Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-05-03

that compromise with slavery was but an
other phase OF sacrifice Of liberty He do
manded that the freedom. intelligence, labol
and property of 3Waup people should Be ths
controlling force of the government. instead o.
an Audaeious. naughty and demoralixing clAs
who constitute less than ons-sixtieth Of ths
nation
The lie Compton constitution, the repeal q
the Missouri compromise, the contest IL
Kansas and the bred Scott decision onl,
served 10 increase the intensity Of his feeling.
against this institution.
In lsS the Republican party, led up to Il
logically by its attitude towards slavery, de
Shared in favor OF the encouragement o.
American industries and the protection o1
American workingmen.
Mr.. Blaine had already been taught thii
principle by Wing father. and the lessons
had been emphasized by conditions in his
state The tariff OF 1875. known as the tariff
for revenue only" passed by the United States
senate by the casting vote Of Mr.. Dallas. q son
of Pennsylvania MIR. Blaine was then in col
lege. witness and an interested one, of the
intense indignation of the people OF that stats
Mt what they regarded as betrayal of their
interests by Dallas, Buchanan and Robert J.
Walker, all icnnsylyanians.
His FIRST speech in the campaign of 1850 was
an earnest advocacy of protection, and an
effective attack upon the claims of the free
traders that the tariff of 1886 had promoted
the interests OF the country. A brief extract
will illustrate it: These lessons. fellow citi-
zens. ART serious and the Republican national
convention has appreciated their meaning.
That convention recalls US, In its platform, to
the policy OF adjusting our revenues so as to
protee, labor, encourage home manufactures,
create II balance of trade in our favor and
keep our gold al home. While fighting against
the admission of servile toll of the black
man in the new territories of the continent
Republicans will fight also for liberal wages
To the toiling white men OF the old states OF
the Union. This position is the logical se-
Guenee, the logical necessity, of the Republi-
can party. Al anti-slavery party is by the
irresistible force of It's principles protection
party, for ii is based on the rights of labor
for the white man and the black man alike ~
From this position, taken at the very begin
ming of his political career, he never sweryed
during his life. The famous interview pub
lished 10 the world in reply to Mr.. Cleveland i
special message 10 congress. favoring a tariff
for revenue only, became the shibbolethe o.
the party in the ensuing campaign.
know it WAS claimed by the free traders
that Mr.. Blaine had weakened In his protection
sentiments; that he had denounced in round
terms the Mckinley bill. know that as evil
dence of this they scattered broadcast one ex-
tract from a letter addressed to me July II,
issi land at that time published in fulD as
follows:
do not doubt that In many respects that
the tariff bill pending in the senate is a just
measure. and that most OF its provisions are in
accordance with the wise policy of protection.
But there is not section or . line in the entire
bill that will open market for another bushel
of wheat or another barrel of pork. II sugar
Is now placed on the free list without exacting
important trade concessions in return we
shall close the door for IL profitable reciprocity
against ourselves.
In this utterance Mr.. Blaine was simply ex.
pressing an opinion he had held for years.
remember well when we removed the duties
from tea and coffee. He advised that this re-
peal should be used as wedge 10 open the
ports of the countries producing these articles
to the admission of certain of our products.
sugar on the same ground, insisting that We
We're throwing away splendid opportunity
OF securing advantages 10 our products in the
ports OF the sugar producing countries.
In this was in entire accord with him. His
declaration that there was not section or q
line in the entire bill that will open a market
for another bushel of wheat or another barrel
of pork" was not indicative of any opposition
to the principles of protection rs illustrated in
the bill: only AN in,stanee that free sugar
should he coupled In some way with require
ment that the nations to be benefited by this
clause should reciprocate. He knew as well
as that the bill was not intended 10 open
markets abroad; that its purposes were to
enlarge markets at home, to build up our indus
tries. 10 insure good wages to our workmen.
