ll commence. I hope that some new issue
will take color out of politics, something about which both white
and colored may divide. Of course nothing would please me better
than to see the Democratic party become great and grand enough to
give the colored people their rights.

_Question_. Why did you not take part in the campaign?

_Answer_. Well, I was afraid of frightening the preachers away.
I might have done good by scaring one, but I did not know Burchard
until it was too late. Seriously, I did not think that I was
needed. I supposed that Blaine had a walkover, that he was certain
to carry New York. I had business of my own to attend to and did
not want to interfere with the campaign.

_Question_. What do you think of the policy of nominating Blaine
in 1888, as has been proposed?

_Answer_. I think it too early to say what will be done in 1888.
Parties do not exist for one man. Parties have certain ends in
view and they choose men as instruments to accomplish these ends.
Parties belong to principles, not persons. No party can afford to
follow anybody. If in 1888 Mr. Blaine should appear to be the best
man for the party then he will be nominated, otherwise not. I know
nothing about any intention to nominate him again and have no idea
whether he has that ambition. The Whig party was intensely loyal
to Henry Clay and forgot the needs of the country, and allowed the
Democrats to succeed with almost unknown men. Parties should not
belong to persons, but persons should belong to parties. Let us
not be too previous--let us wait.

_Question_. What do you think of the course pursued by the Rev.
Drs. Ball and Burchard?

_Answer_. In politics the preacher is somewhat dangerous. He has
a standard of his own; he has queer ideas of evidence, great reliance
on hearsay; he is apt to believe things against candidates, just
because he wants to. The preacher thinks that all who differ with
him are instigated by the Devil--that their intentions are evil,
and that when they behave themselves they are simply covering the
poison with sugar. It would have been far better for the country
if Mr. Ball had kept still. I do not pretend to say that his
intentions were not good. He likely thought it his duty to lift
a warning voice, to bawl aloud and to spare not, but I think he
made a mistake, and he now probably thinks so himself. Mr. Burchard
was bound to say a smart thing. It sounded well, and he allowed
his e