Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-11
The Role He Played in the Lord
Sackville Dismissal.
Ills MADISON SQUARE GARDEN SPEECH
Fine Chance or the Orator to Gre
ate Republican Feeling.
HISTORY OF THE CASE

1.-The Star in it's story yesterday did not
exaggerate the influence of Mr.. Blaines S
speech at Madison Square Garden in New
York city in the campaign of 1883 when
he referred t. the Murchison letter before
an audience of Irish-Americans.
This was the observation of well-known
gentleman to a representative of The Star
today:
II was present at the meeting, and sat
within ten feet of Mr.. Blaine en- the grand
stand. 1 had thus an excellent opportunity
to observe the effect Of the speech on those
who were present. had heard Mr.. Blaine
before-had witnessed some of his stump
ing triumphs in Indiana in 1884 when he
was a candidate for the presidency him
self-but the Madison Square speech for
electrical effect was d triumph apart for
its completeness. Mr.. Blaine that evening
played on his audience like Pan did on his
pipe. He got any note from it he wanted.
1t laughed, it shouted, it groaned, just as
he willed. Sturdy young Irishmen all but
point would re made. So great was the eff
feet produced, indeed, that when the speech
was concluded 1t was with difficulty that
way was opened for Mr.. Blaine to return
him and his escort with every manifesto
tion of delight and he was full half an
hour in walking two hundred feet.
Here continued this gentleman, "'s
among the crowd that night"
This printed copy Of the famous Murchi-
SOC letter had, in conspicuous type, the
following caption:
Letter from Lord Sackville,
British Minister at Washington,
ITO an American Citizen
Beneath this was a fac-simile of the
royal arms of England.
Il preserved the copy that fell into my
hands as a souvenir By merely glancing at
1t you can Imagine the effect of those head
lines and the British figure below on a
crowd of enthusiastic men of Irish birth
and sympathies. You may also easily i'm
agine how such document falling into the
hands Of a superb stumper as a sub
tect for dissertation would be treated.
Nr. E laine scored with every word
ne uttered. and when he had con-
cluded the British minister's fate was
sealed. Mr.. Dickinson in the cabinet, as the
gossip of that day had It, was probably
ef ger enough for heroic action on the part
of the administration, but the man who
brought matters to head and forced that
action was James G. Blaine. The feeling
In New York that night was that the re-
publicans would carry the state by $4,000
majority. The Irish were thought to be
preparing for a bolt in body, and good
many native democrats were disaffected be-
cause OF the inaction of the administration
in case of such moment Very likely
therefore, some such telegram as that men,
toned by Lord Sackville was sent to Col.
Lamont. then the Presidents private secre-
face on the part of the administration, and
the minister speedily got his passports.
Many irish votes were saved to the democ-
Iacy, but not enough to prevent defeat, and
harrison and Morton carried the state"
was this meeting arranged in order to
give opportunity for special use of The
Murchison letter?'
Not at all. The meeting had long been
IN contemplation. and was conceived on
lines respecting the tariff. The issue that
year was protection versus the Presidents
Tree trade message to Congress. The Irish
were beir g appealed to as protectiunists
The argument was that England. having
ruined lreland's industries by a free trade
policy, had her eyes fixed now on this
country, and through the free traders over
tere would play similar game if protec-
tion as an American policy Should be aban-
doned. l have my card admitting me to
the grand stand at the meeting, and it
bears out my statement. 1t reads, you see:
"'Grand Meeting
Irish Protectionists
At Madison Square Garden,
Thursday Evening. October 25th, 1858.
Hon. James G. Blaine.
Admit to
Grand Stand
Leading Irishmen of New York, like
Gen. Knapp and Austin E. Ford, were in
charge of matters. The Murchison letter,
coming out opportunely, was, of course,
utilized, and it proved to be a greater card
than the one upon which the meeting mad
been founded"
Was there any suspicion at the time
that the British minister had been
trapped?"
None. The whole story came out later.
The British minister's letter had been ac-
knowledged by him. There could be no
doubt on that score. Mr.. Blaine's whole
performance, therefore, was in every way
legitimate. He was denouncing the Sack
ville-West letter, which was genuine, and
an act of the most reprehensible folly And
let this be remembered: However good an
American Don NJ. Dickinson may be, and
may have been then, the man who forced
the proper resentment of the Sackville-
West folly was James G. Blaine"