The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-02

in his great debate with Lincoln in 1853.
Pierce was preferred by the South because
ne was not only obscure enough to be
available. but was privately known to be
an intensely bitter pro-slavery partisan
and obsequious Northern doushfaee.
Buchanan was the choice of the South
over Douglas in 1856 because his absence
from the country had kept him out Of con-
troversy and he was kown to be timid,
cold, without either the patriotism or the
pugnacity necessary to take conspiracy by
the throat and stamp his foot upon seces-
sion. Seward, Chase aud Conkling were
thrown over by the party managers be-
cause they were not as available for party
success as men more obscure and without
. record that invited opposition, criticism
and hostility.
Biaine's aggressive conspicuity lost him
the nomination in 1876 and 1880, and the
election in 1884, but Blaine's situation to-
day is not identical with that of Blaine in
1876, 80 and "a. In 1876 Blaine was the
aggressive leader of the House, and he
wrestled in convention for the nomina-
ton with great rivals, Conkling. Morton
and Sherman; in 1880 Blaine was an ag-
gressive United States senator, and his
competitors for the nomination were
Grant and Sherman. In 1884 Mr.. Blaine
obtained nomination. but not without
struggle, which left bitterness behind it,
but Blaine in 1883 was easily the first
choice of his party, had he permitted the
use of his name, for he had become by vir-
tue of his long practical retirement from
congress and controversial politics,
not only the ablest but most available
candidate. In 1888 Blaine was really
without rival. Had ex-President Arthur
maintained his health and political influ-
ence after he retired from office he might
possibly have divided the Republican
camp in New York state with Mr.. Blaine;
retirement of Conkling from politics left
Mr.. Blaine without party opposition
worthy of the name in all the doubtful
states. In 1888 Mr.. Blaine had been seven
years retired from congress and contfo-
versial politics and he was then not only
publican leader, but he was also the most
available candidate. So general was this
feeling that in 1888 he could have been
nominated by reclamation had he author
ICED the use of his name.
Today Mr.. Blaine has been out of con-
gress and controversial politics ten years
and he is even more universally regarded
than in 1888 as at once the ablest states
man and most available candidate at the
disposal of the party for 1892. The Ameri-
can people have been unfairly described as
preferring comparatively unknown men
to eminent men who are pronounced can
didates. 1t is true that Cleveland's
nomination in 1884 was made in execution
of the same policy which led the Demo-
cratic party to select Pierce in 1852; they
wanted a man without q Democratic
aggressive record of any consequence; an
available man who with nothing behind
him to quote could lure the Mugwumps
and sorehead Republicans to his standard.
The truth Is, however, that the first con-
sideration is success, and eminence, while
not odious because it is a candidate, is often
not available, because of the partisan rec
ord that it had to make in order to become
eminent.
But the choice of the party would
always be an eminent and able man, no
matter how often he was candidate,
save for the fact that every other con-
sideration 10 subofdinated to success II
is the battle tactics of politics, not the
aversion of the people to eminent men
who seek the presidency, that sends
mediocrity, under the guise of availability,
to the front. But today Mr.. Blaine is not
only our most eminent, our ablest man,
but so general is his popularity among
the people that even very thoughtful
Republicans, who have not hitherto been
counted among the special partisans of
Mr.. Blaine, express the conviction that
he, more than any other leader, can call
back the discontents, the malcontents,
the rebellious Republicans to the party
camp in 1892.