Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-27

this 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 a 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
iyeness which is sometimes called personal
magnetism and SO he has been called one OF
the most magnetic men in public life. Yet ne
was nota man who sought with soft words to
placate an enemy. He was as fierce In fight as
a tiger. AS a leader in parliamentary battles
ne hardly had an equal. As is usual these quail
tiles first attracted public attention to him. As
when he was a boy he was a leader at school
among his classmates. first because Of his pluck
and will power and then by reason of his mas
terry a student, SO 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, for those convc-
tions were reached by the application of quick
and philosophical mind to careful 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 amiabie. 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 o power in Congress-. Appleton's
Cyclopedis, 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
nuence was rapid and unbroken In his earlier
years he made few elaborate addresses. Dur
ing his first term his only extended speech was
au argument in favor Of the assumption Of the
war debts by the general government and in
demonstration Of the ability Of the north to
carry the war to a successful conclusion. But
he gradually took part in running discussion
and soon acquired high repute a facile and
effective debater. For this form OF contention
his ready resources and alert faculties were sim
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 unfailing memory gave him great ad-
vantage. As member Of the committee on
post Offices he was largely instrumental in se-
curing luIOuuCtlou VI INC OI
postal cars. He earnestly sustained all
measures for the vigorous prosecution of the
war. but sought to make them judicious
and practical. In this spirit he supported tho
bill for draft, but opposed absolute conscrip-
tion. He contended that ii should be relieved
by provisions for Communication and substitu-
tion and urged that an inexorabie 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 strongly advocated
the enrolment act. The measures for the re-
construction Of the states that had been in re-
bellion largely engrossed the attention Of Con-
gress from 1865 till 1869, and Mr.. Blaine bore o
prominent part in their discussion and in the
work Of framing them. The basis of represen-
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-
| sentation should be proportioned according to
| the number Of legal voters. Mr.. Blame siren
uously objected to thi. proposition and urged
that population instead of voters should be the
basis. He submitted constitutional amend
ment providing that representatives. and
direct taxes shall be apportioned among
he verAl states which shall be included
within this union according to their respective
numbers which shall be determined by taking
the whole number Of pers0ns, except those
whose political rights or privileges sre denied
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