Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-06-11
SKETCH OF JAMES G. BLAINE.
From the New York Hcrald.l

From the New York Herald.
James Gillespie Blaine is Il self-made man.
He has undoubted ability and marked in
dividualty. He is also a capital iinancier.
He was born in Washington county, Pa, on
the 3lst of January, 1880. He graduated
with honor at Washington College in 1917.
His first occupation after his college days
was that of school teacher in Frankfort,
XIV, where he met and married Miss Har-
riet Stanwood, of Augusta, Me. He made
his home at Augusta, and, like sensible
man, who knew on which side his bread
was buttered, joined the orthodox Congre
gational Church. His wife's brothers were
pushing, energetic men, and they became
much attached to Mr.. Blaine and determin-
ed TO give him n lift in the world. With
the aid of their influence he was made as
sistant editor of the Kennebec Journal. a
paper we'll known then as 81 party organ
and the proud possessor of the State print
ing. h was thus that Mr.. Blaine entered
political life. The State Of Maine had be-
come disgusted with democrats and drink.
The star of freedom and of temperance was
rising in the East. The democrats wee
kicked out of office and Mr.. Blaine again
showed his excellent common sense by join
ing the whig party and adopting its plat
form with Il fervor and zeal that carried all
hearts. In 1859 he worked his way into the
lower branch Of the State Legislature. AS
a party manager he bagan to pull the wires,
his aptitude for organization then for the
first time coming into play. In 1861 and
1862 he was elected Speaker of the House of
Representatives in the Maine Legislature,
and it was then that he laid the foundation
OF his present large fortune.
No man ever better appreciated the value
and the power of wealth than Mr.. Blaine,
and no man has a. shrewder perception of
the various ways in which money can be
made. The outbreak Of the war opened up
splendid field for speculation, aud among
those keen men who ayailed themselves of
The opportunities afforded by the revolution
in prices Mr. Blaine held a prominent place
in the front rank. He not only was saga,
cious enough to grasp every opportunity for
turning an honest penny, but he was smart
enough to create the opportunities them
selves A good story is told OF his business
enterprise in the early days OF the war.
The Maine Central railroad had claim of
$40, 900 against the government for trans
porting the State troops. Mr.. Blaine sug-
gested that he should be given the job OF
collecting it. Mr.. Simon Cameron was AT
the head of the War Department, and Mr..
Thomas A. Scott, a friend of Mr.. Blaine's,
was Mr.. Cameron's secretary. 1T was urg-
ed against this claim that the Maine Cen
trail had offered to transport the troops
free of charge. Mr. Blaine was able by his
business tact to convince the government
that the claim was just one, and for
his success in collecting it he was given
the handsome fee Of $5,00O-not at all
bad beginning for q man who started
in life without red cent to his name. His
success in this line prompted the Boston
and Maine railroad to engage him TO collect
similar claim, in which he was also tortu.
nate. The people in Maine began to re-
mark what an admirable man OF affairs Mr.
Blaine was. Mr.. Blaine discovered, too,
that Maine did not present wide enough
field for his peculiar talents, so he trans
ferred his base of operations to Washington
The equipping of the State troops was an
affair that Mr. Blaine's patriotism naturally
caused him to take great interest in. There
was no law in the State of Maine which
preyented a member of the Legislature
from being interested in Government con-
tracts. He had the entree Of the War Office,
and Mr.. Cameron and Mr.. Scott thought he
was one Of the keenest business men alive.
Whenever he heard of fat contract
going begging his business instincts were
aroused and his best efforts were used in
procuring it for one of his business allies.
He made large commissions on the con-
tracts for Spencer rifles and other war
material. His object was to make hay in
the sunshine; and he made it. Nor did he
conline his operations to the War Depart
ment alone. lie became patriotically anx-
ious that the United States navy should
be we'll fitted out. Mr.. Alanson i. Far
we'll was chief clerk in the Bureau Of
Construction and Repair. Mr.. Blaine was
proud to call this gentleman his par
ticular friend. Mr. Farwel had knowledge
of all contracts before they were made. Mr..
Farwell's friends sometimes got a judicious
hint which enabled them to control the
market in materials needed for repairs and
construction. Speculation was always suc-
ceeded by large profits, and thus Mr.. Blaine
got rich. Mr. Farwell resigned, pressure
being brought to bear on him. he after.
wards engaged in the "paper credit frauds"
gigantic piece of financiering. When his
connection with these swndles was exposed
Mr.. Farwell became insane, but he always
insisted that Mr.. Blaine was involved in
these speculations-a statement which, OF
course, was false, because has not MIR. Blaine
always strenuously denied it?
Mr.. Blaine entered Congress in 1862. He
was q ready debater, plausible, fluent
taIker, and naturally made his mark. His
ambition was to become Speaker. He was
shrewd, affable and moderately good look
ing. and had a keen insight into human ma
ture, which helped him amazingly. In Con-
gress during the war of the rebellion ne
does not appear to have conceived any
striking measure. The only resolution worth
mention which he introduced was to amend
the constitution Of the United States by strik-
ing out the clause which forbids taxing ex-
ports. In fact, until he became Speaker it is