Every Member
of Congress likes to meet a pensioner for whom he has secured
a pension. Neither has any thought of wrong in reviving such
a memory. The ruling Mr. Blaine had made was simply stating
a clear rule of the House about which there could be no doubt
whatever. At the same time, I said at the time, what I deem
it my duty to repeat now, I think Mr. Blaine erred, when
he thought it proper to embark in such a speculative investment.
Members of legislative bodies, especially great political leaders
of large influence, ought to be careful to keep a thousand
miles off from relations which may give rise to even a suspicion
of wrong. Their influence and character are the property
of their country, and especially valuable to their political
associates. The great doctrines of which they are the influential
advocates must not be imperiled by any smell of fire on their
garments. But an error of judgment, or of good taste, on
their part, is very far from being corruption. Henry Clay
was a gambler. Other eminent statesmen both in this country
and in Europe have made no secret of even worse vices than
that.
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