The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1893-02-03

chosen chairman of the republican state
committee and held the position fol
twenty years.
At the beginning of the civil war Mr.
Blaine gained distinction not only fol
parliamentary skill but for his forensic
power in the debates that grew out OF
that crisis. In 1862 LIE was elected tC
congress. where he served in one branch
or the other for eighteen years. He was
~electel To the house for seven successive
terms. lie earnestly supported all meas
ures for the vigorous prosecution of the
war, but sought to make them %judicious
and practical. The measures for the re-
construction of the states that had been
in rebellion engrossed the attention of
congress from 1865 to 1869, and Mr..
Blaine bore a prominent part in all their
discussions and in passing them.
In 1869 Mr.. Blaine was elected speaker
of the house, and served for six years.
The political revulsion of 1874 placed the
democrats IN control of the house. and
Mr.. Blaine became the leader of the mi
nority.
In 1876 Mr.. Blaine was the most
prominent candidate for the presidential
nomination. In the national convention
he came within % votes of receiving the
nomination., but a combination was
formed which resulted in the nomination
of Il. b. Hayes of Ohio. Mr.. Blaine en-
tered heartily into the campaign and
made many speeches, coming as far west
as Iowa in his s%tumping tour.
Immediately after the convention Mr..
Blaine was appointed by the governor of
Maine a senator from that state 10 take
the place of Senator Morrill,, who had
gone into Grants cabinet. lie was
elected at the next session Of the legis-
ture for a full term in the senate. He
opposed the electoral commission which
was created TO settle the disputed presi-
Dental election between Hayes and I'll
den. the democratic candidate he also
opposed Hayes southern policy anu held
that Hayes own title to the presidency
was involved in what be bad surrendered
of federal control OF the southern states.
In the senate he made several speeches
on the currency question and opposed
the Bland silver bill. When it was seen
that it would pass he tried to amend TO
make the silver dollar weigh l2j grains
instead of il2i%,
In 1850 Mr.. Elaine was again "A canli-
date for the presidential nomination.
General Grant was also a candidate for
VIC llOlllltItiliOI III hfp N'iC lNN'
10y Conkling and Logan. The balloting
continued for three days when it be
came evident to MIR. Blainc's friends
that be could not be- animated. 1t was
then decided to Withdraw MIR. Blaine
and throw his whole force to Gen. Gar
field. who stood as il were between the
two contendlng factions of Blaine and
Grant. ard the result was that Garfield
was nominated. receiving 800 votes to
Grants BOG. Garfield was elected presi-
dent and Mr.. Blaine went into his cabi-
net on March 1. 1881, as secretary of
state. His career in the cabinet was cut
short by the assassination of President
Garfield on the I'd Of July, 1881. as Mr..
Blaine resigned on he 10Th Of Sept.
While in the state department Mr..
Blaine had begun some extensive plans
to bring the American republics together
by means of a pan-.Amerlcan congress.
These plans were abandoned by his sue
cessor in President Arthurs cabinet and
were rot taken up again until Mr.. Bay
ard became secretary Of state under
President Cleveland. The congress of
republics was finally held and Mr.. Blaine
AS secretary Of state under President
Harrison had the satisfaction Of opening
it with a speech.
On his retirement in 1881 Mr.. Blaine
was for the first time in tweniy-three
years out Of public life, aud he 500 eu-
tered upon the composition Of his
Twenty Years in Congress" the first
volume Of winch WAS Issued in April.
1854, and the second in January, 1856.
1t had a large sale.
When the republican national cOnven-
ton met in Chicago in 1884, Mr., Blaine
was nominated for the presidency, beat
ing President Arthur on the fourth bal
lot. Grover Cleveland. the democratic
candidate was elected. The campaign
was a very bitter one from beginning to
ending and the result was decided by the
contest in the state of New York. which
gave Nr. Cle?eland 1,OiT more votes than
Mr.. Blaine,
In lSsS there was a strong pressure
brought to bear on Mr.. Blaine to have
him enter the race again for the presi-
dcncy. but he positively refused to allow
the use of his name. lie WAS in Scot
land at the time and the convention re-
NAMED in session for nearly a week
hoping TO have him rcicnt and allow his
name to be used. President Harrison
was nominated and elected over en- Pres
lutn1 cleveland. Mf. bldiue again en-
tered the cabinet as secretary Of state
under President Harrison on the ith
day of March. 1889. and continued in
the position until a day or two before
the meeting of the republican national
convention at Minneapolis IN the eth of
last June.
Mr.. Blaine's friends endeavored tonum-
mate him again for the presidency, but
President Harrison was nominated N
the first ballot.
Shortly after r~esignIng the secretary
ship Mr.. Blaine returned to his old home
in Maine and remained quietly until a
short time before the election when he
made a short speech at White Plains, y.
Y. in behalf of his friend Mr.. Reid. the
republican candidate for vice president.
After the election Blaine moved TO Wash
ington and shortly after il was announced
he would make a trip to California for
his health. The trip to California was
abandoned when it was seen that his
health was rapidly failing.
E"T Es,f.