The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-06-08
SHOULD HAVE BEEN BURNED.

The evil genius Of letter writing has
pursued Nj. Blaine, 10! these many
years. The public have not forgotten
some interesting correspondence Of
which he vas the author, and to which
was attached the celebrated postscript,
Burn this letter" Equally unfortu-
nate has Mr.. Blaine been in his letters
to different gentlemen dealing with the
matter OF his acceptance of the presi-
Dental nomination. Not longer ago
than February 6, OF tho current year,
he wrote Mr.. Clarkson as follows: II
am not a candidate for the presidency,
and my name will not go before the re-
publican national convention for the
nomination. / make this announcement
in due season." 1t is doubtless regretted
by Mr.. Blaine that he did not also in.
struct Mr.. Clarkson to "burn this let
ter" rather than to publish it to the
world. Despite this positive and ap-
parentiy candid assertion that he would
not be a candidate for the nomination,
Mr.. Blaine has covertly intrigued with
the leaders of his faction for that very
prize, and in dramatic manner severed
his relations with his chief, the presi-
dent, IN such way, he hoped, doubtless,
as would inure to his own advantage and
to the discredit Of the administration.
Mr.. Blaine's conduct may be we'll char
acterized in the words employed by him
self in a previous letter, written by him
May II, 1888, to Mr.. Whltelaw Reid,
then as now, editor Of the New York
Tribune and then, as not now, a Jealous
supporter of Mr.. Blaine for the presi-
Dental nomination. Mr.. Blaine wrote:
If should now, BY speech or silence, by
commission or omission, permit my name
in any event to come before the convention,
l should incur the reproach OF being un.
candid with those who have always been
candid with me. l am not willing to re-
main in a doubtful attitude. l am not
willing to be the cause of misleading a
single man among the millions who have
given me their suffrage and confidence. l
am not willing that even one Of nv faith
full supporters in the past should think me
paD va PoAsCA AlAS ia q uOuOLAA VI IL
with my words. Assuming that the presi-
Dental nomination could by any possible
chance be offered to me. l could not accept
it without leaving in the minds of thou
sands of these men the impression that l
had not been free from indirection, and
therefore could not accept it at all.
Despite Mr.. Blaine's letter to Mr..
Clarkson he is now furiously struggling
for that same nomination for the presi-
dency. To use his own words he has
left in the minds of thousands of his
friends the impression that he has not
been free from ~"indirection." More than
than that, he has been guilty, in their
opinion, of duplicity and the rankest
sort Of ingratitude. The lack OF conf
dence in his statements, both written
and oral, is we'll evidenced by the
repeated urging Of friends of the presi-
dent that he write another and more
explicit letter Of withdrawal from the
race. They did not believe that he was
sincere, and later events have amply
sustained their judgment of the man
Mr.. Blaine has incurred the reproach OF
being "uncandid with those who have
always been candid" with him.