The Portland daily press., 1884-06-07
MIR. KELLEY on ,be PIntform.
The Candidates.
James Gillespie Blaine

James Gillespie Blaine who is to be tn
standard bearer of the Republican party In
the coming campaign was born at Indian Hill
Farm, Washington County. Pennsylvania, on
che 31st OF January, 1880. He comes Of q dis
tinguished ancestry. His great grandfather,
Col. Ephriam Blaine, Of Carlisle, Pa, was
Commissary General of the Continental army
from 1778 to the end Of the war of 1873. The
grandfather of Mr.. Blaine, James Gillespie
Blaine, for whom he was named, was educated
as a lawyer. He visited Europe and remained
there for number Of years. His life abroad
diverted his attention from pursuing the prao-
tice OF his profession. Possessing indie pendent
means he was enabled to follow a life of leis-
ure. He retained from Europe in 1898, hav-
ing achieved certain distinction in connection
with the then struggling diplomacy OF the col
onies. Mr.. Blsins's father was born in Car
Isle, the place where the diplomat Blaine re-
sided after his return from Europe Ephraim
L, Blaine, the father of the subject OF this
sketch, was a very skillful business man. He
used the means left him by the elder James
Gillespie Blaine in the purchase of great tracts
of land in Western Pennsylvania. These
lands are at present the site of numerous coal
and iron mines and are worth many millions.
Although the father Of Mr.. Blaine did not
hold on to these properties until anything Of
their modern value was discovered yet he re-
tanned enough to leave handsome property to
his son. Mr.. Blaine today is the owner of one
of the most valuable coal properties In Monon-
gahela County, Pennsylvania. This has been
developed from a tract of wild land into a
great property, which has for years brought in
a very handsome income. Mr.. Blaine inherit
ed the business qualities of his father.
The house in which Mr.. Blaine was born
was the first stone house built west Of the Mo-
nongahela. The boy had every advantage.
He bad especial Instructors, aud the advsn-
tage of preliminary training school al Lam
caster, o., where be lived with his relatives,
the family of Thomas Ewing, the then secre-
tary OF the Treasury. He was brought into
contact with politics when mere lad OF IL.
Ho was graduated from the Washington Uni
versity of Western Pennsylvania in 1877, be-
fore he was quite IS. His college guardian
was his uncle, John Fl. Ewing, member Of
Congress.
After graduation he went to Kentucky,
where ne became professor OF mathematics in
a military institute. While residing in Ken
tucKy be was married, aud his wife being a
Maine woman, he was persuaded to
come to this State, whero he settled in Angus
| ia. Adopting journalism as profession, he
edited the Kennebec Journal in 1854, aud the
| Portland Advertiser in 1857. Mr.. Blaine con-
tinued in journalism for about ten years.
Mr. Blaine's political career may be said to
have begun in 1859 when ne was elected to
T
was reelected in 1860, 1861 and 1862, serving
the last two years as speaker Of the House of
Representatives. In 1862 he was first electeda
member o. Congress and six successive terms
he was reelected. He was speaker of the
Forty-frst, Forty-second and Forty-third
Congress, and was the candidate OF the Re-
publicans for speaker of the Forty-fourth,
but the Democrats were in the majority,
aud he vas defeated. When Senator Merrill
became Secretary of the Treasury in 1876 Mr..
Blaine was appointed his successor in the
Senate by Gov. Conner. He was subsequently
elected Senator by the Maine legislature for
the term which expired in 1888. In March
1881 he resigned his seat in the Senate to ac-
cent the Secretaryship of State in President
Garfeld's administration. Soon after the assas-
resignation. Since that time Mr.. Blaine has
lived in retirement so far as he was allowed to
engaged in literary pursuits. In 1876 and in
1880 Mr.. Blaine was candidate for the Re.
publican nomination for the Presidency, but
was defeated though it was evident that both
times he was the candidate of the great mass
of the Republican voters of the North.
1t would be impossible within the limits OF
newspaper sketch to do anything like Justice
to Mr.. Blaine's political career. Nor would It
be necessary if it were possible. There are
few men in active life today who have lived
so long and so much in the public eye as has
Mr.. Blaine and there is no public man more
thoroughly known than he. Here in Maine
perhaps we know him better than he is known
anywhere else. The people Of this State
hardly need to shave their recollection re-
freshed in regard to his career 1t is fresh in
their minds. All the calumnies which the
tongues of men Jealous of his fame and infu-
ence have told have not dimmed its lustre.
The Republicans of Maine have again and
again expressed their confidence and devotion
to him by their votes. They will do 1t again
in November as they never did before.
John A. Logan.
John Alexander Logan was born in Jackson
county, Illinois, February 8, 1926. He re-
ceived public school education and studied
law with his uncle aud at the University Of
Louisville. He was admitted to the bar In
1852 and the same year was elected prosecuting
attorney of the third judicial district of Illi-
nois. He was a member OF the Illinois House
of Representatives from 1852 to 1856, and in
the latter year was Presidential elector on the
Buchanan and Breckenridge ticket. He was
elected to the Thirty-sixth Congress as .
Douglas Democrat and was reelected to the
Thirty seventh. In 1861 he resigned to enter
the Union army and was commissioned
in September, 1861, colonel OF the Thirty-irst
Illinois volunteers. In 1862 he was promoted
to be brigader-general, and in 1863 to be
major general. He especially distinguished
himself at Belmont Fort Donelson, Piltsburg
Landing, Vicksburg, Chattanooga, Atlanta
and as commander of the Army of the Ten
nessee. In 1865 he was appointed minister to
Mexico by President johnson but declined.
He was elected to the Fortieth Congress as
Republican and was reelected to the Forty
first Congress. In 1871 he was elected United
States Senator aud in 1877 Governor of Illinois.
Subsequently he was elected Senator to sue
coed Gov. Oglesby and took his seat In 1888.
Portland Light Infantry.
d. - i 7 IT..