McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-06-19
JAMES G.. BLAINE.

>~A~S Ne A6x1x1kxNC0
a Sketch OF the Republican Standard
Bearer--The Early Life of
Great Man.
From Biographical sketch written by n r. c,.-
ford. 80 oi""
James G. Blaine was born At India,
I'LL Farm, Washington county penn
sylvania, the 31st day of Januarv 1S90
ne o9y mad every advantage. He hae
o2ecial instructors and the advantage
9l preliminary training school n
lancaster, o.. where he lived with his
relatives, the family of Thomas Ewing.
me then secretary of the treasury. He
was brought into contact with politics
when a mere lad of IL. lie was pradn.
ated from the Washington University
OF western Pennsylvania in 1S47 before
ne was quite Is. His college guardian
was his uncle, John H. Ewing. a mem.
Der OF congress. Mr.. Blaine excclled
as a student. There appears no period
In his early life where he was not suc-
cessful. Indeed, in accordance with
ordinary rules, Mr.. Blaine should have
Aaa much harder times to have brought
out his powers. As teacher for sew
eral years he fastened his college &C.
quirements, while his subsequent ten
years. as a political editor deyeloped
ms powers as clear and ready writer.
Chairman of the republican central
committee in Maine at the age of Is. he
has since that time retained his ascend
ency as political leader. Coming to
congress in 1862 he soon attracted the
attention OF Lincoln. 1t was Mr..
Blaine's habit at the outset of his career
TO make very short, crisp speeches. He
never occupied more than page of
the Congressional Record. He never
spoke unless he had something to say.
This attracted Lincoln's attention. He
was almost the first man to divine
Blaine's future and actually prophesy
what he would accomplish. At the age
OF SO MIR. Blaine was made speaker of
the house, and for six years filled that
post with an ability that was conceded
by all, although his enemies regarded
him as often arbitrary and high-handed
in the administration of his power.
SUCCESS IN RETIREMENT.
MIR. Blaine is now in the prime of .
vigorous manhood. He is 81 years of
age. His once shattered health is re-
stored. His eyes are now rs keen and
clear as when he was an impulsive,
mischieyous boy, while his voice is as
ringing, deep, and strong as in his
palmiest days as an orator. Retired
from active politics now for over two
years, he has gained by the change.
Instead of dropping into the obscurity
where falls the average public man rel
egated to private life, he has held his
own in the public mind as no States
man ever has before without the arti-
fetal aid of official position. Instead
of retiring in his privacy Mr.. Blaine has,
with the energy of genius, Immediately
found new field to conquer. In the
hard and untried path of literature he
has accomplished in the brief period of
one year as brilliant q success rs has
ever fallen to his lot in active politics.
His political history, the first part of
which is now completed, will do more
to make bis name memorable than all
other acts of his public career. Rele-
gated to private through no fault of his
own, through the calamity of Garfield's
assassination, Mr.. Blaine has shown
such courage, such pluck in subdulng
the despair which would have over
whelmed an ordinary man as to COM
mend him to the faint-hearted forever
as the very embodiment of courage
which acknowledges no defeat.
IN HIS HOME.
His magnetic power is the subject of
many sneers. The enemies of Blaine
deride the men who are fond of him by
calling them victims of this personal
magnetism. Analyze this personal
magnetism and you will find it is moth
ing more than the fact of an unassum-
ing intellectual superiority, keen,
trenchant common sense that COM
mands admiration. Very few public
men at short range fulfill the popular
idea. They are apt to prove disap-
pointing through the exhibition of some
Incomplete, undeveloped side. II is
rare enough that public man of prom
inence is pleasant companion.
Mr.. Blaine is so many-sided as to be
classed as man of genius. He is an
orator, polished writer, a student of
history, wide reader of general liter
allure, successful fnancier, a thorough
Iudu VI tuc Woilus O SouPlolo AhooeoA
of the art of pleasing in social way.
As conversationalist Mr.. Blaine has
few equals. He has keen apprecia-
ton of fun, and can tell story with
wonderful simplicity. There is no
dragging prelude, no verbose details
preceding stupid finale. The story is
presented always dramatically and
fired almost as if from gun when the
point is reached. Mr.. Blaine's ability
to entertain a private circle, as well as
public audience, shows that he has
great power as an actor. Yet even in
his private talk he does not fall into the
habit of the average public man of
making speeches or soliloqaizing. He
lis quite willing to listen when any one
has anything to say, and never appears
more at his best than when he is taking
part in running fire of bright, sharp
talk.
OPPOSED to TRICKERY.