The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-09-11
A BRITISH DIPLOMAT
Sir Julian Pauncefote May Re
ceive His Passports.
HE HAS TALKED ABOUT BLAINE
To Him Are Attributed the Rumors About the
SecretaTy's Mental Breakdown-He Has
Written Murchison Letters.

Especial to THE HERALD-Examiner Dispatch.l
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10.-It will be no sur
prise to those acquainted with diplomatic
affairs if Sir Julian Pauncefote should fol-
low the crestfallen course of his extin-
guished predecessor, Sir Lionel Sackville
West. A chapter in the history of Sir
Julian, which is now being related here, is
as conspicuous for it's lack OF diplomacy as
was the Murchison letter, which got Sir
Lionel into trouble and brought about his
dismissal by President Cleveland. Sir
Julian's alleged faur pas has not, however,
got abroad in this country, as did the
Murchison letter, and even if it had it is
not in black and white to confront the min
lister as did the political ex-
preston of Sir Lionel Sackville West.
In brief, several of the friends of Mr..
Blaine are said to hold the English minis
ter responsible as the one primarily re-
sponsible for what has been termed a
conspiracy" to show that Blaine was
mentally and physically incapacitated. 1t
will be recalled that when the first articles
appeared in the newspapers concerning
Mr.. Blaine's failing health they were &C
companied by expressions of "a leading
diplomat" whose name was not mentioned.
He was quoted as saying that he greatly
commisserated the condition of the secre-
Iary. He gave instances of how Blaine ap-
peared unable to sustain a conversation for
any length of time AS he put it, the sec
rotary would talk on subject for few
moments and then would be seized with
mental exhaustion, which would make
him weary OF the subject and apparently
forgetful OF the entire train of argument.
1t was these expressions of the diplomat
which were corroborated to some extent,
which gave the basis of the early allega-
tions made In sensational papers that
Blaine mad reached the point of imbecility
Who this diplomat was has never been
stated. 1t is fact, however, that when
the sensational articles appeared gentle
man was sent direct from the Blaine house
hold demanding that the name of the in
formant be given, as the Blaines did not
think it proper that the assault should be
carried on IN ambush. The information
requested was not given for the reason, as
is now stated, that it would have placed
Sir Julian Pauncefote in an unenviable
position before the secretary of state That
Sir Julian had intended to have it published
that Blaine had become mentally intirm is
not believed, but it is thought that he
talked iniudiciously concerning Mr.. Blaine's
ability to sustain his official negotiations
with foreign ministers, and this in
| judicious conversation was IL turn
magnified into the early sensations
concerning Blaine's mental collapse
The talk concerning Blaine occurred about
the time when the Behring sea negotiations
between Blaine and Sir Julian were com
ing to close and about the time when 81,
Julian was somewhat chagrined over the
failure of Sir Charles Tupper's Canadian
commissioners in securing an audience fol-
the discussion of reciprocity with Canada
These things are now being put together
as indicating the feeling of the Englisf
minister. But the fact that the publica,
tions were the result OF Sir Julian's ex
pressionS is said to be established by much
stronger evidence than mere speculation
over his chagrin. That he started tn,
Blaine sensation there are said to be fact:
positively known to the friends of Mr.
Blaine, as to the source of the articles. Blu
the facts are qualified, however, by tn,
feeling that Sir Julian's remarks were dis
torted and magnitied until they took tn
form of the original publications which
made Mr.. Blaine out an imbecile. Unde
these circumstances it is not thought ST
Julian can be held responsible for the mag
nified statements which were the result O
his remarks although it is felt he is re
sponsiblo for starting the sensation.