The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-06-09
BLAINE VS.. HARRISON.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE TENDERS
HIS RESIGNATION.
1t Was couched in Terse Language and Was
Accepted in a Note Of Equal Frigidity--
1t Probably Means Blaine's Nom
nation and Defeat.
WASHINGTON, June 1.-THE follow
ing correspondence explains itself:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

l respectfully beg leave to submit
my resignation of the Office of secre-
tary of state of the United States, to
which 1 was appointed by you on the
9Th of March, 1889. The condition of
public business in the department of
state justifies me in requesting that
my resignation be accepted imme-
diately. have the honor to be very
respectfully your obedient servant,
JAS. g. BLAINE.
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
Washington, June 4.
To the Secretary of State:
Your letter of this date rendering
your resignation of the office of secre-
tary of state of the United States has
been received. The terms stating
your desires are such as leave me no
choice but to accede to your wishes at
once. Your resignation is therefore
accepted. Very respectfully,
BENZ. HARRISON.
Mr.. Blaine's resignaL ion was taken
to the white house by Private Secre-
tary Dent, who placed it in the hands
of the president. This was little be-
fore l o'clock, and within fifteen
minutes after it was examined. Soon
after reading 1t the president de-
scended to the east room and held his
usual Saturday evening reception TO
the public. There were about two
hundred peop.e rresent, not one of
whom as he shook the presidents
hand could have told from the cool,
collected manner that any tn ng I'M
usual had happened. Indeed the OIL
Gals of the mansion said the president
really seemed to be in better spirits
than usual and made felicitous replies
to greetings of some of his visitors.
Reception over the president returned
to the library and addressed the
letter to Blaine accepting his
resignation. This was given to
Private Secretary Halford with
instructions that it be delivered at
once, and Halford thereupon took 1t
over to Blaine's house and placed it
in his hands. Thus the whole trans
action did not consume more than an
hours time. Both the president and
Blaine declined to say anything in ex-
PLANTATION of the resignation. The
news of the resignation created pro-
found sensation.
The senate was not in session, but
the house was in the throes of fill
clustering against the anti-Chinest
bill. The effect of the bulletin an
nounciEg the event was magical A
telegram was read by the speaker ano
Representative Dingley, and almost
instantly the news spread over the
hall like wave of sound. Within
two minutes the space in front OF th'
desk was filled by throng of repre-
sentatives struggling to get glimpse
of the bit of yellow paper, which wa
snatched from one hand to another.
The speaker left the chair Temporal
rily delegating the duties to johnson
of South Carolina, and later sooi
found he had assumed almost an i'm
possible task of endeavoring to keel
order in the house while it labore'
under strain of excitement. Clerk
were calling the roll OH some motion
, to take recess until some REASONABLE
hour in the evening, but their voice
were scarcely heard over and abov
the hum of conversation and the tone
of exultation. The effect was dis
eouraging to pending business. The
/ came comparison of views of Demo
e Gratis and Republicans gathering l
knots in the rear Of the seats and pu
ting their heads together in consults
tion.
: "What does it mean?n was tn
question in every mouth. 1t didn
take the Democrats long to decid
e what view to take of the matter as t
its initial stage.
at means that Blaine is standin
: for the nomination" said one and al
s But when it came to the secondary r,
!. suit of the effect on the Democrat
: convention there was of course d
/ vision of opinion.
9 Said Dockery of Missouri: "Fate
! with us. 1t means that Blaine wi
!. be the nominee and Blaine can neve
: be elected"
t Sayers of Texas, sail: "Set 1t dow
: that Blaine will be nominated and b
beaten"
Said McKinnon, representing tn
: New England Democracy, Ills fac
), fairly radiant: "We have &c
I them. Blaine will be nominated an
of coure we will nominate Cleveland
He beat Blaine and can do it again.
Wilson of West Virginia, remarke
, sententiously: sit is rupture in tn
i Republican party, and that means