The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-02-16
Special Correspondence.


Special Correspondence
WASHINGTON, Feb ll.-Thrco weeks from
today our great republic change, rulers
Men SO and men come, and the gosSips ars
busy, and there are hearts beating high with
hopes and Others that are heavy with disap-
pointment. Among the great faces that are
TO reappoar upon the scene of official and So
cial life is that of James &. Blaine, who al
ready has passed the greater part of his ca
reer here rs representative speaker senator
and secretary of state. The Blaines are max
ing preparations TO enter month hence upon
brilliant social career. There is no man in
public life who shines To better advantage in
q drawing room than the coming premier.
His large frame, his massive head, now a
mass Of gray, his brilliant conversation, his
grace and dignity, make him conspicuous
figure in any gathering. Men and women
entertain all sorts of notions concerning
Mr. Blaine as politician, but there is not
one of them that is not glad to well
come him as a guest. Mr. Blaine is
even more popular in society than in
politics, and he and his family will play an
important part in the social activities of the
coming four years.
Mrs Blaine is charming woman, but among
strangers she is inclined to eXclusiveness and
criticism. 1t was this prediction of hers
that led her, eight years ago. to treat Mrs.
Harrison somewhat coldly at the White
House reception, but it is not true that the
incident was worthy of being called a 'snub,"
and lady relative of the coming presidents
wife is my authority for the statement that
Mrs. Harrison has never so considered it.
Mr. Blaine has not been on the floor of tho
senate since he came 10 Washington. He is
fond Of dinner parties which are not too
large to admit of general conversation, and
three or four nights a week he may be found
at table with six or eight friends. AT
recent dinner Mr. Blaine and Justice Lamar
sat side by side, and some of the guests were
surprised at the happy and familiar tone of
the conversation between the two men, who
are 50 little alike and who have occupied such
widely separated positions in politics. An ex-
PLANTATION was presently whispered around the
table. While in the senate together Blaine
and Lamar were fast friends. Each is a sin
cere admirer of the other Once the senate
was holding an evening session. A debate
on some questions growing out of the late
war was attracting considerable attention.
Late in the evening two men entered the
senate chamber arm in arm, and both in
evening dress. They were Blaine and Lamar,
and had just come from a dinner. In few
minutes Blaine took tho floor and made a
stirring, somewhat bitter, speech. why"
he exclaimed, gentlemen on the other side
owe their very presence here to the gener
osity of the people of the north. But for the
magnamity of IA victorious people such men
as the senator from Mississippi Mr.. Lamar)
would not now have head on their Shout
dersn And in this strain he continued for
some time, until the people in the galleries
thought Senators Lamar and Blaine would
have to fight duel An hour later the two
men left the senate arm in arm and rode
from the Capitol in the same carriage.
On another occasion Senator Lamar made
speech in which he attacked the views and
the intense northernism of Conkling. 1t was
an able though bitter address, and attracted
good deal of attention in the newspapers,
Blaine was in the senate and listened to the
senator from Mississippi with II clouded face.
After Lamar had concluded Blaine beckoned
him into the cloak room.
Lamar" said he, "have | not been a
friend of yours"
YES" replied Lamar, somewhat puzzled,
"but | didn't think you cared how much
p
"Well," Blaine broke in, ''why didn't you
attack me instead of Conkling in that speech!
1t wasn't fair of you to pitch into Conkling
like that If you had abused me instead of
Conkling it would have done me no end of
good in the north"
Speaking about snubs, the most remark
able snub known in Washington high life in
recent years is one which the alert newspaper
correspondents have not scented out. When
Mrs. Whitney, the wife of Mr.. Clevelands
secretary of the navy, came out in long in
terview with the special correspondent of a
Chicago paper in defense of the president
against the stories which had been circulated
pro tempore ingalls, Of having aided in dis
semination Of these stories, Senator lngaiis
was very much disturbed. The day after
that interview appeared Ingalls, wrote u
polite note to Mrs. Whitney, inquiring if she
had been correctly reported and dispatched
it by the senate's mounted messenger. That
was noon Saturday. Newspaper reporters
By the dozen were at the senator's door,
but, of course, he could not be interviewed
until Mrs. Whitney's reply was re-
ceived. To reporter after reporter word
was sent out; Nothing to say now.
Come again, later in the evening" The
senator waited. Evening came, and plenty
of reporters, but no reply from Mrs.
Whitney. Again the newspaper men were
sent away empty handed. Sunday the same
scenes were repeated Monday morning
he scanned his mail eagerly, hoping the
long looked for missive would be found
therein. But he looked in vain And then,
and then only, did the fact dawn on him that
Mrs Whitney had dared to snub the presi-
dent pro tempore of the United States senate.
That afternoon the interview SO long held