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February 1st, 1917.
Received by James Padgett.
Washington D.C.
I am here, James G. Blaine.
I want to write a few lines as I am interested in the affairs of
our country, and I see the present critical condition of affairs
growing out of the recent declarations of the Germans as to the
policy that they intend to pursue regarding the blockading of the
ports of the Allies, which means, in substance, that the ports of
our country will also be blockaded, for if the merchant vessels
travelling from the U.S. to the ports of the Allies are not permitted
to land at their destinations, there will, of course, be no departures
from our ports, and the result will be the same as if such ports
were actually blockaded.
It is a serious condition for Mr. Wilson to deal with and he must
act quickly and firmly, and not in any particular recognize the
right of the Germans to carry out their policy, or to permit, so
far as possible, the cessation of the travel of ships from our ports
to those of the Allies. Temporizing will not do, and he must at
the very start let the Germans know that America will not submit
to the dictation, and that, if necessary, the America nation will
not only sever diplomatic relations with Germany and her allies,
but will become active participants in the war, which humanity and
the welfare of the majority of the nations of the earth demand shall
be recognized and enforced.
He, the President, may in his dream of peace, which he has recently
given expression to, and which is wholly impracticable at this time,
attempt to conciliate the Germans, and by further reasoning show
them that they are wrong and violators of all recognized laws of
nations, and this hope to avoid war; or the involving of America
in this conflict. But to do so, will constitute a great mistake,
for his protestations will fall on deaf ears, and create in the
German mind the impression that his great desire for peace will
restrain him from asserting to the extent of force, the power of
the U.S. to prevent the Germans from carrying out their policy of
murder and destruction.
I write this, not because I am in any way antagonistic to the German
people, or have any special predilection for the Allies, but because
I see the right of the matter, and that which is necessary to the
salvation of not only the larger part of the nations of the earth,
but also to preserve the rights and dignity and substantial welfare
of the U.S. This action of the German nation must not for a moment
be tolerated, and the sooner the President strikes the better it
will be for all concerned. Of course with the Germans it is a matter
of life and death, but even so it is not right that the other nations
of the earth should suffer ruin or destruction in order that the
German nation should continue to exist, and be enabled to carry
out its policy of domination, which is really the foundation of
the existence of the present war.
While I am a spirit and supposed to be interested only in spiritual
things, yet my thoughts and interests are with my people, and incidentally
with all the nations and peoples of the earth, and these nations
and peoples must be preserved and not be permitted to be ruined
by any other nation, and especially so in the present war for which
no justification exists, for the course that the entente have pursued
in attempting to carry out it unholy desires for destruction and
aggrandizement. I know what the rulers of the various nations contemplate
and what their policies are in the prosecution of this war, for
I visit the councils of each of them and learn the thoughts of the
leaders, and the objects of their efforts and desires. On both sides
there is much that deserves condemnation and entails suffering,
but in weighing the wrongs perpetrated by these various nations
I realize that the Germans are guilty of the greater wrongs, and
if God should interfere as the Kaiser and the rulers of some of
the other nations believe He will, the German nation would have
visited upon them the just indignation and punishment of that God.
But He will not interfere, and men will be left to themselves to
settle this war, and they alone; but here I may say that as right
and justice are more powerful in the long run than wrong and injustice,
the nations that have the most of right on their side, will come
out victors. And according to my understanding of the things and
motives and ambitions that have entered into and caused this war,
the Allies must become the victors.
Of course, I cannot tell when this war will end, but considering
the conditions that exist and the causes that are now operating,
I believe that the end is in sight and that very soon the Germans
and their allies will have to sue for peace, and the end will soon
follow. I would like to write more tonight, but your wife advises
me that I have written enough, and so I will close. So good night,
Your very dear friend,
James G. Blaine.
James Gillespie Blaine (January 31, 1830 – January
27, 1893) was a U.S. Representative, Speaker of the United States
House of Representatives, U.S. Senator from Maine, two-time Secretary
of State. He was nominated for president in 1884, but lost a close
race to Democrat Grover Cleveland.
Blaine was a dominant Republican leader of the late 19th century,
and champion of the "Half-Breed" faction of the GOP. Nicknamed
"The Continental Liar From the State of Maine," "Slippery
Jim," and "The Magnetic Man," he was a magnetic speaker
in an era that prized oratory, and a man of charisma. As a moderate
Republican he supported President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil
War. As a major leader during Reconstruction he took an independent
course in his advocacy of black suffrage, but opposed the coercive
measures of the Radical Republicans during the administration of
Ulysses S. Grant. He opposed a general amnesty bill, secured the
support of the Union veterans who mobilized as the Grand Army of
the Republic, worked for a reduction in the tariff and generally
sought and obtained strong support from the western states. Railroad
promotion and construction were important in this period, and as
a result of his interest and support Blaine was charged with graft
and corruption in the awarding of railroad charters. The proof or
falsity of the charges was supposed to rest in the so-called "Mulligan
letters," which Blaine refused to release to the public, but
from which he read in his controversial defense in the House. (Source:
Wikipedia)
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