THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

Evening Star, Issue 6759, 26 November 1884, Page 4

THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

The New York correspondent of a Home paper recently wrote The latest political sensation is the work of a woman. It would be unfair, however, to describe Mrs Lot M. Morrill as : a *‘ political woman;” She is*simply the widow of Senator Morrill, bf Augusta, in the State of Maine, Her husband died eighteen months ago, and the Republican National Committee in Ohio were so foolish as to forget that he was dead. He was a man of the highest character, and they addressed to him the following letter“ To Senator Lot M. Morrill. The situation in Ohio is critical. The party is in trouble on account of the attacks on Mr Blaine as the candidate of the party. With your well-known character as a pure and upright statesman, and coming from Blaine’s own State, you could refute the charges as no one else can. We hope you will come to us in tins emergency and make as many speeches as possible.” Mrs Morrill received, this letter with speechless astonishment. As a wife jhe was amazed that her husband’s death had attracted so little attention in hisown party. As the confident of bis political secrets she knew that he bad been implored with tears by Mr Blaine to save (he author of the notorious “Mulligan letters ” from the investigation of the Committee. She therefore wrote as follows to Ohio “I am surprised and shocked to receive such a communication. I thought every citizen of this country knew my husband was at rest. I am in mourning for him; but much as 1 mourn for his death, I thank my Father in Heaven that He called him home before the party ho loved so well and did so much for bad so disgraced itself as to nominate so wicked and corrupt a man for the highest office within the gift of the American people, as I know, and my husband knew, James G. Blaine to be. If he were alive he would not support Mr Blaine or any such man, even at the bidding of his patty.” This vigorous letter, published by the ‘Herald,’ has created a profound sensation. For Mr Cleveland the ladies have no mercy. “In voting for Cleveland,” they say, “men will affirm that crimes against women do not count in political life,” Mrs Livermore writes to the * Boston Post ’: “No decent, self-respecting woman could enter the White House if Grover Cleveland were President.” This text the ladies embroider with all the wretched tittle-tittle furnished by the ‘ New York Sun,’ the ‘New York Tribune,’ and the religions papers. Some of their critics ask them why, if they wish to take part in politics, they do not atart an agitation against the divorce laws, Others want to know why they do nothing to protect the girls in workshops and factories. But the only male critic whom, they heed is Colonel Higginson, of Boston, and Colonel Higginson thus writes in their journal:—“lt is desirable that our President should never have sinned, never tasted whisky, never had an unchaste thought, never sworn an oath. But, after all, when it comes to being the ruler of a great nation, those virtues, however important, are secondary, not primary. To be absolutely honest in public office, to have the courage to act as one thinks right—these are the primary virtues. These are the virtues on which nations rest; it is upon these that our Republic is founded.”