Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-18

pended for the entire territory does not equal
the revenues which have since been collected
public peril
Such craftsmanship as this called forth Mr.
Blaine's admiration. and such he was himself
capable of performing. much ,nore prudent
man than he was represented to be by his ene-
miles, he was sufficiently bold to do the right
thing at the right time, whatever interfered
He believed it to be the duty Of statesmen of
THIS country to encourage trade between the
people OF this continent and the surrounding
lsiands by every proper means, to secure the
greatest freedom in the interchange of products.
10 encourage the building and floating of great
merchant ships, and thus to develop an Ameri-
can commerce which would rival the world.
bringing wealth and power not only to our own
people. but to our neighbors, with whom we
would have freedom of trade. He would have
reciprocity OF trade in its broadest sense op
tins continent. All his efforts were to secure
universal peace and prosperity.
WHAT MADE HIS POPULARITY.
Two things made Blaine popular. The people
admired and had confidence in his ability and
he had sensitive and sympathetic nature.
which put him in touch with all mankind and
made him always true to friend. The poses
SION OF these qualities produced that attract
iveness which is sometimes called personal
magnetism. and 50 he has been called one of
the most magnetic men in public life Yet he
piacate an enemy. He was as fierce in fight as
tiger. As leader in parliamentary battles
he hardly had an equal. As is usual these quail
itles first attracted public attention to him As
when he was boy he a leader at school
among his classmates. first because OF his pluck
and will power and then by reason of his mas
terry as a student. in after life the popularity
he won at first by his courage was supple
mented and strengthened by the admiration
his abilities won for him. He always had the
courage Of his convictions, tor those convic-
tions were reached by the application of n Quick
and philosophical mind to care full investigation
and study. Witty and bright in conversation
entertaining in the casual talk of the hour. Mr.
Blaine did not keep his more serious thoughts
always on exhibition for the public. No man
could be more severe on occasion or on occa-
sion more amiable. HIS wit was always avail
able to be cutting or TO be kind. but ALWAYS it
was merely gloss over more serious thought
His manner in both public and in private life
was such that without his other qualities he
would have been popular.
As parliamentary leader Blaine has had no
superior. His quick perception his keen wit.
his magnetic nature, his broad vision and his
studious habits and grasp of great questions
made him power In Congress. Apple toms
Cyclopadia. without partiality, thus briefly re-
views his congressional career
HIS CONGRESSIONAL CAREER.
''To the House he was chosen for seven sue
cessive terms. His growth in position and in
huence was rapid and unbroken. In his earlier
years he made few elaborate addresses. Dur
ing his first term his only extended speech was
an argument IN favor Of the assumption OF the
war debts by the general government. and iu
demonstration of the ability os the north to
carry the war to a successful conclusion But
he gradually took part III running discussion
and soon acquired high repute a facile and
effective debater For this form of contention
lv 10. E,,,,
gularly fitted He'was bold in attack, quick in
repartee and apt in illustration. His close
study OF political history. his accurate knowl-
edge of the records and re ations OF public men
and his unfaiiing memory gave him a great ad-
vantage. As member of the committee on
post Offices no was largely instrumental in Be-
curing the introduction of the system of
postal cars. He earnestly sustained all
measures for the vigorous prosecution of the
war. but sought to make them iud;cious
and practical In this spirit he supported the
bill for draft, but opposed absolute conscrip-
tion. He contended that it should be relieved
by provisions for Communication aud substtu-
ton and urged that an inexorable draft had
never been resorted TO but once, even under
the absolutism of Napoleon. At the same time
he enforced the duty of sustaining and strength
ening the armies IN the field by using all the
resources of the nation and strongi- dvocated
the enrolment act. The measures for the re.
construction OF the states that had been in re-
beilion largely engrossed the attention of Con-
gress from 1868 till 1869. and Mr.. Blaine bore a
prominent part In their discussion and in the
work of framing them. The basis of rerresen-
tation upon which the states could be readmIt-
ted was the FIRST question to be determined.
Thaddeus Stevens. chairman of the committee
on reconstruction. had proposed that repre-
seutatlon should be proportioned according to
the number Of legal voters Mr. Blaine siren
uousiy objected to this proposition and urged
that population instead OF voters should be the
basis. He submitted a constitutional amend
ment providing that representatives and
drect taxes shall be ,apportoned among
ne. everai states which shall be included
within this union according to their respective
Numbers. which shall be determined by taking
the whole number OF persons, except those
whose political rights or privileges are, deuied
or abridged by the constitution of any state on
account of race or color He advocated this
plan on the ground that while the other basis
of voting would accomplish the object of pre-
venting the south from securing representation
of blacks unless blacks were made voters, yet it
would make a radical change i'll the apportion-
ment OF the northern states, where the ratio OF
voters to population differed very widely in
different sections, varying from n minimum OF
~ per cent to a maximum of So per cent The
result of the discussion was an abandonment of
the theory that apportionment should be based
ON voters. and the fourteenth amendment to
the Constitution. as finally adopted. embodied
Mr.. B!aine's proposition in substance.
HIS AMENDMENT TO THE nEcoSsTRUc1IoS BILL.
''On February 6, 1867, Mr.. Stevens reported
the reconstruction bill. 1t divided the states
lately in rebellion into five military districts
and practically established military govern
ment therein. Civil tribunals were made sub
Ject to military control While a majority
eVlnced a Willingness to accept the bill, Mr.
Blaine declared his unwllingness to support
any measure that would place the south
under military government if it did not
at the same time prescribe the method
by which the people of the state could BY
their own action re-establish c,vil govern
ment. He accordingly proposed an amendment
provlding that when any one Of the late So
called confederate states should assent TO the
fourteenth amendment to the Constitution and
should establish equal and impartial suffrage
without regard to race or color, and when Con-
gress should approve its action. it should be en-
Titled to representation and the provision for
military government should become inopera-
tive. This proposition came to be known AS
the Blaine amendment. In advocating it Mr.
Blaine expressed the belief that the true inter-
probation of the election Of 1866 was that. in
addition to the proposed constitutional amend
ment (thc fourteenth impartial suffrage should
be the basis OF reconstruction, and he urged
the wisdom OF declaring the terms at once
The application Of the previous question ruled
out the Blaine amendment. bu. it was rene wed
IN the Senate aud finally carried through both
branches, and under it reconstruction was
completed.
The theory that the public debt should be
paid III greenbacks developed great strength in
the summer of 1867, while Mr. Blaine was alb
sent IN Europe. On his return at the opening