 The campaign focused on the candidates ' personalities , as each candidate 's supporters cast aspersions on their opponents . Cleveland 's supporters rehashed the old allegations from the Mulligan letters that Blaine had corruptly influenced legislation in favor of railroads , later profiting on the sale of bonds he owned in both companies . Although the stories of Blaine 's favors to the railroads had made the rounds eight years earlier , this time more of his correspondence was discovered , making his earlier denials less plausible . Blaine acknowledged that the letters were genuine , but denied that anything in them impugned his integrity or contradicted his earlier explanations . Nevertheless , what Blaine described as " stale slander " served to focus the public 's attention negatively on his character . On some of the most damaging correspondence , Blaine had written " Burn this letter " , giving Democrats the last line to their rallying cry : " Blaine , Blaine , James G. Blaine , the continental liar from the state of Maine , ' Burn this letter ! " 
