Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-08-14
Blaine's Record in Public Life.

Blaine's Record ia Public Life.
In the Chicago Journal, which has
made careful study of Mr. Blaine.
record and knows whereof it speaks
prints an editorial OF unusual force
which we publish below and which is
worthy the thoughtful perusual of every
voter.
James G. Blaine has been actively
and conspicuously in public life for over
quarter of a century. During that
time no man in all this country has
been more active or more prominent in
the councils of the Nation. He has
served in both houses of Congress and
in the Cabinet. He has displayed SUI
perior abilities of craftsmanship. He
has ever been in the front rank He
has been courageous. outspoken, pro-
gressive, and even aggressive as a
leader, debater and champion of hui
man rights. of justice, of the national
l.
He has been bold and conspicuous as
a friend of righteous policies and of ma
tional progress. He has been identified
with almost every great measure of ma
tional legislation and of governmental
policy since the Republican party has
controlled the administration of the
Government-no man more so.
In view of such a long. active and
conspicuous career in public life, it
would be indeed very remarkable if his
record were proof against all flaw-fnd-
ing, all criticism. 1t would be indeed
remarkable if he had in all respects and
under all circumstances during his long
term of public service proved himself
incapable of error or infirmity. Had
he done so, he would have demons
trated that he is possessed of an aggre-
CATION of qualities that would stamp
their possessor as more than human.
No judicious friend of his will claim for
him such degree of perfection. His
most Jealous supporter will claim moth
ing of the kind. His most enthusiastic
admirer will not claim for him an en-
tire exemption from the liability to
which all men are subject to err either
in judgment or in action. He no doubt
has made some mistakes. The greatest
and best of men. living or dead, have
done likewise
But, judged from The fairest and most
intelligent standard Of criticism, it is
not too much to say that James G
Blaine's record Us Il public man is as
free from blemish, as honorable and
creditabe, and certainly as purely pa
triotic as that of any of America greet
men, whether they be his contempora-
ries or his predecessors in our national
annals. His public speeches and his
public career have uniformly been in
sympathy with popular rights, individ-
ual justice and liberty, and the national
well-being. This is indiSputable. A
history of his life and services is a his
tory of one who has ever been an earn
est, bold and fearless champion of right
and of the Nations best interests In
deed, it may be truely said that the his
tory of his public life is coincIent with
the history of the Nation during the
period of his identification with nation
al events.
What folly. then, it is for his political
opponents to ransack the records OF
Congress and the archives of the Gov
eminent to find evidences to prove that
Mr.. Blaine has, during his long and
eventful career, made some mistakes of
judgement or rendered himself liable to
criticism! But they may ransack all
the records and all the archives accessi-
BILE to their research, without finding
one word spoken or one act done that
will Indicate that he comes short of be-
ing really great man. They cannot
prove that he is lacking in any essential
element of true craftsmanship or hon
orable manhood. They cannot convict
him of one dishonorable motive as a
man or of one unpatriotic impulse as an
American. They cannot question his
supreme ability rs Il great leader.
They cannot cite one solitary instance
where he has ever, in all these years of
his public life, shown himself other
than n man of brains. of courage, of
patriotic fidelity In short, they cannot,
by winnowing all the rubbish and all
the records of onr national history of
the past thirty years, find any evidence
to prove that James G.. Blaine is Sec
ond in ability, in patriotic zeal, in pop
ular sympathy or liberality, in breadth
of apprehension, in any of the essen
tials of the highest craftsmanship, to
the ablest and the best and the most
idolized of American leaders of the past
or the present This being the fact, is
there among all our public men one who
is more deserving OF the respect and the
confidence of the people of the United
States, one who is better qualified to be
at the head of our national affairs. or
one who would, in all human probable
ity, be more likely to steer this great ma
tional ''ship of state" successfully,
smoothly and honorably through all
waters, whether there be peace or war,
hard times or good times? Let thought
full men think soberly; let patriotic
men consider seriously, before doubling
the safety, prudence or propriety of ele-
waiting so great and able man and so
true statesman as Mr.. Blaine to the
head of the Government.