well-known diplomatic. 20
act as kind of overscer in diplomatic
matters until Mr.. Blaine can resume
his dntics. He will have no Official
adviser of the president and be paid as
an attorney out Of the state depart
ment contingent fund.
Mr.. Foster is perhaps the best
equipped man in America to-day to ad-
vise the president in diplomatic affairs.
He is a native of Indiana, about IS
years old, and for nearly twenty years
has been in the diplomatic service. He
has been minister to Mexico, to Russia
and to Spain, and has had many special
diplomatic missions.
AS has been said before, Mr.. Blaine
will not come to Washington for some
time and many believe he will not re
sumo his duties as secretary of state at
all There are many vino believe that
he will resign early in the summer and
wholly abandon official life. Others
believe that his public career is ended
from physical causes alone and that the
combination of physical ailments that
harass him will in the near future close
his career.
WASHINGTON, May 2S.-Much interest
and indignation has been expressed
here over the sensational stories con-
corning Secretary Blaines alleged men.
tai collapse. The statements have
been made with such great par
ticularity that they are given
every appearance of authenticity. The
New York Herald asserts that Mr..
Blaine flashes and sparkles for fifteen
or twenty minutes and then of sud
den becomes silent, moody and
hypochondriac. 1t claims that the
diagnosis is uniform and universal,
that Mr.. Blaine's intellect has
passed into the stage wherein
it flashes and then dies away
till rekindled after long interval of
repose, but 1t never more burns with
steadiness Like victim of narcotics,
he is said to exhibit nothing between
nervous impetuosity and complete
mental lassitude. = The assertion is
made that President Harrison and
the officials and diplomatcs who are in
intimate association with Secretary
Blaine were secretly and sadly con.
scious that the secretary OF state had
reached the point Of imbecility. In
order to get at the real facts reporter
called upon several gentlemen who are
commonly accepted as Mt. Blaine's
most intimate friends and who for this
reason know the real condition of his
mental faculties. They were emphatic
in declaring that Mr.. Blaine's mental
faculties were never stronger or bright
er than to-day and there is not the
slightest weakening in his intellectual
grasp.