The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-05-02
Congressman Brooks.

Hon. James Brooks, whose death took
place Wednesday, April SOth, in Washington,
was born in Portland November 10th, 1907
BE spent his early life in this city and Lew
iston and entered Waterville College at the
age of sixteen graduating in 1928 when
! not quite tventy-one years of age. In the fall
OF 1873 he was employed as teacher in the
Portland Latin school. In 1920 he was en-
ployed as writer on the Portland Adce,'-
tiser, at first in a p ivate way but
was soon recognized as a man of ability and
made its editor. In connection with his edi-
toral work he read law and was admitted 20
the Cumberland bar. In 1881 Mr.. Brooks
induced the publishers of the Advertiser to
pay his expenses to Washington during ses-
sion of Congress, and then he originated the
idea of the Washington correspondent as now
recognized. In 1884 Mr. Brooks was elected
q member of the Legislature from Portland.
In 1885 he visited Europe as the correspon-
dent of the Advertiser, making thorough
tour of Great Britain and Italy, writing
series Of letters that brought him into most
favorable notice. Returning to New York in
the spring of 1885 he entered into scheme
to start the New York Express, which was
done in the June following.
70 Although Mr.. Brooks interests were now
chiefly in New York he claimed a residence
in Maine, and was nominated by the Wings
for Congress in this district the same fall. In
September there was no choice as majority
was required and there were three candidates
in the field. In November Hon. F. O. J.
Smith was reelected, whereupon Mr.. Brooks
took up his residence in New York, though
he frequently visited Portland from that time
until 1910.
q James Brooks began his political career as
Wing and ultra protectionist. Indeed so
ardentiy was he devoted to the "American
doctrine" that he introduced an emphatic reso-
luton on that subject in Wing State Con-
vention. In his early political life, too, he
was an Abolitionist, but marrying Southern
wife. his opinions gradually changed on this
subject until he became an ultra pro-slayery
advocate. --s
with lis brother Erastus he ha ever been
identified more or less closely with the New
York Express and the mutations of that
paper may very properly represent the devil
GUS course of James Brooks the politician.
At first decidedly Whig' and ultra protec-
ZIONIST. it drifted into Known othingism in
1854, then into pro-slavery Democracy, and
during the war opposed the administration at
every point. ------..---.
gs Mr.. Brooks was first elected Wing to the
Z 31st Congress, reelected to the 32d and de-
feated IS candidate for the SD As a Demo-
crat he was elected to the 3sth Congress in
1862, and has been continued with the excep-
ton Of one term until the present time, and
although he occupied ground entirely antag-
onistic to that he occupied at the commence
ment OF his political life, he was undoubted-
ly the leader of his party in the House. From
being an ardent protectionist he had come to
be an ultra and even violent free trader; and
d nom an early aboltionist be had become the
most determined foe of the colored man.
The revelations of the Credit Mobiler in
'estsation, which showed that he was more
deeply involved in the dscreditable affair
than any other public man except Oakes
Ames' his bold denial of any participation in
the mater IN the face of the most positive
3 proof, and the censure of Congress ara fresh
IN the mind of every reader. 10 49,. :, g.
bic health at the time and the shoot, .,,o. 49,.
investigation gave his system was too .-s w..
for him 10 Withstand. e'''