The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-06-12

there was young ladies seminary, ana III
was at this place that Mr.. Blaine met Miss
StanWood. a Massachusetts girl, who after
wards became his wife. After year or
two. becoming tired of the drudgery OF
school teaching, he returned to Pennsyl-
vania and studied law, but never practlSed.
In 1853 he removed to Maine and then
began that public career which has now
made him the admired leader and repre-
sentative of the dominant party OF the
country. His great taste for literature
bred Il love for Journalism, and while i'll
Kentucky he began writing Tor the news
papers, contributing to papers III Phlladel
pha and elsewhere, and eVlnclng already
ut that stage his strong grasp OF public
affairs, and that wonderful tluency OF Ian
guage which has made his speeches and
public papers so attractive and interesting.
The desire to become an editor WAS graft
fed and he soon had the pleasure of seeing
his name at the head of the kennebec
Journal. A wider sphere of usefulness
opening up ut Portland. he went there and
became the editor of tbs Adcertiser. This
public work and the high rank the .1drer
tiser took in Maine rs an influential Jour
nal, together with the force Of his position
and family connections, soon brought him
into political prominence, and in 1858 he
assembled the first round OF the political lad
der, being elected to the Maine legislature.
He made such record as an industrious
ana careful legislator that he was five
times reelected, and III 1861 and lS62 was
chosen Speaker of the House, displaying
! then the same brilliant qualities which he
afterwards exhibited in the wider field of
the National arena as Speaker OF the Ma
tional House of Representatives.. The
reputation he made during those years OF
service i'll the State soon brought It's re-
ward in an election to Congress in 1862.
lie served continuously in Congress until
1876, and WAS elected Speaker OF the Forty
first, Forty-Second and Forty-thlrd Con
crosses. The great popularity which his
career in Congress had given him. and the
prominence which his successive elections
to- the Speakership carried with it, made
him one of the popular idols OF The party,
| and the eyes of his friends were turned
towards him as their natural leader as the
National compaign of 1876 approached.
The history of that struggle is well known.
Although the choice of the party. he was
beaten by Il combination made on the
seventh ballot, and Mr.. Hayes declared the
nominee Mr.. Blaine bore his defeat
bravely, and did what he could to make
| the Nomination successful. In June OF
| 1876 Mr.. Blaine was appointed to fill the
vacancy in the Senate caused by the re-
| signation of Hon. Lot M. Morrill,, and
when the Maine legislature met in Jan
| nary 1877, Mr.. Blaine was elected to the
Senate for the full term, ending March,
1883. He instantly took rank in the Sen
ate us leader, and was conspicuous there
until he lett that body to become the pre-
mier of Garfield Administration. In the
campaign of 1880 he was again IL leading
candidate for the Presidency, but the atti
tude of the Grant men made it difficult to
combine upon Blaine, and after a long and
bitter struggle Garfield was made the nonI-
inee So close, however, was the bond of
friendship and admiration between Gar
field and Blaine, that he at once offered
him the chief place in his Cabinet, which
he held until the accession OF Gen. Arthur
to the Presidency. upon the death of Pres
ident Garfield. Since that time MIR. Blaine
has lived the life of Il private citizen, and
his nomination now to the highest office III
the gift of the people is simply the culmi-
uation OF the long expressed desire of the
, great body of the Republican party. The
choice voices the demand of the people
rather than the wish Of the politicians,
and the tremendous enthusiasm with
which his nomination was received in eve
~ part of the country, assures the crown
ing triumph which awaits him at the polls.
Mr.. Blaine S great personal popularity and
his positive views upon measures of pub
lie policy have made him hosts of friends
in all parties, and if the wave of rcjoic-
ing which followed his nomination be an
indication of the public regard, he will
! win the greatest victory known in the his
tory of party struggles.