The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1893-02-02
JAMES q. BLAINE.

The great men of the nation are
rapidly entering into their rest.
While the deaths of General Benja
min F. Butler, ex- President Rather-
ford B. Hayes, and Senator Kenna
were yet fresh in the minds of all,
and before the weeds of mourning
for Supreme Court Justice l.. O. c.
Lamar had been removed, the death
of the greatest of them all, James
Gillespie Blaine, is heraIded to the
| nation.
Mr. Blaine was without exception
the greatest exponent of his party.
He was greater in the councils OF his
party than Thomas B. Reed because
he had broader patriotism. Reed
| would have rejoiced to have seen u
part of his country bound hand and
foot with the iron letters of a force
bill. Blaine used his powerful infiu-
ence as Speaker of the National House
of Representatives to utterly destroy
a force bill, and for that the South
will ever be grateful to him, even
though he bitterly opposed a pension
to Jefferson Davis as a Mexican
veteran.
Blaine was greater4han his party
When it was tottering on its last
legs, he propped it up with an issue
which he called Reciprocity 1t
was a Democratic doctrine with a
Republican mask on. 1t was some
thing the people wanted and they
were locking to the Democratic par
ty forit. With eagle eye, Blaine per-
ceived that it would eventually put
Democracy in the saddle on which
his own party was then riding. He
made Reciprocity, which involved
some of the principles of Tariff Re-
form, his party's slogan and won
political victory with it.
Never was there a more dramatic
politician than James G. Blaine. He
had a taste for dramatic episodes
and has been accused of making OPP
portunities for displaying himself III
armor and plumes.
There were scenes in conventions
and in Congress when Blaine attack
ed rivals in his own party, as he did
relentlessly, or when he drew the
sword against foes in the opposite
party from his OWE, which he did with
the impetuosity of an Achilles. He
Tough this way to the Speakershlp,
and standing on that eminence he cast
his dauntless gaze still higher, and
said nothing less than the Presidency
would satisfy his thirst for power.
Men as great as he, men as deserving
of the honor as he, men as well fitted
to receive the honor as he, had grasp
ed for the same prize but missed it and
had gone down to their graves in
bitter disappointment.
But Blaine did not stop to think
OF Webster and Clay and Calhoun.
lie had conquered every obstacle so
far. His star was in the ascendency.
Four times be reached for the prize
in nominating corven tons. Three
times others stepped in before him
aud snatched it from his grasp. One
time he overtowered his rivals and
was successful. But accusations were
brought against him, the Mulligan
letters were produced, his party's
principles We're losing favor with the
people, and Blaine was defeated by
Grover Cleveland But he was al
ways great in defeat, and demonstra
ted. as did also the other immortal
trio of statesmen just referred to,
that success is not altogether ssen-
tial TO greatness.
Blaine ever had a literary turn of
mind This was shown before be
achieve d greatness, by his passionate
Iy earnest editorials written in tie
political campaigns during his journ
alistic career His Twenty Years in
Congress- will rank with Benton's
book, without its egotism. But the
impress of his character upon his
party's history will live in history
when his book ceases to be read.