The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1881-03-15
Sketches of the Cabinet.
SECRETARY OF STATE RLA1xe.

SAOSCu0S VI Gu0 CaOl06Ce
SECRETARY OF STATE BLAINE. @
James Gillespie Blaine, the new Sec-
retary of State, was born in Washing
ton County, Pa, January 81, 1880. be-
ing the great grandson of Ephraim
Blaine, Washington's Com missary Gen.
eral, who did so much to save the army
during the "dark winter" at Valley
Forge. He studied first at an Ohio
sche ol. then at, Washington Presbyte.
rian College, from which he was gradu.
ated about 1847, head of his class -
Going west to Kentucky be taught school
at Georgetown, and was Professor at
the Western Military Academy; there
be married, his wife being Miss Har.
riet Stanwood. In 1853 be turned east.
ward, and going TO Augusta, Me-, be-
came editor of the Kennebec Journal,
and for brief interval of the Portland
Advertiser He was elected to the State
Legislature in 1857 and served five
years. during two of which he was
Speaker. In 1862 be was sent to Con-
gress, becoming speaker in 1869 On Mr..
Colfaxs elevation to the Vice Presiden
cy He held the Speakership until the
Democrats obtained control of the
House in 1875. and in 1877 was elected
to the Senate. At the Republican Ma.
tional Convention of 1875 Mr.. Blaine
was the most formidable candidate for
the Presidential nomination; be would
have received it but for the preliminary
blundering Of his friends in Pennsylva
mia and the action of the opposition in
the convention in securing a postpone
ment by tampering With the gss.pipes
and next day uniting on Hayes. Again
in 1880 be was one Of the leading aspi-
rants, and by uniting his strength with
Sberman's succeeded in defeating Gran,
and nominating Garfield. During these
campaigns the ex Speaker suffered not a
little from the Mulliean charges con-
corning the Little Rock and Fort Smith
Railway transactions. He favored the
bill restricting Chinese immigration, Wig.
orously denounced the abandonment os
Packard's government 10 1877, and la
ter. In the debate over Mr.. Jefferson
Davis, made himself the Spokesman oil
the stslwarts. On the silver question In
February, 1873, he, to say the least.
"temporized," and on the Resumption
bill declared, May 90. 1873, that be had
no faith that the Government would
pay gold at the date fixed and thati
was not compelled to do 90 by any ex.
listing law. 81 SO
SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY WINDOW.
William Window, the new Secretary
OF the Treasury, was born in Belmon,
County, o, May 10, 1897. received an
academic education and studied Law a,
| Mount Vernon, where be practised un.
til his removal TO Minnesota in 1856
being elected Prosecuting Attorney fol
Knox County in 1852. He was elected
from Minnesota to lhe Thirty sixth Con
gress and served in the House of Rep
resentatives FIVE terms, being appointed
10 the Senate 10 July, 1870, 10 I'll the
unexpired term OF Daniel S Norton,
deceased. He was elected TO the Senate
in 1871 and reelected in 1877 Mr..
Window is q man OF moderate ability
and very pronounced Republicanism.-
He attracted some attention year ago
by the active interest which be took in
the Negro exodus, and in March, 1880
introduced bill for national savings
hanks, the principle of which The World
alluded to at the time as worthy Of Sc
rioue consideration. He last came
prominently before the public at the
Anti Monopoly League meeting on the
2lst ult to which he contributed a We.
hement letter on the railroad question
PosrMAsTER GENERAL JAMES.
Thomas l., James. OF New York, the
new Postmaster General, was born al
Utica, in this State, in 1881, educated al
the Utica Academy, and at the age ol
fifteen was apprenticed 10 Mr.. Wesley
Bailey, editor Of the Liberty Press. II
1851 be purchased the Madison County
Journal, which he edited for ten years
arst in partnership With Mr.. F. B. Fish
er. afterwards as its sole proprietor
Originally Wing, he Joined the Re,
publican party at it's first organization
and took q leading part 10 local politics
He was for short term Collector o
Canal Tolls at Hamilton, but in 1866
came to New York, becoming Inspecto
OF Cus,oms under Collector Hiram Bar
ney in, 1851. and in 1854 Weigher. II
| 1859 Mr.. James was appointed Deputy
Collector in charge OF the Third Divis
ion, embracing the warehouse depart
ment. Upon the Inauguration Of civi
service reform be held the position o
President of the Board of Examiner
for the Custom House. After servin,
three years as Deputy, vacancies occur
ring in the offices of Survey or Of th
Port. by the resignation of Mr. Cornell
and of Postmaster of New York, b,
the resignation of General P. n. Jones
lbe friends Of Mr.. James urged upol
the President his appointment to th,
former position, but General Grant, ar
preciating the importance OF the ofic
Of Postmaster and made acquainted vii,
the integrity and ability which ha
, characterized Mr.. James's public career
, appointed him to the latter position
!, The regulations OF the department rt
, Quired the execution of bond to th
Government in the sum of $500, ,00t
with sureties to jus,ify in double tbs
. amount. Although Mr.. James was nc
} possessed of pecuniary means, be foun
, no difficulty in procuring bondsmen
} | the persons OF Thurlow Weed, A.
Cornell, Thomas Murphy, E. D Mo
gan, Frank Squires, VIM A Darling
Abram Wakemsn and Others, who gla'
" volunteered to assume the respons
. bility The success which has attende
: Mr.. James's administration Of the a
4 fairs Of the New York Post Office
known to everv reader OF the metropo
: itan press In May last, on the resi-
nation OF Postmaster General Key,
!, was offered the Postmaster, Generalshi
!. an oflce which, however, he declined
y consequence Of the pressure placed d
= on him by the mercantile community.
SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR KIRKwoo