The herald., 1893-01-28
BLAINE's BIOGRAPHY.
A Comprehensive Sketch of the Distin-
guished Mans Career.

guished Mans Career.
James Gillespie Blaine was born il
West Brownville, Washington county
Pa, January 81, 1880. He was tn,
second son of Ephraim L. Blaine ane
Maria Gillespie. On his fathers side
he inherited the hardy and energetic
qualities of the Scotch-Irish blood
His grest-grandfather, Ephraim Blaine
born 174l, died 1904, bore an honora.
BILE part in the revolutionary strug.
gle, was an officer of the Pennsylvania
line, a trusted friend of Washington,
and during the last four years of the
war served as the commissary general
OF the northern department of his COM
mand. Possessed of ample means, he
drew largely from his own private purse,
and enlisted the contributions of vari-
GUS friends for the maintenance of the
army through the severe and mem.
orable winter at Valley Forge.
From the Cumberland valley, where
his ancestors had early settled and
had been among the founders of Car
Isle, Mr.. Blaine's father removed to
Washington county in 1918. He had
inherited what was a fortune in those
days. and had large landed possessions
in Western Pennsylvania; but their
mineral wealth had not been devel-
oped, and though relieved from
poverty, he was not endowed with
influence, and a large family made
heavy drain on his means. He was
man of liberal education, and had
travelled in Europe and South America
before settling down in western Penn
sylvania, where he served ae prothono-
tary. MIR. Blaine's mother, woman of
superior intelligence and force of char
acter, was devout Catholic; but her
son has adhered to the Presbyterian
convictions and communion of his pater-
nal Scotch-Irish ancestry.
The early education of Mr.. Blaine was
seduously cultivated. He had the ad-
vantage of excellent teachers at his own
home, and for part of the year 1841 he
was at school in Lancaster, o., where he
lived in the family of his relative,
Thomas Ewing, then secretary of the
treasury. In association with Thomas
Ewing, jr., afterward a member of
congress, young Blaine began his
preparations for college under the in
struction of thoroughly trained Eng
lishman, William Lyons, brother of
Lord Lyons, and at the age of. 13 he en-
tered Washington college in his native
county, where he was graduated in 1847.
1t was said that when years old he
was able to recite Plutarch's Lives. He
had marked taste for historical studies.
and excelled in literature and rnsthe-
matics. In the literary society he dis
played the political aptitude and cspsc.
became teacher IN tne Western MIH-
tary institute at Blue Lick Springs, Ky.
Here he formed the acquaintance of
Miss Harriet Stanwood of Maine, who
was connected with a seminary for
young ladies at the neighboring town OF
Millersburg, and to whom in few
months he was married. He soon re-
turned to Pennsylvania, where, after
some study of the law, ne became a
teacher in the Pennsylvania institution
for the blind at Philadelphia. After an
association of two years with this instl-
tuition, he removed in 1854 to Augusta,
Me-, where he has since made his
home.
Purchasing a half interest in the
Kennebec Journal, he became its editor,
his ready faculty and trenchant writing
being peculiarly adapted to this field.
He speedily made his impress, and
within three years was a master spirit
IN Tue pOllJlC6 Ol tu6 buhbcs
He engaged in the movement for the
formation of the Republican party with
all his energy, and his earnest and in
cisive discussion of the rising conflict
between freedom and slavery attracted
wide attention. In 1856 he was del
egate to the first Republican ma
tional convention, which nominated
General Fremont for the Presi-
NJ v,srL,lia a..
ing on his return home, where he spoke
at the outset with hesitation and EN-.
barrassment and advanced to confident
and iervid utterances, first illustrated
his capacity on the platform and gave
him standing as public speaker. The
next year he broadened his journalistic
Portland Advertiser, but his editorial
service ended where his parliamentary
career began.
In 1858 he was elected to the legisla-
ture, remaining a member through sue
cessive annual elections for four years,
and serving the last two as speaker. Al
the beginning of the civil war Mr. Blaine
gained distinction not only for his par
!iamentary skill, but for his forensic
power in the debates that grew out oi
| IDhU CIlblb. lhC phAho JOoA az "st
elected to the legislature he became
chairman of the state committee, po
sition which he continued to hold unin
terruptedly for 20 years, and in which
he led in shaping and directing every
political campaign of his party IL
Maine.
In 1862 Mr.. Blaine was elected to con
gress, where in one branch or the othe
he served for Is years. To the houe'
he was chosen for seven successive
terms. His growth in position and in
fiuence was rapid and unbroken.
The theory that the public deb
should be paid in greenbacks developed
great strength in the summer OF 1856
while MIR. Blaine was absent in Europe
On his return at the opening OF tn
next session he made an extende,
speech against the doctrine, and wa
the first man in congress to give utter
ance to this opposition.
Mr.. Blaine was chosen speaker OF tn
house of representatives in 1869, an
served by successive reflections for 81
years. His administration OF tn
speakership is commonly regarded 9
one of the most brilliant and successfr
, in the annals OF the house. He had raj
9 The Most Pleasant Way
. Ofpreventing the grippe, colds, headache
: = and levers is to use the liquid laxativ
/, remedy Syrup of Figs whenever the sy
: tenn needs q gentle, yet effective clean
: ipo tn he henefited one must get tt