Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-04-15

tary Institute In this school there were
abou, four hundred and fifty boys. A gen
,leman now living in Washington twho was
also. by the way, an officer in the rebel
servicel was a student in this school. He
well remembers Blaine, and describes him
a. a thin, handsome, earnes; Young man,
with the same fascinating manners he has
now. lie was very popular with the boys,
who trusted him and made friends with him
from the first. He knew the given names of
every one. and he knew their shortcomings
and their strong points. and to this day he
asks about this boy and that who went To
school at the Blue Lick Springs, then 6 very
popular watering place. My friend says that
Blaine was a man Of great personal courage.
ard that during bloody fight between the
faculty. Of the school and the owners Of the
springs. involving some questions about the
removal Of the school, he behaved in the
bravest manner, fighting hard but keeping
cool. Revolyers and knives were freely used.
but Blaine used only his uell-disciplined
muscle Colonel Thornton Y. Johnson was
the principal Of the school, and his wife
(bo,h mos, excellent, well bred and highly
cultured personsl had a Young ladies' school
a, Mi.lersburg. twenty miles distant II
was st this place ,ha, Blaine met Miss Stan
wood, who belonged TO an excellent family
in Massachusetts,, and she afterwards became
his wife. Blaine, after an experience OF
wear or two. discovered that be was not born
to be a school teacher and he returned To
Pennsylv ania and studied law, but never
prac,iccd IL In 1853 he removed 20 Maine.
and there began 3 eancer that hss made HIM
TO-DAY the most talked OF and the most
popular man in the country.
|, was in Portland ;ha; Mr.. Blaine srs;
became an editor. have often thought
that a grea, editor. as great perhaps a.
M Greeley. was lost when Mr.. Blaine
wen, into politics He possesse. all the
qualities Of a grca; journalist. and have
heard him say dozen times ;ha; he never
will be entirely happy until he is a, the head
Of great newspaper. He has pheEom-
enal memory. and there is no quality NOR,
valuable in Journalism than this, YOU very
well know. Mr.. Editor. lie remembers cir
csrustances. dates, names and places more
readily than any man ! ever met, and It Is
this wonderfully available memory that
makes him ssch a read, speaker and such a
charming compassion. lie ha. also great
quick ne.s and accuracy of Judgment, anoih-
e- eno.lleni and Indispensable quality IN
journalism. lie writes ~ rradily and a.
strongly as he speaks, and yer. Upldiy. In
many respects he rescmbAs NI. Otssist as
4 ~r.,fr-he goes straight TO tbs poilt and
wastes ao time in painting with prsti, words
back ground i,f bis thoughts. HIS other
qualities for Journalists are. he Is courageous.
he Is tAir- minded he grAsps snd weighs the
events Of the Ga,. and finally, Ike all good
journalists. he !. q good husband aud father
and a good fellow.
Mr. Blaine held his first public Office in
1858. when he was elected TO the Name leg
i.laiure. He had already achieved distinc-
ton a. a public speaker in the Fremont
campaign Of 1856. He vas Eve 'iues elected
to the legislature, and in 1871 and again in
1862 be was chosen speaker Of the House.
y. D. hich position he exhibited the same Pc
-.,-a stnc>s for presiding officer tha; he
~ - Speaker Of the National House
20 '.-tl.f fn'eS.
oi het AI Blame was frs, elected 70
In i>''' '.-z,i,. his first term he gave
! onSi.''' !, A,.,, and obsern adon.
himself up most. C. fougreS. he began
but IN the Thirty-n.. tL.. ,ins> - The
TO be felt. and from 4, III -.
prcsen, he ha. been forcm. -
ton. lie has an aptitude /. =. -
business that few possess. He ~ m
weak and the strong points in a bill =
Judgment Is 80 quick and accurate that ne
ready 10 take ms position IN minute -
most Congressman are after a day : rehec- I
ton. No doubt Mr.. Blaine made. like every |
the other man III Congress, a good many
speeches for home consumption. but in
last ten wears he has done none of this. He .
has rather avoided this sort Of public service .
and has taken instead an active practical par
tcipation IN the business Of Congress. II Is
hardly worth while to follow Mr. Blaine
through his fourteen years service in the
House. lie always commanded the atten-
tion Of the Hosse, and before he had been
three years a member he ranked with the
highest dcbater. With him in the
House were Thad. Stevens, Ben. Butler,
Schenck. Allison. Colfax. Banks, John \.
Bingham, Boutwell,. James Brooks. Conk-
ling. Dawes. nelano. X. b. HAYES. George
W. Julian. Scoheid and other well-kno~n
names. Before the close of his second term
he had that angry controversy with Conk-
ling, since become 30 famous, in which, for
the first time in his life, Conkiing got a
dressing which did him good. All YOUR
reader. will remember tina, OF the Forty first,
Forty second and Forty third Congresses
Mr.. Blaine was Speaker. His quickness,
his thorough knowledge of parliamentary
law and of the rules, his firmness, his clear
voice, his impressive manner, his ready COM
prehension Of subjects and situations and
his dash and brilliancy made him a great
presiding officer. He managed that most
turbulent of all bodies with an iron hand
His management of his own case when the
Mulligan letters came out was worthy Of any
general who ever set squadron in the field
For nearly fifteen wears | have looked down
from the galleries of the House and Senate,
and | never saw and never expect TO see and
never have read Of such scene, where the
grandeur Of human effort was better illus
trated than when this great orator rushed
down the aisle and, in the very face Of Proc
tor Knott, charged him with suppressing a
telegram favorable to Blaine. The whole
floor and all the galleries were wild with
excitement. Men yelled and cheered women
waved their handkerchief and went of into
mysteries and the floor was little less than a
mob. The latter life Of Mr.. Blaine i. famil-
lar TO all. His transfer to the Senate, his
prominence as Presidential candidate in
1876 the sunstroke on that unlucky July
day his defeat a, Cincinnati, his prominence
in the public eve in the Senate, his admira-
b4t Poiil4Noi !
and his present distinction in the hearts Of
the American people-your readers know
all these things as well as |.
Mr.. Blaine with those who know him, is
the most popular Of men. The charm of
his manner is beyond expression, and no
body comes within the circle Of his presence
that is not overcome with his fascnations.
With his great brilliancy he has that exquis-
ite show of Difference to his companions, a
sort Of appeal to them TO verify or deny his
words that is very taking. He is also a
good listener, and he has a familiar way of
speaking ones name and Of placing his hand
on ones knee that is an agreeable salye to
ones vanity. There is no acting in the
heartiness of his manner. He is an impul-
siye man, with a very warm heart, kindly
instincts and generous nature. He is open,
frank and manly.
One element in his nature impresses it.
self upon my mind in very emphatic man.
ner. and that is his coslness and self posses
H., I |