, 1884-02-16
IN BLAINE'S STUDY.
How the Man from Maine Docs bis
Literary Work
The Debates In which He Has Borne
a Part---The Passage with
Carpenter - Quarrel
with ConkIing.
n. c. Crawford in Chicago News.l

WI oSAOAb ehhSAihb poSAS ~ hO "ao
n trained writer. In congress be acquired
great skill rs an orator. and developed an
extraordinary ability for expressing himself
In the \best possible manner upon the very
shortest notice. One would think that his
skill as a ready talker on his feet would mako
his work easy In preparing his book With a
good secretary, one might imagine that he
could readily dictate every one of the chap
tiers of the book.
Mr.. Blaine says, however, that he is able to
dictate to an advantage only where the
chapters in his book partake of the narrative
form. For anything beyond that be Is
obliged to sit down and labor with his brain
AID his good right hand. He says that he
does not believe hat any work Of high
literary excellence can be accom-
phshed by dictation. He says that in writ
ing there are three sentinels standing guard
over the brain. The two eyes and the hand
are between the brain and any crude form Of
expression These restraints have a constant
tendency to check faults and TO polish meri-
torious sentences When a writer dictates
there is no special stimulus 10 high effort and
there is no restraint.
Mr.. Blaine was asked how he accounted for
the fact that In his speeches his English was
always of such a high order. Under excite
ment, and speaking apparently without
restraint, his sentences are clear, vigorous,
and models for their c,ean simplicity. Is
not speaking OF this kin dictationi Where
il the res RANT as to the choice OF formsf
Mr.. Blaine said that there was all the diff
ference In the world between speaking TO an
audience and debating to a secretary. The
audience was In itself a restraint upon a
speaker. That mysterious something, known
as tho magnetic influence, existing always
between a man who can move an audience
and those addressed is the controlling infiu-
once which shapes thoughts and forms sem
fences. No man can produce a real i'm
preston upon an audience without establish
ing this magnetic sympathy. The absence OF
this sympathy betrays the dull speaker. A
man who is incapable OF moving an audience
could probably dictate as well as he could
write. But, after all, It would be the out
pouring Of mere words
Mr.. Blaine said that he never hoped to at
tain in his writing anything like the excellence
Of style reached by him in the Intense ex-
element of public speaking. In his work
upon his book he does not average over 1000
words a day. He thinks this Is all that any
man should try to do who aims at excellence
in purely literary work. Some days he has
gone much above this, but he is quite content
II he can only maintain his average
OF all the debatos in which Mr.. Blaine hns
taken a conspicuous part, the one in which
be takes the most pride is the Geneva award
debate. He made an exhaustive study OF all
the documents bearing upon this case, and
looked up clearly all the law points bearing
upon the same. Nothing shows more thor
ou0hly the versatile powers of his mind than
bis ability to master all the legal technical
tiles O: this intricate case. Mos. OF the
lawyers in the senate had given tho
sn,h{.ct hpt raa1a1 Alteration NJ plofpa
had thoroughly equipped himself for the
very purpose OF having a bout with the great
senate lawyers. He specially desired a bout
with Thurman, Z lmunds Conkling and David
Davis But the keen-witted lawyers of tho
senate soon saw that B.ains was well armed,
and so they assumed a position OF lofty con-
tempt, not co~ndescending to argus legal
points with q non-professional. Matt Car
penter and Thurman. however, were drawn
into the debate. David Davis to avoid
Elaine, fed to the cloak-rooma
Matt Carpenter, a trained legal nthlete,
was set up to administer a lesson to Blaine,
but as Carpenter aftarward said, he had all
he wanted 70 do to hold his own. Carpenter
said that Blaine's impotence in assuming a
superior knowledge OF the law In that cass
was 20 overwhelming that he could hardly
meet him Carpenter did more, however,
than any other senator could have done- BE
maintained throughout the most thorough
~good-naturo and self-possession- He oven
laughed outright, with genuine amuse-
ment, where almost any other man would
have boiled over with indignation at BlainsAs
assumptions
Blaine's great object in Inc 6eSate, how
ever, WINS to draw out Co.ikling, his ancient
enemy. II he could nave succeeded In that
he would have been perfectly satisfied.
Conkling all that day sat at his desk, APP
parently engaged in writing. He rarely, II
ever, lifted his head. Somercf the time when
Blaine was speaking he was not over two
feet away from Conkling. Blaine's oratory
volleyed to the right and left OF the New
York senator without producing the slightest
| impression. Gen Garfield cauie in from the
house during the discussion and took a seat
directly behind Conkling. He noticed that
no wns writing very steady. He wheeled
his chair In such a position that he
could look over Conklines shoulder. BE was
curious to know II Conkling was really writ
ing. BE leaned over, apparently to reach for
a paper. and In so doing took a good look at
Conkling's manuscript BE found that be
was not really writing a word, and the neat
manuscript piled up on tho desk, to use a
stage expression, was mere property" writ
ing. Yet Conkling kept up this fine bit OF
I uNkAhE IA n n Sa' NtaSS "a AZ GDlSo4N
Thurman came over and tried to get Conk-
ling to $50 for that fellow" as he designated
Blaine Conkling declined, saying that he
could not on account Of his peculiar situation.
1t really is an absurdity that Conkling and
Blaine have mover spoken since the days OF
their foolish, hot-headed quarrel when they
were young men In the house. The memory
of all the feeling that existed at that time has
long ago died out These men have tostled
against each other almost constantly In thcii
public und social careeH 1t has been mucS
more awkward 70 maintain this long sileucs
than It would have boon to speak and ignors
the past, There has never been any need fol
a formal reconciliation, II the difference DO
tween them had not acquired the dignity Of
age and attracted unusual attention through
their prominence, 1t must have fallen lonl
ago
1t is not generally known that Mrs. Conk
ling never fails TO call upon Mrs Blaine wber
abe Is in Washington, and that Mrs. Blain.
promptly returns her Gala Mr.. Blaine hai
repeatedly met Mrs. Conkiing out in society
and has often talked with her when her hus
band was present Upon one occasion, at
dinner given In this city, Blaine was asked u
give Mrs Conkling his arm to take her out L
dinner. He did 50, and in tho ar
raugement OF tho guests be sat di
rectly opposite Conkling. he talked with
Mrs Conkling AL through the dinner, but mo-