St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-06-09
JUNE CANDIDATES.
The Kind of Timber the Re
publicans Offer.
A Ticket That the People Say is
Easy to Beat.
JAMES GILLESPIE BLAINE.
HIS Public C0reer.

uL the Revolutionary ip4NNS NuA4iA7 NAAN 'SAAA0AN
winter which they passed at Valley Forge. Mr..
Blaines father was Ephraim L. Blaine, who
lived in the borough of Washington, and his
mother was Maria, daughter of Neal Gillespie,
from whom Blaine took his middle name. At
the age Of u Blaine was sent to school in Ian
caster O.. where he lived in the family of his
relative, Hon. Thomas Ewing, then secretary of
the treasury. One year later he entered Wash
ington college, where he graduated at the head of
8 large class in 1S47. In his boyhood he
celebrated among his fellows for the same quail
ties which have since become so conspicuous
in the man. In 1850 he went to Kentucky as
teach erin military academy at Blue Lick springs.
Twenty miles distant, at AIilersburg, was located
ayoung ladies' seminary, AMI twas at this place
that Blaine met Miss Stanwood, 4 Massachusetts
girl who subsequently became his wife. In the
course of year two the youngt acher made up
lis mind that he was not born tutor, and he re-
turaed 10 Pennsylvania and studied law, but he
never practiced. In 1852 he moved TO Maine
and there began his pubic career. While in
Kentucky he contributed to newspapers in Phila-
delphia and elsewhere, and had acquitted strong
liking for journalism. With aid from his wife's
relatives he became the editor Of the keRne5sc
JoNrHal, and in the course of q few months he
moved to Portland, where he edited the AdUer
soon brought him into prominence politically,
and in 1858 he was elected to the Maine legisla-
ture. He was five times reelected, and in 1861
and 1868 was chosen speaker of the house,
in which position he exhibited the same
excellent qualities afterward displayed speaker
of the national house of representatives.
In 1862 Mr.. Blaine was elected to congress.
During his first term he gave himself up to study
and observation, but in the next congress, the
thirty-ninth. he gained some prominence, and
from that time on to the end of his congressional
career he occupied 4 foremost place among the
Republican leaders. 1t was in the thirty ninth
congress that Blaine first ran foul of Roscoe
Conkling. 1t toward the close of the war
when drafting had caused disorder in many parts
of the country, and every state and constituency
wanted to be credited, right or wrong, with
many men as possible. james B. Fry was pro-
vost marshal general under Secretary Stanton.
He was understood TO be citizen of Maine-pos-
sibly from Blaine's own district. Conkling took
Fry to task for not having given due credit to
the state of New York in the matter of troops,
Blaine defended the gentleman, and Conkling,
impatient then as of opposition fell on
him expecting to crush him. He met his match,
however. From that wordy contest he retired
in disorder with an epithet ringing in his ears
WHICH nc Cdul never forget, anu MUCH
less forgive. The two men were
bitter enemies from that time forth. Mr.. Blaine
made many speeches during the period of recon-
sruction which attracted great deal of attention,
and spread his fame as an orator. In the forty
first, forty-second and forty third congresses he
was elected speaker of the house by the Republi-
cans. 1t has been said that no man since Clay's
speakership presided with such absolute famil-
iarity with rules of the house. His knowledge
of parliamentary law was instructive and complete,
and his administration of it so fair that both
sides OF the house applauded his impartiality.
He managed that most turbulent of all legislative
bodies with an iron hand.
This prominence which his course in congress
and his three terms speaker had given him,
seemed to make Mr.. Blaine a very formidable
candidate for the presidential nomination. His
friends are legion, and he would have been blind
indeed if he had not the drift of public opn-
ion in his party. That this was pleasing to him
can not be doubted. That he lost no opportunity
to keep himself prominently before the people to
make friends and advance his presidential
aspirations, is equally certain. That he shaped
his course as speaker in the dispensation of fav-
ors, and very rarely said or did anything without
having the ambition of his life in vew has been
freely charged, and may be true. The ambition
worthy one, certainly. His method of
campaigning was characteristic of the man-bold
aggressive, brilliant.
Mr.. Blaine began his presidential canvass
when he took a fine, large house in Washington
and there gave a series of dinners and receptions
which made his mansion the center of the social
life of the capital. Guests who came within the
spell of his wit anecdotes high spirit, and capti
waiting manners became at once his admirers and
ha itua ofo foirs in
was peculiarly favorable to his plans. The cor
ruptions which had existed during Cen Grants
administration resulted, in 1874, in the over
Thelming defeat Of the Republican party at the
polls and the election of a Democratic congress
Being the first house of representatives in which
The Democrats had majority since 1860, and
having among its members fifty or sixty ex-con-
federate soldiers, few alarmists set up the sitly
Cry that the war of the rebellion had been fought
in vain, and that Bob Toombs might vet
call the roll of his slaves from the foot Of Bun
ker hill monument. OF the diminutive Republi-
can minority in this congress, the members of
which had only narrowly escaped the righteous
wrath of their constituents Mr.. Blaine was pre-
eminently the leader. The majority comprised
many new men inexperienced in Washington and
with legislation. AS has been said, there were
lnany ex-Confederates among them. For the
first time since the war, the southern states had
something like an adequate and fair representa-
tion of the controlling sentiments of the people
The situation very pleasing to Mr.. Blaine
As the champion of the loyal north against the
lately rebellious south, he could endear himself
to the Republicans and carry terror into the
sanks of the Democrats. The gen.
Eleman from Maine tainted, ridi-
culed, abused and bullied his Democratic asso-
-,
their impotent rage said and did many foolish
things. The country applauded, and Blaine was
satisfied. One of the most notable of the dozens
of passionate scenes of this kind was that which
took place during the discussion of the
pension appropriation bill in the spring of
1876. Provision had been made in the bill
for pensions for al veterans of the war
with Mexico. Among these old soldiers were
several, who in years later, had taken part in the
rebellion Mr.. Blaine saw at glance the mag
niicent opportunity thus afforded for the display
of patriotism and eloquence. He attacked the
measure with great vigor aud denounced the
Democrats for their temerity in attemDtinp ro
pension traitors. Jefferson Davis soldier in tbe
war with Mexico, would have come in under the
provisions of the bill, and on him the Maiue
orator unbottled his wrath. If twas his object To
stir up strife and sectional hate he succeeded adj
mirably. Ben H. HILL of Georgia, took the floor to
reply. His speech, while an able one rhetori
cally, was nevertheless ill-considered in SUBJ
stance and was just what Blaine wanted-dam
aging to the northern Democrats. During the
whole of that session Blaine never lost an oppor-
tunty to tear open the old political sores and be-
fore the adjournment he had done more to TO-
ment discord between the people Of the north
and south than any other two men who ever oc-