The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-06-19
James G.. Blaine.
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR PRES
lDENT,

of the Republican party for President
of the United States. was born January
81, 1880, in Union Township, Wash
ington County. Pennsylvania. He
comes from the noted Scotch-Iris
stock his ancestors having been among |
the pioneers who a century and half
ago assembled the great limestone valley |
founded the village. The stone Pres
byterian church, which the second
generation built, is still standing, and
near by is the old-fashiOned house
where Mr.. Blaine's grandfather, Col
Ephraim Blaine. lived for many years.
This officer was originally Colonel of
the Pennsylvania Line, but during the
last four years of the Revolution he
ern Department, and during the terri
BILE winter at Valley Forge did his best
to keep the wolf of famine and desti-
tuition from the American camp. Col.
Ephraim Blaine's son, esquire Blaine"
as he was known in the community,
was married to Miss Gillespie "a devout
member of the Roman Catholic Church
but their seven children-five boys
and two girls-adhered to the tradi-
tional faith of the Blaines. The second
of these five sons was the subject of
this sketch, James Gillespie Blaine.
STUDENT AND TEACHER.
James entered Washington College
in lS43, being then thirteen years of
age, and became at once prominent as
a scholar among the two or three hun
dred other lads from all parts of the
country, and because of his splendid
physique, he was also a leader in all
n AMI athletic sports. He was not a
book worm, or a burner of midnight
oil, but he was close student and
possessed the happy faculty of assimi-
lating knowledge from books and
tutors far more easily and quickly than
most of his fellows. In debating sOci-
eties he held his own well, and was
conspicuous by his ability to direct and
control others.
At the end of the usual four years
course at college he was graduated, in
lS47, with the most distinguished hon
ors of his class, and went forth into
practical life we'll fitted in acquire
ments and training to deal with its
problems and bearing as a crown of
youthful honor the affection and es-
teem of all his associates.
From his alma mater young Blaine
went to Blue Lick Springs, Kentucky,
and became professor i'm the Western
Military Institute, in which there
were about $50 boys. Colonel Thorn
ton F. Johnson was the principal of
the school, and his wife had young
ladies' school at Millersburg, twenty
miles distant. 1t was at this place
that Mr.. Blaine met Miss StanwOOd,
who belonged to an excellent family in
NJ Massachusetts,, and she afterward be-
came bis wife.
After few years. work as teacher
Mr.. Blaine returned to Pennsylvania
and began studying law. He read law
carefully, and obtained thorough
knowledge of its principles, but never
presented himself as candidate for
admission to the bar.
EbITOR AND STATE POLITICAL LEADER
Miss StauwOod was native of Maine
and after her marriage to Mr.. Blaine
was anxious for him to make that
State his home. This he determined
to do, aud in 1853 the young couple
removed to Augusta, where they have
ever since made their home. In the
following year Mr.. Blaine entered into
partnership with Joseph Baker,
prominent lawyer of that town, and
two purchased The Kennebec Journal,
of which Mr.. Blaine at once became
editor. The Journal wss a weekly pa
per, one of the organs of the Whig
party, aud exercised considerable in
fuence. In 1857 Mr.. Blaine disposed
of his interest in this paper, and be
came Editor of the Portland Daily
he returned temporarily to his old
post on The Kennebec Journal on ac-
count of the illness of its editor. His
career in journalism lasted only six
years, but was marked throughout by
ability and success, and it served to
give him a good introduction to the
world of politics and craftsmanship.
When the old Whig party went to
| n;ooae Mr. Rloino iOino1 hopAa until,
Governor Arson P. Morrill, in organ
izing the Republican party in the Pine
Tree State. His vigorous attacks upon
the Buchanan administration made
him power in the new organization.
! In 1858, when he was in his twenty
ninth year, he was elected to the Leg
islature. He served two years on the
floor of the Lower House and two
years in the chair, where he displayed
the qualities of parliamentary leader
ship and control that afterwards gave
him such renoWn in the National
Legislature at Washington. 1t is also
worthy of mention that he took an
active part as public speaker in the
Fremont campaign in 1856.
REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS.
In 1862 Mr.. Blaine was nominated
for Congress in the Kennebec district,
and was elected by majority of 1900
votes. To this position he was sue
cessively elected, in each succeeding
Congress, until his promotion to the
United States Senate by the Governor
of Maine, July 10, 1876, to fill the
vacancy caused by the resignation of
Senator Morrill,, who then became
Secretary of the Treasury. He was
subsequently elected for the unexpired
term ard for the ensuing term expir-
ing in 1888.
MR.. RLAINE'S DIPLOMACY.
Mr.. Blalne's diplomatic career begun
with his appointment as Secretary of
State, on, March s, 1881, and ended
with his resignation on December 10, |