The Portland daily press., 1892-05-14
UGH more than big baby. Then he

much more than big baby. Then he
is no more like the Blaine as the world
knows him than night is like day. Mrs
Blaine is naturally much worried about
him, and it is painful to see that good.
faithful wife watching her great bns.
band as a mother watches a child and
wondering what she can do for him.
some recent day l found Mr.. Blaine in
the depths of the despondency which
often assails him. He wouldn't saw a
word. Finally thought would shock
him into activity, and ! began by asking
him what he meant by acting in this way'
There's nothing the matter with YOU /
said, Except that you have lost yo,,r
courage. Brace up. Why did Won 90
and write that letter withdrawing from
the presidential race? You had no bust
ness to do it. If you had kept still Won
would have been nominated without a
word of opposition. You would have
been triumphantly elected. There are
hundreds of thousands of Democrats in
this country who would like a chance to
vote for you. What do you mean by
throwing away all this power, all this
opportunity to be useful to your marty
and your country as if it were a mere
baubleP
cat this Blaine frightened up and
showed fight. You don't understand it
at all, he said. Can't you see that 7 am
not well and strong? How long do YOU
suppose 1 would live in the White
House? 1t isn't the campaign that
dread. would leave the campaign to
others. It is afterward that makes me
shudder and which induced me to write
that letter. You must remember that [
have been before the country for sixteen
years as presidential aspirant. have
been followed by a host of loyal friends.
All this accumulation of sixteen wears
of obligations would be presented to me
for payment the moment put my foot
in the White House. They would come
down upon me by droves. would have
to see them. Friends such as they have
been could not be put off upon another.
No one else could satisfy them. And
what would be the result of all that?
How long could l, in my condition, with
stand an ordeal like that? That is the
way Blaine talked, land he meant every
word of it. Of course you fellows can
understand how sorry his immediate
friends are that he takes this view of
the matter, but am afraid he will not
change his mind. He lives in constant
fear of his own collapse, and he has &C
CURED the notion that year In the
White House would kill him.
"When reused Mr.. Blaine is today as
brilliant man as he ever was. On this
occasion he and fell to talking OF the
politics of the past. | happened to men
ton cabinet officer of the jackson ad-
ministration. you are mistaken said
Mr.. Blaine, as quick as a flash; 'he was
under Van Buren,, and went into office
in 1885, | afterward looked up the rec
ord and found that Mr.. Blaine was
right. There is nothing the matter with
that prodigious memory of his. Mention
any one you please who has ever been
prominent in the history of the country
and Blaine will instantly tell you all
about him. Let him meet man he
knew a quarter of century ago and he
VIII remember not only the man, but his
family history and everything else in
connection with him."
This free hand pictureof the Blaineof
the present. drawn by Congressman
Hit for bis colleagues, and with no
thought that it would ever reach the
newspapers, give as sample of the
sort ofgossip which our friends Of the
clOaRrcOrn 1se@ale themselves with
WALTER WEIL4MAE.