The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-02-25
BLAIN KS BOOK.
Extracts from the Second Volums-Intsrsst
Ing sketchea tf Public Mon.


Extract, from the second Volums-IRtsrsst
Ing Sketches Sf Public Men,
The second volume Of James G. Blaine'l
Twenty Years in Congress-" now nearly
ready for delivery, will arrest more attep.
ton than It's predecessor. Mr., ,Blalns'i
descriptions OF the characteristics OF the
public men ithe time Of which he writes
are especially interesting. In writing oil
tho Fortieth Congress he thus depicts
Carl sChuEz;
"He has not become rooted and ground
efRny wherei he has never established a
home; Is not identified with any Commu'
nifty; is not interviewer with the interests
Of an NCality or any class; hasno fixed re-
lation, u CHURCH or State, TO professional
political or social liiei has acquired none
Of that Companionship and confidence
which unite old neighbors in the closest
ties, and give TO friendship its fullest de-
velopuhenls, itH most gTsclous attributes
The same unateadinGss has entered as u
striking feature in the public career Of
Mr.. SchuIz. He boasts himself incapable
Of attachment to party, aud in that re,
spect radically differs from the great body
Of his American uitiz1ns, Hs cannot even
comprehend that exalted senlimsnt Of
honorable aspirations in public life which
holds together successive generations oil
nen-a sentiment which, in the United
States, causes the Democrat to TevGrenc,
The memory Of Jefferson and Jackson anC
Douglas, which causes his opponent 10
SloTy In tho achievements OF Hamilton
Clay and LiuColu-1 sentiment which IL
England has bound the Wings is a com
mon faith and common glory from Wal
pole to Gladstone"
OF General Butler he says; General
Butler mad long been regarded as pow
sriul antagonist at the bar, and he fully
maintained his reputation 10 the parliA.
mentnry Arguments In which he became
at once involved. lie exhibited an extra.
ordinary capacity for agitation, possessing
IN u high degree what John Randolph
described R5 the talent TOR turbulence.
dis mind was never at rest, While moi
appearing 10 seek controversies, he pos
4essed q singular power q throwing the
House into turmoil and disputAtion. III,
stormier the scene the greater his appar.
ent enjoyment, and the more striking the
display Of his peculiar ability. His rcadi
meas Of repartee, his great resources OF in,
formation, his familiarity with all the OK.
pedients and subtleties OF logical and II.
logical discussion, contributed 10 make
min not only prominent, hut formidable
in the House for many years. He wat
distinguished by habits ,oi industry, had
the patience and the power required iOI
thorough investigation, and seemed to
possess q keen insight into the personal
defects, the motives aud the weaknesses
VI his rivals" p.
Horace Greeley aud the Presidential
contest Of 1872 are thus described; "No
other candidate could have presented
such an antithesis Of strength and OF weak.
ness. He was the ableEt polemic this
country has ever produced. His command
OF strong idiomatlO controversial English
was unfivalled. His faculty OF lucid
statement and compact reasoning has
never been surpassed. Without the graCek
Of fancy or the arts Of rhetoric, he was In,
comparable in direct pungent,- iorcble
discussion. A keen observer and an omni
vorous reader, he acquired an immense
fund Of varied knowledge, and he mar
shalled facts with singular skill and apt.
ness. In an era remarkable for strong
editors In the New York press,
embracing Raymond, Of the Times,
the elder Bennett, OF the Herald,
Watson Webb, Of the Courier and Enquirer,
William Cullen Bryant, OF the Etening
Posi- with Thurlow Weed and Edwil
CrOswell in the rival journals at Albany,
Mr.. Greeley easily surpassed Thorn all
His mind was original, creative, lncess.
antly active. His industry was as un.
swerving as his fertility was enexhausti.
BILE. Great as was his intellectual power,
his chief strength came from the depth
and earnestneSs Of his moral convictions
In the long and arduOls battle against the
aggFessions Of slavery he had been aleep-
less and untiring in rousing and quicken.
ing the public conscience. He was kCenly
alive to The distinctions Of right and wrong
and his philanthropy responded to every
call OF humanity. Ills 6ympsthies were
easily touched by the BuGeringsoi the fam
ine.stricken Irish and by tho wrongs OIL
the plundered Indians,
Next to Henry CLAY, whose ardent dis.
ciple he wac, no had done more than any
other man to educate his Countrymen In
the American syatem OF protection Ia
home industry. He had on all occasions
zealously guarded the rights Of labor, lie
has waged unsparing war on the evils oil
intemperanCe, be had made himself at
oracle with the American farmer, and biz
influence was even more potent In the re-
mote prairie homes than within the
shadow Of Printing House square. In any
reckoning OF tile present forces Of the cen
fury horace Greeley must be counted
among the foremost, intellectually and
morally. When he LEFT the fields OF laboi
In which lie had become illustrious K
pass the ordeal ola Presidential candidate
the oppcsite and weaker sides OF his char
acter and career were brought into view
Hewas headstrong, impulslve and opinion
ated, lie was . powerful agitatOr ant
matcbleBs leader Of debate, rather than |
master Of government Those who mos
admired Ills honesty, courage and powel
In the realm oil bis greatness most dis
trusted HE fitness 10 hold the relns Of ad
tninistration. He had ID critical period
eylnoed Q want both Of frinness and o
SaRaoity, When the Southern States werI
on tie eve OF secession and the tempe
Of the country was on trial HI
had, though With honest intentions
shown signs Of irresolullOn AM
yaciliation. When he was betrayed init
theill.advised and abOrtive peace regotla
tiOus with Southern Commissioners a
Niagara no had displayed tho lack oil toy
and preparation, which made the peoplI
doubt tie solidily and GOODNESS Of hi
Judgment. His Iinethod Of dealing will
HE most intricate problems Of tinanC,
seemed experimental aud rash. Mr.. Gree
lev had, moreover, weakened himself b!
showinga singular Thirst Tor public office
| Il IL strange that one who had a command
ing station, and welded an unequal intlu
erce, should have been ambitious for th
smaller honor Of public life. But Mt
Greeley had carved even minor Offices
from which he could have derived no DID
tinCLion, and, In bis own phrase, had dis
OolVed the firm Of Seward, Weed u Gree
Law beeatBe, a. lie conceived, his claim