Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-06-15
BIaine's Triumph.
[Chlc0go Ilmcs IDcm 81


Mr.. Blaine has before overwhelmed
tine House with dramatic surprises
this winter, but he has never made
so profound an impression as to-day.
In the face Of a cloud Of obloquy un-
der which his most steadfast friends
were struggling gloomiiy; in the
face Of an opposition, compact, UNI
scrupuIous, and intrepid in the face
of a majority of political opponents,
who were more than ready and anx-
ious to believe him guilty, and in
spite OF the protests OF half-hcarted
friends, he took the floor to-day and
conquered everything before him.
For an hour 1T was scene Of such
bewildering, passionate surprise and
CONSERVATION AZ has never been seen.
For three hours it was scene so
wildly improbable, so Overwhelmingly
rapid in transformations and pas
sionate episodes, that even those who
saw arestill incredulous. Never was
such scene witnessed in q public
place in this country. T. u Sit
ting calmly in his seat until the
proper moment had arrived, the
minute-hand had barely touched the
figure when he rose to his feet with
quiet gesture which tho house has
come to know so well, and pointing
to the speaker said in that assumed
self.constrained voice which he
knows so well how to use, ~ ask
leave to state n question Of priv
ilege," thus fastening the house OF
once upon the highest discussion that
may DO brought before that body.
Had 10 been q personal explanation
no could have been baked. AS ii
was, business Of the session which
had been planned week before, stood
still, and this man whose enemies
have given him out industriously as
dead, began harangue, the effects
of which have never been equaled in
any public body. The only change
perceptible In his method and man
ner was, perhaps, a little more oneT-
getic nervousness, and voice triHe
husky Mt first. These evidences,
however, went away, and he fell
into that old hectoring, masculine
manner, which his enemies have
come to loathe and cover under.
lie was not shaky, however nervous.
He was speaking as he afterward
said, to 100000 of American peo-
pie, and upon these he wished every
word to weigh to the full import,
aud, as was afterward seen, the I'm
port of every word had been we'll
weighed by himself before ho came
on the floor. To any other than so
resolute, audacious, and skillful a
parliamentarian tho subject matter
would have been impossible TO put
in a personal question. Once launch
ed, however, upon this subject, ii
did not occur to his enemies to inter
pose objections, or, IL they did, 1t was
30 clumsily done that the presiding
officer could not but rule them out.
1t was the general anticipation that
he would throw them into complete
rout.
He began with consummato skill
by showing what gross personal in
Justice had been done himself by the
partisan latitude given in tho Dues,
tion, which, under tho rule, should
have ended with the trading OF the
&c., 900 Of Little Rock bonds. Until
this point had been reached, Blaine's
manner was not at his best. His
voice was thick and husky, and his
eyes had not yet assumed that ferc-
ciousness and earnestness which sub
ject all opposition to silence. Reach
ing this point, however. he swelled
into his old proportions. His voice
rang out loud and clear. His appeal
seemed to swell with in
and he began short,
quick pacing up and down the aisle
which lends such vivacious force to |
everything he utters. 70 have made |
a defense Of himself would have
been weak and commonplace. That
IN ordinary member might have
lone. That was what the Democrats
him to do, and there was