_PUCK, September 6th, 1882._
The Summer of 1882 was just changing to Fall when Mr. Blaine made
a notable speech at Portland, Me., which was generally received as
an announcement of his determination to seek the nomination for the
Presidency in 1884. In this speech, which attracted great attention,
he stated with singular clearness his position in politics, affirming
the moral right of the Republican Party to a continuance in rule on
the strength of its record. This was, we believe, the first clear,
frank and open enunciation of this idea in all its naked simplicity.
It has formed since then the stock in trade of many candidates and of
countless campaign orators, but the credit of putting it fairly and
squarely before the people belongs to Mr. Blaine, and it should be
noted that the time he chose to express his views was one in which
most Republicans were offering apologies or explanations for the past
and present shortcomings of their party. Mr. Blaine reaped no personal
benefit from the enterprise he displayed in taking this bold stand,
but he undoubtedly gave his party a lesson in audacity by which it
profited materially. It was what might be called a “bluff,” and it was
certainly a big and effective bluff. At the time when it was made its
far-sighted cleverness was under-estimated, and its insincerity was so
apparent that the reader of that day could have had little difficulty
in seeing why PUCK suggested to Mr. Blaine to abandon his extreme and
untenable position, and to take another, which would have been at
once more credible and more popular. It is curious that the idea with
which Mr. Blaine inspired his party should have been the means of his
own undoing, and, in some measure, of electing Mr. Harrison to the
Presidency over his head.
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