Huntsville gazette., 1893-02-04
THE HONORED DEAD.
Opinions of His Contemporaries In
Public Affairs.
James Gillespie Blaine Comman ded the
.Lov" and Respect of Friend and
Foe by Qualities that At
tract Man to Man.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2S.-The ravages
of time or the vicissitudes of political
life are strongly accentuated by the
fact that in a house composed of 332
members, to-day, there are but twelve
who served in the house with Mr..
Blaine in the forty-fourth or prior con-
crosses. These are Holman, O'Neill
(Pa.), Harmer, Hooker, Blount, Bur-
rows, Springer, Forney, Culberson,
Bland, Henderson Qll.), and Ketcham.
CONGRESSIONAL "REMINISCENCES.
The older me embers of the house have fund
Of "reminiscences Of the dead statesman. They
refer to the memorable fight against the first
force bill, which was led by Mr.. Randall, of
Pennsylvania, and which was opposed by that
statesman and his democratic friends. But in
that fight, says the republican father of the
house. O'Neill of Pennsylvania-who was
tagonist!c to the view taken by the speaker
Mr.. Randalls efforts would not have been
crowned with success had it not been for Mr..
Blaine. 1t was then, when the republican ma
jority was a large one, and filibustering by the
democrats rampant, that Speak ,r Blaine quoted
the old proverb that "You may lead horse to
water, but you can't make him drink"
Mr.. Holman. of Indiana touched upon the
same string with Mr.. O'Neil. a republican, by
ascribing the defeat of the force bill as much
to Mr.. Blaine as to Mr. Randall. 1T was Mr..
Blaine's fairness a that permitted him
to defeat the force bill, )" the Indiana statesman
said Mr.. Blaine never left any in the
chair who was not fair man. 1t was his fair
ness which permitted the democrats to filibus-
ter the force bill of those days to death.
Il saw him march down the aisle like great
mastiff about to pounce on little fiste," said
Mr.. James Courts, the clerk to the appropria
tions committee, who had just come to Wash
ington from Tennessee to begin his service on
the committee with which he is still connected.
Mr.. Courts was speaking of the dramatic Mul
ligan episode. He was at that time" con
tinued Mr.. Courts. the finest picture of phys
ical manhood 1 ever saw. AS he walked down
the aisle ho looked like great soldier. He was
then about As, his hair was iron gray
he seemed the perfect picture OF life
and health, and | have never seen
such consummats orator In that house.
1t was his tremendous dash and courage
as he demanded the attention Of the
house that brought the body over to him.
He looked as if he were going to wipe out
Proctor Knott Eppa Hunton and all the other
iefj4---- --te --.obi-u tho foht him
His appreciation of the effect of statement
and his sharpness was shown by the dramatic
method in which he exclaimed / appeal from
the Judgment OF that committee to the judg-
ment of 1900, 600 Of people, The census had
been taken in 1870 showing less than 40 00G0,000
of people, and nobody talking about the
population at that time. Mr.. Blaine seemed to
have the faculty of bringing facts home to
people in this way and producing a sensation
by drawing their minds to something to which
they had never given thought. l remember
Mr.. Blaine's statement "A, 001,0 900 of people
started running discussion which was taken
up in the newspapers and the conclusion was
reached that Blaine was about correct.
'Mr Banes other great appearance in that
congress, which was about the close OF his ca
reer in the house-as he was appointed during
the congress to take Lot Morrills place in the
senate-was in his speech on the general am
nesty bill. This bill was brought In, think
by S. s. Cox, and l remember it was attempted
to pass it with rush Blaine wanted to ex-
cept jeff Davis and then occurred the Ander-
sonvile incident His way of bringing back
something people had forgotten with a vivid
ness that produced a sensation was shown In
this speech. He recalled the Andersonville
scenes in a way that shocked the whole world. !"
THE coNxLING EPISODE.
Said one of the old stenograph ers Of the
house: 'Mr. Blaine's career in the house was
marked by many exciting episodes. He first
came into prominence through an alteration
between himself and Mr.. Roscoe Conkling, then
a member Of the house from Utica N. T. 1t
was in the war period. and Mr.. Blaine made
bitter attack upon Mr.. Conking for having
charged the government for fees as judge ad-
vocate while he was drawing pay as member
of congress. Mr.. Conkling repeled the attack,
and INDUCED in some severe criticisms of his
antagonist, who, in reply, spoke derisiyely Of
Mr. ConkIing'5 magnificent turkey gobbler
strut The incident excited great public at
tention at the time, and helped to bring both
actors in it into that prominence which they
each enjoyed during the remainder of their
lives.i
80 fofi
said the same experienced reporter, has had
few speakers, If any, who enjoyed greater pop
ularty among its members OF who exercised
more influence over legislation than Mr.. Blaine.
Democrats admired him for his impartiality and
fairness as much as for his abilities, and he had
no faster friend on either side OF the chamber
than Mr.. Randall. the unfiinching Pennsylya-
mia democrat. Up to and all through Mr.. Ran
dall's Illness the kindliest relations were main
tanned between the two men who had been 80
long associates on the floor of the house and
who had occupied the speakers chair with sig
nal ability and success"
There are but seven of those who served with
Mr.. Blaine in the senate remaining in that
body where he served so honorably and so
we'll They are Senators Allison, Cockreli,
Dawes Gordon, Mitchell, Morrill, ana Ransom,
four republicans and three democrats.
Mr.. Hale, the junior senator from Maine
who, perhaps. stood nearer to Mr.. Blaine
than any other man in Washington, was too
greatly moved by the personal sorrow that
came to him, to express his views concerning
the life and work of the great party leader.
His remarks in announcing to the senate the
death of Mr.. Blaine were delivered with much
feeling and but partly expressed the deep emo
tion that posses sed him
The acquaintance of Mr.. Frye, the senior
Maine member with Mr.. Blaine, was very ex-
tended Said he: Il was a member Of the
Maine legislature when Mr.. Blaine was tha
speaker of the Maine house. and have been
closely connected with him ever sincs | was
o member of the national house OF representa-
ttves when he was speaker and succeeded him
to his seat in the senate. Our relations nearly
all the time have been of the friendliest char
acter I think he was the most brilliant
man ever knew. He had most wonderful
capacity for absorbing information and
q still more wonderful capacity for giving 1t
out at a timely moment. He was very re-
markable controversialist, and was rather fond
of it. Indeed. his powers were not fully shown
in set speeches, and he was much more dan
gerous foe in running debate do not think
he himself ever fancied making what is known
as a speech On the stump nothing pleased
him better than Interruptions, and he was
wonderfully effective in his replies. They were
~ apt, as = rule, that some OF bus enemies