Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1892-06-08
The Republitap.
wATERTOwM. WIS.
SOME OF THE CAUSES.
Correspondents Reasons for Secretary
Blaine's Resignation.


Blaine's Resignation.
WASHINGTON, June 4.-Regarding the
causes of Mr.. Blaine's resignation there
is much gossip about the streets to-
night. For some time there have been
various facts known to close observers
in Washington as a sort of "open Sc
cret" which warrant a belief that the
resignation, though undoubtedly pre-
cipitated by occurrences of a very re-
cent date, had its origin long ago, and
in causes essentially personal rather
than political. These causes may
be briefly summarized as incom-
patibilities of temperament developed
and emphasized at times by important
disagreements over public questions
such as the management of the difficulty
with Chilli; invidious comparisons and
comments on the part of injudicious
friends concerning the credit due to
either for the enactment and the execu-
ton of the reciprocity project, and the
general conduct of the foreign affairs of
this government, including the manage
ment Of the Behring Sea controversy,
and the lack of cordial relations be-
tween their respective families.
These causes undoubtedly created q
feeling of cOnstraint in the personal re:
lations of the President and Secretary
of State months before the writing of
the letter in which Mr.. Blaine declared
he was not a candidate for the presi-
dental nomination, and the recent
publications authorized by various
members of the cabinet concerning Mr..
Blaine and the presidency, closely fol-
lowed by other published statements
attributed to a member of the Presi-
dents family and to some of his close
political friends regarding the Secre-
tary's physical and mental con-
diton, etc, are understood to
have made him feel that
longer continuance in President narrl-
sons cabinet would be intolerable to
him, wholly irrespective of any ques-
tons of right or duty to accept the Re-
publican nomination for the presidency,
If rendered. But, whatever may have
been the genesis or the Immediately
Impelling cause of Mr.. Blaine's resigna-
ton to-day, there seems to be no doubt
whatever among his friends in this CITY
that by it he has placed himself in po-
sltlQn of readiness t9 accept the nomina-
ton.
BROKE OFF A CONFERENCE.
One effect of Mr.. Blaine's resigna-
ton is the sudden termination of the
conference between himself and Gen.
Foster on one side and the British min
lister and Canadian Commissioners Eos
ter and Boswell on the other, looking to
a readjustment of the differences with
the United States growing out of the
discriminating terms imposed on Amer
lean vessels passing through the Welland
and st. Lawrence canals. This con-
ference began at the State Department
yesterday and was resumed this morn
Tr1rr ~
not last more than an hour. and
It is understood was brought to
an ABRUPT termination by Mr..
Blaine's unexpected statement that it
Voc ~seless to continue the present ne
a5.,ilat;;0ns f5f tie reason tina. Nc was
about to sever lis official relations with
the goVeshment. 1t was reported tuf<-
theE that this announcement was greaf
surprise to the other members OF the
conference, and that they were exceed
inglv annoyed. At any rate the deliber-
atoms were brought to sudden close:
and the Canadian commissioners were
passengers on an afternoon train bound
for the dominion capital. Later the re-
port that the breaking up OF the con-
ference was attended by any irritation
was denied Mr.. Foster denies that Mr..
Blame announced his coming reslgna-
ton in the conference.
Mr.. BIaine's letter to the President
is dated June 4, 1892, 12:45 P. NJ. 1t
therefore must have been written al
most directly after the British minister
and his confreres had left Mr.. Blaine's
Office, which had been used as the
council chamber, and it was but fifteen
minutes later when he instructed his
private secretary to take it over to the
White House. The Secretary remained
at the department until l;l5 O'Clock ar
ranging some private papers. nile he
was doing this one Of the messengers
laid an official document before him
for his signature. He told him to take
it away, remarking, quietly: Il am no
longer secretary of state"
1t is said that this was the first intima-
ton he had given anyone of his official
associates of his resignation. Immedi-
ately upon receipt of the Presidents
letter of acceptance, Mr.. Blaine fur
nlshed a copy of the correspondence to