The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-06-08
BLAINE'S RESIGNATION.
SHORT CORRESPONDENCE IN PLAIN Lam
GUAGE.
The Greatest Republican on this Con.
tinent il Now u Full Pledged Can.
didute for President.

The Greatest Republican on this Con.
tinent is Now Full Pledged Can.
didnte for President.
WASHINGTON, June 1.-THE following cor
resp0ndence explains itself:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, 4 1S92.-12 :45 p. m.
To the Presidents:
nation of the office of Secretary Of State OF
the United States 10 which ] was appointed
by you on March 5. 1889. The condition or
public business in the department OF state
may be accepted Immediately. l have the
honor TO be, very respectfully your obedlent
servant JAMES q. BLAINE.
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, June 4, 1892.
To the Secretary of State:
Your letter of this date rendering your res
ignation Of the office Of Secretary OF state rte
terms In which you state your desires are
such as to leave me no choice but to accede 10
your wishes at once. Your resignation IL
th erefore accepted. Very respectfully yours,
BENJAMIN HARRISON.
This reply was received at five minutes OF
o'clock.
The Washington agent of the Associated
Press called ut Baine's residence shortly after
the correspondence had heen made public.
and asked him If he would not supplement
1t with an explanation.
Blaine smilingly, but deliberately. replied
"The correspondence explains itself, and /
have not a word TO add TO It,"
The President was next called upon and
regard TO 1t. His response, though made
with entire courtesy of tone and manner was
equally emphatic: Nothing whatever
Both the President and Mr.. Blaine were
seemingly in excellent spirits, and each OF
them, after declining to say anything for
publication about the great event OF the day.
or Its effect upon the situation at Mime
apolis, turned the conversation TO other topics
M mo-. II 0n m
Mr.. Blaine's appearance and manner OF
tone and voice, however, were especially no
ticeable as idicatire Of u feeling Of great re-
| lief and satisfaction which made him even
buoyantly cheerful.
Secretary Blaine's resignation was taken to
| to the White House by his private secretary,
Mr.. Dent, who placed IL in the hands OF the
President. This was little before l o'clock
and within fifteen minutes after 1t was writ
ten. soon after reading 1t the President de-
scended 10 the East room and held his usual
Saturday afternoon reception TO the public.
There were about 200 people present, not one
| of whom rs he shook the Presidents hand
could have told from his cool and collected
manner that anything unusual had happen,
ed. Indeed, an official OF the mansion said
the President really seemed 10 be in better
spirits than usual and made felicltouS replies
to some OF his visitors.
The reception over. The President returned
to his library and addressed Il letter TO Mr.
Blaine, accepting his resignation. This was
given TO Private Secretary Halford, with IN.
structions that 1t be delivered at once, and
MI. Halford thereupon took II over To Mr..
Blaiue's house and placed 1t in his hands.
Thus the whole transaction did not consume
more than an hours time.
So far as can be learned the resignation vol
unteered by Blaine to-day hnd not been pre-
ceded by any notice or intlmatiou 10 the
President that 1t might be expected. Blaine
has seen the President only once this week,
which was during his half hours attendance
vt the Cabinet meeting yesterday. when he
made report concerning his con ference VIII
the Canadian Commissioners and returned 10
the State Department To resume II. The re-
slgnatiou appears, therefore, 10 have been de-
terrnlned upon very suddenly. But.ior long
time there have been various facts known 10
close observers in Washington, as sort 0l
''open secret" which warrant the belief that
the resignation, though undoubtedly precp-
itate by occurrences Of very recent dale, had
It's origin long while ngo aud In causes e.
ntialy personal rather Than political.
trhese causes may be briefly summarized as
|incornpatnbilitieso OF temperament, developed
and emphasized ut times by impatient dis
agreements over public questions, such as the
managementof Of the war threatening dlfcnl,
ty with Chill; lnvidious comparisons and
comments on the part OF inJudicious friends
concerning The credit due to either 1or the en-
actmenL aud execution OF the reciprocity
project and the general conduct 0f the ior-
eign affairs of this government, including the
man ayement OF the Beriug Sea controversy,
and The lack OF cordial relations between
their respective families.
feeling OF cunstrainL I'm the personal relations
OF the President and the Secretary OF State
mont this before the writing OF the letter In
which Blaine declared that lie was not u can,
didute Tor the Presidentiul nomination; and
recent publications authorized by various
members OF the cabinet concerning Blu
ana the presidency, closely following other
published statements attributed To member
of the Presidents family and to some OF his
close political friends regarding the Secre-
tary's physical and mental condition, are un-
derstOOd 10 have made him feel thal longer
continuance in President Harrison's cabinet
! would be intolerab!e To him, wholly irreSpec-
tive OF any questions OF right or duty to &C
cept the Republican nomination for The Pres
ldrncy, II rendered 10 him.
One effect OF Blalnes resignation Is The sud-
| den termination OF the difference between
himself and Genral Foster, Oh one side, and
| the British Minister and Canadian Commits
sioners Foster and Bowel on the other, look
Ing to the readju>tment of the differences be-
| tween the United States and Canada growing
out Of discriminating tolls Imposed on Amer
| lean vessels passing through The Wellanu and
st. Lawrence canals. This conference began
at the State Department yesterday and was
! resumed this morning.
| To-day's session, however, did not last more
| than an hour. and IT. Is understood was
| brought to an abrupt termination by Blaine's
unexpected statement that IT was useless TO
continue present negotiations Ior he reason
that he was about to sever his official rela-
| lions with the government.
1t is said further that this announcement
was u great surprise TO the other members OF
the conference. AT any rate the drlibera-
! tions were brought 10 a sudden close and The
Canadian Commissioners were passengers on
an afternoon train bound for The dominion
capital. Persons who Saw them at their hotel
prior to their departure say that hey were In
Il very imp IeRSaut frame OF mind and were
quite free In stating that they had not been
| fairly treated by the administration.
subsequently H. was learned from Gen. G..
w. Foster that there were no sensational Incl
dents aL 10 days session and that the confer
ence was closed In friendly spirit on both
sides. He said that Blaine made no formal
announcement of his resignation TO The con-
! ference.
| Blaine's letter 10 the President Is dated
June 2i 1245 pm. II therefore must have been
written almost di!erliy after the British Min
isterand his con iertes had leiI Biaine's office,
| which had been used as the council chamber,
and 1t was but fifteen minutes later wien he
| instructed his private secretary to take II over
| to The White House.
| The Secretary remained at the Department
until Ills o'clock arranging some private pa
pers. While he was doing this one of The
| messengers laid an official document before