The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-06-08
he INCENsED MRS. BLAINE.

She Reproa ched the President and
Said he Would Not be Renominsted.
From the NeO York HerGId's.
While it is well known that the social IN
tercourse between the Harrison and Blaine
families has been neither intimate nor cor
dial, many persons believe that the GOODNESS
eliminated when the President recently re-
fused to promote Secretary Blaine's son-in-
law. Col John J. Coppinger of the Twenty
third infantry, to the !Drigadier generalship
made vacant by the retirement of Gen. A.
V. Kautz. The following account of the
incident was given to me yesterday by a
retired major general OF the United States
army. II was fresh from the national
capital and he only told me what is COM
mon talk among the high staff officers In
Washington.
1t is only since Col Coppinger, whose
wife, Mrs. Alice Blaine Coppinger, died not
long ago, was promoted 10 his colonelcy !,
Jan. 81, 1891, that the powerful Blaine in
fuence could do do anything for him. Pro-
motions up to that of colonel must be ac-
cording to lineal rank. Not until an officer
becomes a colonel can influence advance
him. unless he Is jumped clear over the
grade of colonel and into the brigadier gen.
eral class, as was done in the case Of Gen.
Crook, who was promoted from lieutenant
colonel to brigadier general. or like Gen. A.
w. Greedy, who skipped the intermediate
grades of major, lieutenant colonel and
colonel and became a brgadier general by
one act of the President for his eminent
services.
But Col Coppinger had done nothing to
afford the least opportunity for President
to create him brigadier general without
his having gone through the intermediate
grades, although he has been meritor1ous
officer from his entrance in the volunteer
service in 1861 to this time. He was made
a captain Of regulars Sept. 80, 1861; a major
March 90 1879: lieutenant colonel Oct. 3,
1888. and a colonel Jan. 81, 1891.
Promotion is so slow these days." said
my major general, THAT you don't feel any
poignant grief il an officer above you in the
line dies and sets you up a notch. Coppin-
ger Is a good fellow, but ever since he be-
came lieutenant colonel In 1888 he has been
over eager to reach the colonel grade in
order that Mr.. Blaine's great influence might
advance him further.
HE has had pleasant staff appointments
east and other things. Last year he was re-
cruiting officer in New York city, the place
Col. Elwel s, Otis Of the Second infantry
has now.n
Three or four weeks ago, am told. Mr..
Blaine called on the President and asked
him TO elevate Col. Coppiuger to the vacant
brigadiership. Mr.. Harrison took the mat
ter under consideration, spoke of it to Sec
rotary of War Elkins and determined
finally to deny the request. In substance
Mr.. Harrison is reported to have said to Mr..
Blaine: 1t would crafty me extremely
could do this thing to oblige you, but l
cannot. Col. Coppinger Is sixteenth on the
lineal list Of infantry colonies, and in re-
spect to the infantry, cavalry and artillery
colOnels together he is twenty-sixth ON the
list. | must, other things being equal, fol-
low seniority of rank in making this ap-
pointment.'
"Mr. Blaine is described to me as having
accepted the situation calmly. IL vexed
him to be denied one Of the few things he
had asked Mr. Harrison to do during his
three years service In the cabinet, but he
declined to enter into any controversy or to
press the matter further. Mrs. Blaine,
however. am told, had set her heart upon
Col Coppiuger's promotion and she was
much disturbed and exaggerated over the
refusal. She went to the white house, l am
told, and had an excited interview with Mr..
Harrison. She reproached him with in
gratitude to Mr.. Blaine and charged him
with enmity and malice toward their
family.
"'You shall never be President again,
she said
From that hour Mrs. Blaine urged her
husband to be a candidate for the repub~
lcan nomination for the presidency"