, 1881-08-13
James G. Blaine.
HIS Career and Character Reviewed In m
English Paper.

| AA 'nS VI group oi iour t1ii HOUSES,
built of brown stone and red brick, stu
ated on Fifteenth street, Washington.
and bearing the number s2l, dwells the
American Secretary of State. With the
assurance of meeting with the kindest
| welcome from a statesman universally
known for his hospitality and amiability,
and with being entertained by his charm
ing conversation for few minutes, if the
pressing morning duties of the Premier
Will AT all admit it, We stroll along the
quiet street, and, arriving at the neat
doorstep, pull the bell at Mr. Blame s..
Our cards are taken by a young negress,
who, in English ande6led by the slaves
largon Of the southern plantation, makes
the usual cautious remark that she does
not know if Mr.. Blaine is at home. Four
large rooms constitute the drawing room
suite, the ground floor at Mr.. Blaines
A bow-window on the street adds 10 the
size Of the rooms, and affords further
scope for the loving ornamentation with
which each of these apartments is en-
dowed- There are many valuable objects
here, much rare China on the walls and
in cabinets; fine pictures; some good
statuary; but the greatest charm of the
place is its homelike spirit, which enters
the heart of the visitor, and tells him
that the Premier and his family specially
inhabit these rooms, and keep no corner
OF their house sacred to the cold ceremony
OF merely receiving visitors
Mr.. Secretary Blaine's house is incon-
testably the most popular in Washington.
On "Wednesday afternoons DAYS In
Washington when, during the session of
Congress, the wives of Cabinet ministers
and those Of foreign ambassadors receive
there is no house in the American cap
itol So crowded. Whatever the weather,
however thin the attendance in other
drawing rooms, there is always throng
| at Mr.. Blainep. Nor is this due to the
Importance Of his present position as Sec
retary of State. Ii WAS the same when
he was IN Congress, whether as member
or speaker of the House; il Was the same
when he was IN the Senate; it would be
the same if Mr.. Blaine were not in poll
tics People ga there because they like
Mr.. Blaine and all his family, which con-
sists of his intellectual and ladyike wife,
a kinswoman of brilliant reputation in
American letters who Uses the non de
plume Of CAL Hamilton, and SIX fine
promising children Never since the
days of the silyer-voiced Henry Clay, Of
Kentucky, has there been man in the
United States whose personal magnetism
rs So potent as that of Mr.. Blaine. The
power which Mr.. Blaine exercises over
men, the unfailing success he enjoys III
winning their affection, has been var
iously attributed To his epigrammatie
speech, his delightful jocnlarity, to his
earnest face and his splendid physique.
But there is a simple explanation. MIR.
Blaine's popularity is directly derived
from the sweet and unaffected nature of
the man, and from the unchanging good
ness of his big warm heart. To be great
statesman, and yet a kind, generous and
sympathlzing friend t. meountable scores
of little people whose acquaintance he has
made dnrine the last twenty or thirty
years of his life; to maintain a demeanor
of perfect dignity at all times, and yet to
| knDw how To unbend to each visitor IN
Just the degree necessary to make the
latter feel that Of all ''good fellows III
the world, "Blaine of Name" is the best,
demands intellectual talents and moral
qualities Of the highest order. These
talents and these qualities are well known
10 be the attributes Of MIR. Blaine: and
they are not denied him even by those
whose interests in the political arena are
arrayed against his Own.