River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-06-19

Mr.. Blaine was born at Indian Hill
Farm, Washington county, Pa, Jan. 81,
1880. His grandfather was with Wash
ington at Valley Forge, and named his
county after his old chief. At fifteen
Blaine went to school at Lancaster,
Ohio, living in the house of Tom Ewing,
then secretary of the treasury. In 1850,
he graduated from Washington college
and became tutor in the Blue Lick
Springs, military academy. There he
met Miss Stanwood a Massachusetts
girl, teaching in the Millersburg female
seminary, twenty miles of, and mar
ried her. He returned, in a year to
PENNSYLVANIA and studied law, but never
practiced. In 1852 he moved to Maine,
and with aid from the Stanweods
became editor, of the Kennebec
Journal, and later of the Port
land Advertiser In 1858 he was elected
to the legislature; and five times en-
ioyed reelection, beng speaker the last
two terms. In 1862 he went to con
gress. His first term was spent in
quiet studying, but after that he came
prominently before TIE country and
was elected speaker of the Forty first,
Forty second and Forty third con-
crosses. In June, 1876, Mr.. Blaine
was appointed by the governor of
Maine to fill the vacancy in the senate
caused by the resignation of Lot M.
Morrill,, who had been made secretary
of the treasury. On the meeting of
the Maine legislature in january, 1877,
Mr.. Blaine was promptly elected for
the full term ending March 4, 1888. In
both branches he was a persistent and
terrible debater against the South as
massed on the Democratic side of house
and senate. In 1876 Mr.. Blaine's nom
ination seemed certain at Cincinnati.
His rivals were b. Fl. Bristow, Roscoe
Conkling and John L. Hartranft, gov
ernor of Pennsylvania. SO long as there
was a possibility of Blaines nomina-
ton, the supporters of Bristow, Conk-
ling and Hartranft remained steadfast.
On one ballot Blaine came within half
dozen votes of enough to nominate. So
certain were his supporters that he would
secure the prize that they telegarphed
to all parts of the country that he had
the nomination in his grasp. The next
ballot, however, was surprising one.
Ohio and Pennsylvania led offfor Hayes
of Ohio, and a stampede setting in. he
was nominated by an overwhelming vote
amid great excitement Mr.. Blaine took
his defeat philosophically, and turned
his eyes toward 1880. He went into the
Chicago convention of that year with
2S4 votes Gen. Grant, Sherman, Ed
munds and L. B. Washburne, were
against him. His choice being impos-
sible, his supporters nominated Garfield,
and Mr. Blaine became secretary of state
in the new cabinet, and the controlling
spirit in the administration. Mr..
Blaine was with the president the morn
ing of July in 1881, when the assas-
SINS bullet brought to a painful end a
career so full of promise, and during
the presidents eighty days of suffering
he was daily at his bedside. 1t was fit
ting shat Mr.. Blaine should be selected
as Garfields eulogist by congress, and
his address on that occasion is one of
remarkable force and beauty. After
Mr.. Arthurs inauguration-Sept. 10,
1S81-Mr Blaine remained in the cab
met until December, when he retired
to devote himself to private business.
Within the past year he undertook a
history of his twenty years of public
life, work that has already taken high
rank in American literature.