The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-20
SICK OR ONLY SHAMMING?
BLAINE LEAVES THE CABINET
MEETING.

An Attack of Indigestion Given as the
Cause.-The Members OF tho Cabinet
Inclined TO the Belief That 1t Was a
Diplomatic Ruse to Gain Time in the
Chilean Matter.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 19-Although Mrs.
Blaine protested against it, telling him that
be was not equal to it, Secretary Blaine
would go 70 the cabinet meeting this MORN
ing. He felt that he must go, at any risk,
to present TO the President In the cabinet
the latest phases of the Chilean case, and
particularly the assurances from President
Montt, received by Minister Montt, and
transmitted by him to Secretary Blaine
this morning. which looked to a peaceful
termination of the matter, although the
most important present promise only in-
volved the withdrawal Of the
offensive Malta note in way not
entirely acceptable to President Harrison.
BLAINE IN THE MEETING.
Accordingly after last talk with Senior
Montt, Secretary Blaine drove over
through the storm from the red
house to the white house, arriving a
quarter Of an hour after the cabinet met.
be proceeded at once to make a statement
OF the Chilean situation, which consumed.
with the incidental questions and answers.
half an hour. At tie conclusion OF IL he
said that he did not feel well and thought
that he was about TO have another attack of
indigestion. The President advised him not
to remain any longer but to 90 at once TO
his home.
PREVAILED UPON TO LEAVE.
L
meant to remain, but the other members of
the cabinet gave him the Presidents advice,
SO that he finally said he would go. He put
on his overshoes. Secretary Elkins helped
him on with bis coat and got his hat and
gloves for him, and walked downstairs with
him, and calling Postmaster General Wana-
makers carriage, which was the only one
there at the time, took him home.
STOPS AT HIS PHYsICIAN's.
Secretary Blaine was not too i'll to stop on
the way home at the office of his physician.
driving down Fourteenth street for the
purpose and getting from DR.. Hyatt another
certificate OF good health In fact, Dr..
Hyatt said the fresh air was all that he
needed and that he would be able TO
go to the cabinet dinner at the
white house in the evening. Secre-
tary Elkins left him at the red house and
went to the white house to attend the re-
mainder of the cabinet meeting, which
lasted an hour longer, during which time,
as during the time Secretary Elkins was
taking Secretary Blaine home, there was at
least as much talk about Secretary Blaine
as about Chile.
SUSPECTED OF sHAMMING.
Strange to say, there was some doubt In
the minds of some of those present as to
whether Secretary Blaine was really i'll or
not EaCrafarU Rlaipa hnc hnaf, hnF
when 1t served his purpose to be, and his
Illness this time gained day, at least, for
his procrastinating in regard to Chile. One
member or the cabinet said after the meet
ing adjourned, In speaking of the matter:
1.-THE President cannot well proceed without
Secretary Blaine. If he was away it would
be different. But being here, and ill, the
President must wait for him since the mat
ter is in his department He added that
none Of the other members of the cabinet
saw any sign of illness in Secretary Blaine.
IF he had walked quietly out without say
ing anything nobody would have thought
him ILL.,"
THE EFFECT ON BLAINE's CHANCES.
At the same time President Harrison and
his friends are more than compensated for
the temporary check in the Chilean pro-
ceedings by the feeling they all undoubtedly
have, and which some of them do not sue
ceed III concealng that these attacks Of Sec
retary Blaine, however belittled they may
be, or, in fact, however small they may be,
are gradually making his nomination Inn
possible. Even If to-day Secretary Blaine's
illness is chiefly diplomatic in character,
they argue that the effect Of the announce
ment on the country Of one sudden attack
of illness after another (call it indigestion
or what not will be to make it apparent to
everybody, as they say it is to them, that
Secretary Blaine cannot make the race.
President Harrison feels more confident
than ever that he will be renominated.
DIDN'T GO TO DINNER.
Though Secretary Blaine's indisposition
was SO very temporary that he did not go to
bed and saw people this afternoon and even
ing, he didn't attend the cabinet dinner, but
sent his regrets TO the President at the last
minute. The bad weather was given as his
excuse, Mrs. Blaine declining on the ground
of ill-health. The Blaines have never en-
joyed gracing the entertainments of the
Harrisons. Secretary Blaine is still willing.