The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-28


[ political history. He had an intimate
, knowledge Of the record and political
| relations Of public men-these, with his re
I markable memory, gave him immense adj
| vantages. He was a member OF the post
/ Office committee favorinR the Introduction
[ Of postal cards. He favored all measures
] for a vigorous prosecution OF the war, sup
ported the bill for draft, but opposed a
I general CONSUMPTION.
WHAT HIS FIGHT WITH CONKLING COST.
! In the course Of his second term he en-
gagged IN an angry personal alteration
/ with Roscoe CoOkling, calling the member
/ from New York turkey Robbler" The
I estrangement between the two statesmen
/ which was thus brought about continued as
/ long as Mr.. ConklinR lived Conkling
never fOrRave his hOt-blooded adversary for
the affront. carrying his personal luminosity
even into the political arena and up 70 the
ballot-bOX. Had IL not been for this unto
ward incident there is no manner Of doubt
that Mr.. Blaine would have received the
republican domination at Cincinnati IN 1876.
He might have been defeated then as he was
eight years later, but in 1884 he failed to
carry New York, thus being forced TO face
defeat through the personal efforts Of the
ex SENATOR'S friends in the counties where
they we're strongest throughout the state.
To be sure other elements contributed to
the overthrow Of the man from Maine in
this canvass but not one was more potent
or significant.
a MOST ABLE AND CONCI LIATORY SPEAKER.
The speakership fell TO Blaine for the first
! time in 1869. He was reelected twice there
after, thus WELDING the gavel in all for six
years. The record which he left behind as
an occupant of the chair is remarkable. No
question has ever been raised as to his
ability as a presiding officer. Perhaps no
one who ever filled the post has impressed a
greater influence on legislation for the
country. HIS manner was always concilia-
tory. He never provoked adverse criti-
cism, and his tilt with Gen. Butler in
March, 1871, is the only incident approach
ing to a scene which is now remembered.
The political tornado which swept over
the country 10 1874 placed the democrats in
power In the House. SO Blaine necessarily
stepped down from the chair, becoming the
leader OF his party on the floor. Here he
proved himself both watchful and agRres-
sive, aud the session which Immediately
preceded the election in 1876 was uncom-
monty stormy and turbulent. The fight
over his amendments to the general amnesty
bill was especially bitter.
THE CHARGES AGAINST BLAINE.
But the Maine statesman was not to have
plain sailing. There was a heap Of trouble
IN store fer him and he had not long to
wait. Years Of prosperity had brought
him enemies as well as made him friends
His enemies were soon TO show their hand.
The first attacks came In the shape of
charges that he had received 1914, 600 from
the Union Pacific Railroad Company for
certain services which were not defined, but
presumably rendered in his character of
member OF congress. He rose to
personal explanation on April "a, 1876, In
the House, producing letters from the officers
OF the company and from the bankers who
were asserted TO have negotiated the draft
In which they announced that there had
never been any such transaction aud that
Blaine had never received a dollar from the
company. Mr.. Blaine went on to say that
the charge had reappeared In the form Of q
statement that he had received bonds of the
Little Rock and Fort Smith railroad as a
gift, and these bonds had been sold for his
benefit through the Union Pacific Railroad
Company. He said he never had such
bonds except at the market price; that in-
stead OF taking profit from them he had
suffered loss.
A few days after a new attack was made
on him. This was, that he had received as
"A gift certain bonds Of the Kansas Pacific
railroad, and had been concerned in a suit
about them in the Kansas courts. His
reply was that his brother not himself was
the party interested, the brother having
been one Of the earlier settlers of Kansas,
and bought stock In the Kansas Pacific
before James q. was in congress.
THE MULLIGAN LETTERS.
The public was not satisfied, for on May 2
following resoluti N was adopted by the
House to investigate an alleged purchase by
the Union Pacific at AN excessive price Of
certain bonds Of the Little Rock and Fort
Smith road. 1t did not require much
ecumen Co see that this was a blow at
Blsine Events followed one another with
startling rapidity. As far back as 1864,
when many of Mr. Baine's business enter
prises we're conducted by and through his
brotherln-law. Jacob Stanwood, in Boston,
this brother-in-law had a private bookkeeper
named James Muligan. How long Multi
gan had been the private bookkeeper for
Stanwood does not appear, but he had been
with him for number Of years. II was
known that Mulligan had quarreled with
his old-time friends on account of the fail
ure, supposed TO To on Blaine's part, 20 rec
ognize the value of his services. He was
summoned as witness by an investigating
committee.
Mulligsn had all the correspondence Gov
ering various transactions in which Mr..
Blaine had been deeply interested. The
witness arrived in Washington with all
these letters in his possession. Mulligan
testified under oath that Mr.. Blaine called
on him as soon as he reached the capitol and
begged him to save himself aud his family
from ruin, but that he refused Blaine then
asked to zee the package of letters, promis-
ing TO give them back forthwith. Mulligan
handed him the package, which Blaine in
stantly threw into the lire, where the corr
reSpondence was burned. MIR. Blaine and
his friends have always denied this testi-
mony.
On June Mr.. Blaine rose in his place In
the House TO make another personal ex-
PLANTATION. He denied the power of the
House to compel the production Of his pri-
vate papers, expressed his willingness to GO
TO any extremity In defense Of his rights
and declared his intention to reserve moth
ing, He then held up package Of letters,
claimed to be the letters obtained from Null
ligan, and exclaimed:
Thank God am not ashamed TO show
them. There is the very original package.
And with some sense Of humiliation, with
modification | do not attempt to conceal,
with sense OF outrage which think any
man in my position would feel, invite the
confidence of 44,000,000 of my countrymsn
while | read these letters from this desk"
He then proceeded to read certain letters
Josiah Caid WELL one Of the originators Of
the Little Rock and Fort Smith railroad
who was rumored TO have a full knowledge
of the whole transaction. was in Europe
and both sides were trying TO reach him.
W hen Mr.. Blaine finished reading the let-
ters he asked the chairman whether he had
received any dispatch from Mr.. Caldwell.
To this question he received an evasive
answer. Then Blaine asserted as Of his own