The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-05-21
WILL he ACCEPT?
The Direct Question Put to Blaine
by Three Senators.
ALL ARE ANSWERED THE SAME
His Answer is Construed Fayorally By the
-Barriacnites, Provided His
Nomination is Unaaimous.

Especial 10 THE HERALD-ExamiEer Dispatch.l
New York, May 30. "A special to the
P, ess says: Great excitement was caused
at the Capitol today by the report, which |
took the form of positive announcement.
that Secretary Blaine had given condl-
tional assent to the use Of his nome at Min
neapolis, and that he would accept the
nomination if it came to him with prac-
tical unauimity.
Investigation shows this is rot mere idle
rumor, but that it rests on a substantial
basis of fact, although the form in which 1t
is stated above may be little too definite
and positive. The Press correspondent is
able to state tho
EXACT CIRCUMSTANCES
on which this report is based. Three Re
publican senators agreed yesterday to call
upon Secretary Blaine at different hours
and to put to him q Hypothetical question
concerning the nomination. They also
agreed to meet afterward and to compare
notes as to Secretary Blaine's answer.
Two of these senators are Cameron of
Pennsylvania and Washburn Of Minnesota.
The third SENATOR who narrated the facts
to the correspondent requested that his
name be withheld from publication.
The question which each of the three
Senators put to Mr.. Blaine was in effect as
follows: "Mr. Secretary, it is my belief
that when the Republican delegates get
together at Minneapolis it will be found
that the denomination of President Hsrri
son can not oe accomplished; first, because
he will not have d majority Of the conven
ton, and second, because II he did hlS
nomination
WOULD BE FORCED UPON THE PARTY,
and could not result in his election. Now,
what your friends would like to know is
whether, il the convention. without the
use Of your name in antagonism to that OF
the president, but simply under the condi-
tons l have named demands that You obey
the cal of the Republican party and nomt-
nate you, You Will bring embarrassment
and disaster by ueclining:"
To each of his three separate callers Sec
rotary Blaine made exactly the same re-
ply. His answer was;
81 DO NOT WISH TO BE PRESIDENT.
wish to retire from public life and enjoy
some Of the good things of this world,
which the service of the people has never
given me. l wish to live as long as posi-
ale. The Office of President is laborious
one for any man, but 1 think it would be
, especially hard Tor me- because if l were
I! in the White House its doors would swing
both ways and | would freely receive every
citizen who came To Washington and vino
!. shed Il see the chief executive. am
looking forward with eagerness TO the
time when may lay aside the burdens OF
F my present office"
, Mr.. Blaine went on to speak in general
terms of his purpose 10 retire wholly from
Y public life at the end Of his present term
S On March f next. When Mr.. Blaine had
O finished, his Senatorial caller looked hlm
squarely n the eye and said
but, Mr.. Secretary,
;, YOU HAVE NOT ANSWERED MY QUESTION:
:. Mr. Blaine hesitated for some moments
as if trying 10 contrve some other form o.
reply. At last he said with a smile:
n ''If nv language is not satisfactory an(
s ineligible to you, chall have to leave any
q more explicit reply to my friends"
1t must be borne in mind in estimating
IL the significance of the reply of Secretar,
|. Blaine, which his Questioner did not con
g slider an answer" that it was made il
10 almost precisely the same words to thu
- three separate callers whose visits wer
~ made by design for the express pur
y pose of inducing Mr.. Blaine TO stat
definitely whether he would or Woul
10 not decline the nomination if it camo t
g him without putting him in the attitude o
opposing the President. This converse
III ton, thrice repeated, was privately quote
n on the floor of the Senate to-day anon
ID senators both favorable and opposed t
ir Harrison's re nomination. There was bu
one Interpretation placed upon it. The az
ministration conceded that it meant the
u Mr.. Blaine
- WOULD NOT REFUSE TO BE THE sTANDAH
l. BEARERS
IN of his party if the flag of leadership wi
IN thrust into his unwilling hands. Senator
Is opposed to denomination agreed with IN
o view, although they were inclined TO a
oept MIR. l5laine's statement in an eve
L. more positive light. They assert it wi
not be absolutely impossible for Mr.. Blair
to refuse to accept. They also say thi
when MIR. Blaine's nomination has bee
made they will be in a position TO say
ct him in substance:
'Mr Blaine, it is too late for you to
anything but accept. You were given
e. full opportunity to prevent this resul
=. Your nomination has teen made undo
y conditions which were exactly described
e. you and it has come about as logical resu
g. of circumstances created neither by yourss
of nor by the use of your name, and it is no
as duty which you cannot refuse, to lie;
- your party to victory at the polls"