The last letter he ever wrote on public ques-
tions, addressed to Mr. Manley, the chairman
of the Republican committee of Maine for use
in the political campaign then on, dated, Bar
liarbor, sept 3, lSt.'' is IL complete rcfutation
of such claims. In that letter he declares:
'The issue of the greatest consequence is the
tariff imports. and IL will continue to be
until settlement is effected by a majority so
large that it will he tantamount TO general
acquiesencc. The Republicans are aggressive
on this subject. Two years ago they passed a
general enactment, known as the Mckinley
tariff. which for time failed to meet with
popular approval and was regarded with a
certain degree of misirust by those who had
always upheld ihr protective system. But a
powerful reaction has come In consequence
of the yindica,ion of the Mckinley tariff
by experience. II is found to have worked
admirably, and within the last year has
produced n greater volume of business,
internal and external, export and import
than the United states ever trans,t Ted before.
the character and strength
of the opposition TO il. agriculture is remun-
erativc, manufac turers are prosperous, and
CO nmerce is more fiourishing than at any
previous time, thus vindicatng the Mckinley
tariff by an impressive and undcniablc series
of facts.
In 1853 Mr.. Blaine was elected to the lcgisla-
ture of Maine. He served in the capacity of
four years, during two of which
he was speaker; then he was elected to con-
gress in lst2. In the legislature and in con-
gress he was an earnest and determined
supporter of all measures for the vigorous
prosecution Of the war, denounced all COM
promise aud all attempts at compromise.
The first speech ever heard him deliver
was in the Maine house, in March, 1852. Res
olutions had passed the senate and were under
in the house, one Of which read
rs follows: "Resolved, That it is the duty of
congress, by such means will not leopard
the rights and safety of the loyal people of the
youth, to provide for the confiseaton of es-
tates real and personal, of rebels, and for the
forfeiture and liberation of every slave,
slaimed by any person who shall continue in
arms against the authority of the United
States. or who shall in any manner aid or abet
the present wicked and uniustifable rebel
lon.r
Hon. A. 2. Gould an eminent lawyer. acting
as a war Democrat, had attacked this resolu-
ton in speech of great power. Mr.. Blaine
called me 10 the chair. and replied in n most
forceful. logical and overwhelming argument
in its favor. 1t an occasion of intense ex-
citement. The Republicans of the legislature,
Sany of the var Democrats, and large ma
brity Of the pcos.c of Maine accorded to Mr..
.laine a most signal victory.
Mr.. Blaine from the very start was leader
in his party, never a follower. He was chair
man of the Republican committee OF Maine
for - years. and drafted the resolutions for
every convention. Tie elections in Maine
coming carrier than in other states, the plat
forms adopted there were very generally fol-
lowed throughout the country. His hand was
visible in nearly all. II not in an, of the plat
forms of the Republican party assembled in
national convention.
While he started with freedom and protec-
ton. the one the logical sequence OF the ther,
he gradually embraced within the principles
Of the party, education. temperance, the pres
erYaiion Of the common school system, the
Improvement of rivers and harbors, the rcsto-
ration of the merchant marine, liberal PEN
sinTs to those who suffered In the war, and .
sound currency, all Of whirh. from time to
time. have feel advocated by him in public
speerh on the platform. and in the halls II
congress.
Ii was impossible that such man, with such
powers and advocating sneb principles. should
not have aeqgired an immense and a devoted
following in The country. They determined
10 secure his nomination for the presidency In
HIS, and except for accident would have sue
eecded- The attempts in congress to destroy
Mr.. Blaine had the opposite effect. and only
intensified the devotion Of his friends. In that
convention the investigation, Of which he was
tiSrn tho subject, was rot factor; but
whcH we were fsarsli,tiling our forces,
the telegraph brought the fearful news thas
he had i,cen sr'ls' sly stricken down. The Re-
publican psspels Va Cincinnati were all against
him and their columns bri@tled with an
nsHnecrsants cf "raraiysis.r ''softcping Of the
brain" -ineApariiy 80 Use his limbs.r death
Threatened 10 efi8fe .aosIiy," utterly unsafe
to nominate man likeig 80 soon To die" We
are compelled TO rely Hpon the Democratic
papers for the proclamation Of any favorable
word from him. This alarmed a few timid
men. prevented them from giving him their
support. while the unit rule forced scores Of
others to vote against their iuelinations. ard
Mr.. Blaine. coming within q votes of the
nomination. was defeated.
In Issn he WAS again candidate. Opposed
To him was feneral Grant " wha bad Just re-