New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-06-07
BLdJNES B1TTLE.S.

Mr. Blaine has shown a marvellous com
prehenslon of the tastes and temper OF his
cOuntrymcn, and If ne become the next
President of the United States he will owe
his elevation in no slight measure to his
perfect understanding OF the average Amer
lean citizen. During his public life he has
rarely been "a conspicuous leader in the discus
sion of the great principles and policies which
have from time to time engTossed the attcn-
ton of thinkers and Statesmen we do rot
mean that he has been waverer, but only that
he h generally allowed others to march in the
advance. Yet Dir. Blaine has kept himself-per-
haps We ought to say circumstances have kept
him--always in the public mind, and it would
be difficult 10 mention politician who has com
manded more absolutely the adhesion of ills
own party. He inspi.es little sentimental devo-
ton; he points to the record Of few great
measures but tested in the sharp trial of
the campaign, his popular strength proves to
be greater than that of all the other candi-
dates combined. He oyercomes the power Of
the Administration machine when it is turned
against him in lis own party, and he almost
wipes out the traces of the antagOnistlc re-
form movement which at one time seemed
likely, in this centennial year of frauds and
scandals, to carry everything before IL. There
has been no great agitation OF popular feeling
to effect this result. 1t is not the consequence
of "Blaine uprising" How it all came
about the shrewde5t politicians are at "a loss
TO tell but there is no mistake in tic mean
ing of his list of three hundred and odd dele
gates to the National Convention.
We doubt whether Mr. Blaine has ever given
Il Ill Of
than during the present session of Congress.
He seems to have perceived from the start
that the vital object of the campaign was
to capture. not the loose and frce-thlnk-
ing vote, which he probably could not get,
nor the machine vote, which was perhaps
not worth getting, but the great multitude Of
middle-class, ordinary Republicans, and he read
the minds of these respectable millions like a
book. lie saw that they had not forgotten
the rebellion nor quite forgiven the rebels (;
that they were half inclined to resent the ap-
pearance Of "COnfedcrate brigadiers' III Con-
gress that they were honestly alarmed at tie
prospects OF % returning Democratic ascend
ency and chagrincd to fad their party for the
first time in sixteen years thrown upon the
defensive. Moreover he remembered, what all
the other candidates seemed 10 forget, that tho
average American is fond OF good fighting.
And so Mr.. Blaine began thu Winter by fight
ing the whole Democratic side of the House Of
Representatives,
The history OF Blaine's battles this year will
form o memorable chapter in the history Of
Congress When he scourged JEFF Davis and
exasperated Ben Hill, and ratified the blcached
,keletons of Andersonyille, though many of us
deeply deplored the needless and unplcasan,
disturbance, we could not help admring the
courage. assurance, and readiness with which
Mr. Blaine faced bis raging antagonists, and
the magnificent air with which ut last
he trod victorious over the field of
fray. When the excitement died away
il WAS seen that Mr.. Blaine had won some
thing more than barren laurels. He had
broken and routed tho whole Democratic line
of battle. If there had been any chance of
consistent and united action ou the part of the
majority it was goae now, and it never came
again. Ever since that remarkable combst the