Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 February 1882 — Blaine and the State Department. [ARTICLE]

Blaine and the State Department.

Mr. Blaine, having been interviewed in Washington, has given his version of certain matters connected with the reigning, diplomatic sensaLicn. He pronounces as false and without foundation in truth the assertion that his instructions to Trescott were drafted and for warded without the knowledge of the President, and states that not only were the instructions fully discussed between the President and himself, but after being written out they were no less than twice submitted to him for criticism and change, and he has in his possession the original draft bearing marks of the modifications desired by the President. Mr. Blaine recalls the fact that the President, in his inaugural message, specifically referred to Trescott’s mission and instructions. He promptly acknowledges the right of the President to change bis mind and reverse any policy previously agreed upon, but for himself says he can see no reason to take a different view of the wisdom of the prior course marked „ out. He fears that one result of the change will be the utter destruction of the commercial interests of the United States on the South Pacific coast. In the concluding portion of the interview, Mr. Blaine declares that the spoliation of Peru demanded by Chili is equivalent to the secession of the eleven States in rebellion in the years following 1861, and the loris to the Union of the Pacific States beside. “Jt amounts,” says Mr. Blaine, “to the wholesale'destruction of a friendly republic—a destruction as complete and as cruel as the partition of Poland ” PBESIDENT ABTHUBS VEBSION. A statement is made, on authority traceable directly to the Executive Mansion, which contradicts the assertions of Mr. Blaine in essential particulars. It is stated that the President did not examine or approve the particular draft of instructions sent by Blaine to Prescott, and on the subsequent examination of the correspondence was astonished and alarmed to find that the important modifications ordered by him had not been made, and that the text of the instructions was such as to immediately invite, if not to provoke, a declaration of war by Chili. Upon the discovery of the precise character of Blaine’s communication to Trescott the President directed the telegraphing of counter-in-structions to ward off the impending mischief, and with the same object in view Secretary Frelinghuynen sought an interview with tie Chilian Minister and gave personal assurances that the offensive language employed in Trescott’s instructions did not correctly represent the sentiments of the President regarding the affair with Chili. The President’s desire in the whole matter was to protect the dignity of the United States Without inviting the hostility of Chili and without endeavoring to act as an aggressive intermeddler in the affairs of other countries. The spirit and letter of Mr. Blaine, if they accomplished the one purpose, could not have done so without inviting the hostility of Chili, if not open war with that country. This, in substanee, is the statement of those well informed as to the views of the administration, and it will be seen that this explanation leaves still a very sharp and well-defined issue with Mr. Blaine. BLAINE TO THE PBESIDENT. Mr. Blaine, in a letter to President Arthur, expresses great surprise at the annulment of the invitations to the congress of nations, saying that the voluntary humiliation of the United States could only be made more complete by requesting the permission of Europe for the gathering. The ex-Becretary begs that the invitations extended by the President be not recalled, as the meeting is a necessity to the commercial interests of the country