Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1893-02-04
JAMES g, BLAINE.
THE GREAT AMERICAN STATESMAN.
IS NO MORE.
After Lingering Illness, and Weeks Of
Watching, the Distinguished Patient
Succumbs TO the Inevitable.

4
the wires last Friday, shortly before
| noon, was received with but little
surprise, as the eyes of the whole
country had for weeks been directed
in sympathy towards the battle with
death. Though the facts as to his
illness have from the first been stead
lily concealed through the official
channels of communication, he was
a sick man when he went to Wash
ington to settle down for the winter.
Death and its bereavements added
more and more to his ailments. He
grew worse and worse and continued
on his journey to the grave as fast
as the days would carry him.
With the weapons IF science and
| skill for long while he baffied the
enemy in the unequal struggle; but
death finished the fight. Doomed
from the start, he was to all intents
dead from the start, and for leng
time the lucid intervals of the once
clear mind were very few; but his
physical frame withstood unexpect-
eddy long the ravages Of disease.
From the cradle to the grave his
So years were active ones. Every
trial falling to the lot of public men
was his, but the patient bearing of
them earned for him peaceful end
ing of a career which closed with the
flicker of life's candle on Friday.
Mr.. Blaine, on his deathbed, was
surrounded, as he had been for weeks,
by those nearest and dearest to him.
In fact only his own family and those
associated closely with them, were
permitted to see and be near the pa
tient during the last days of his life.
Early Friday morning DR.. John
ston was summoned to the bedside,
but the outsiders who anxiously
watched every movement within, did
not know OF his presence until he
left, with another of the attending
physicians, after eleven o'clock. In
stantly, from their countenapces ev-
cry one knew the end had come
"He is dead,' said DR.. Johnston,
sand he passed away peacefully"
Rev. DIR. Hamlin was the first to en-
ter to console the grIef-stricken
mourners after the fact was known.
Word was sent TO the President i'm
mediately after the death, and Mr.
Harrison, in company with Private
Secretary Halford and Lieut.. Parker,
went over to the famous fred house, y
arriving there about 1l:3O, and Post
master G eneral Wanamaker soon fol
lowed. The President could not re-
frain from showing the deep grief
which affected him.
Happily, for the consolation of the
family, Mr.. Blaine was conscious I'M
til few moments before deatE, and
the end was so quiet and peaceful
that the physicians alone knew that
the great statesman had joined the
great majority.
| The members of the Cabinet were
summoned for a meeting at once
after which the President issued q
proclamation setting out the various
capacities in state or national affairs
IN which Mr.. Blaine had served, and
directing the closing of all executive
departments on the day of the fune-
raj, and the draping of the Depart.
ment of State in mourning for thirty
days. In this proclamation briel
| glowing tribute was paid to the de
ceased-"In the varied pursuits Of
legislation, diplomacy and litera
ture, his genius has added new lus
tire to American citizenship"
A chronic disease of the kidneys
being form of what is commonly
rknown as Bright's Disease, was not
the sole, yet it was the chief cause
of death. There were other compli-
cations which tended to exhaust him
The lapses which he had from time
to time were due to heart-exhaus
tion-a feeble, irregular action of the
heart, accompanied by difficult
breathing.
| Mr.. Blaine had always requested
a private funeral, and every effort
was made to comply with his wishes
but public interest swept all this
away and the funeral which occur
red on Monday was one of the most
impressive of public demonstrations
The most eminent men in the nation
the President, Cabinet officers, Su
preme Judges, Congressman and
Senators, diplomatic corps, were in
attendance, and men of prominence
throughout the whole nation.
At IL o'clock Monday simple
service of prayer was held at the res
idence by DR.. Hamlin, after which
the cortege proceeded to the Pres
byterian church of the Covenant
where Mr.. Blaine was pew-holder
There the ceremonies consisted sim
ply OF a prayer. concluding with the
Lords prayer, and the benedietion.
The remains were then borne te
Oakhill cemetery, at the summit g
Georgetown Heights. and inferred
in an unassuming place, but famous
hereafter for containing the remains
of one of Americas most brilliant
and noteworthy citizens.
Jas. G.. Blaine was born in Wash.
ington county, Pa, in 1880. His
grandfather was Ephraim Blaine, ar
American soldier, who died at Car.
Isle in 1884, and was with Washing
ton in some of the trying scenes Of
the Revolutionary war. While q
young man, Jas. G. Blaine removed
to Maine, editing the argus" al
Portland, then the leading newspa
per of the State. He served feul
terms in the Maine legislature, and
in 1862 was elected to Congress
where he served continuously for IA