The Portland daily press., 1893-06-29
BLAINE AT YORKTOWN.
One of Archibpld Forbess Reminds
cences.
tThe Speaker

1.-THE Speaker.1
1t suited Mr.. Blaines political plat
form to assume and maintain an attitude
of somewhat truculent unfriendliness
toward Great Britain, but personally he
took no little pride in his English ances-
try, and he was always extremely cordial
to English people residing in or visiting
the States. An occasion in the course of
which, wholly at Mr.. Blaine's instance,
the United States paid chivalrous com
pliment to Britain is still fresh in my
memory.
The centenary of the capitulation of
Yorktown, when the army of CORVALLIS
surrendered to the combined American
and French forces-an event which vir-
tually ended the long revolutionary war
fell on the 10th of October, 1881. Liv-
ing in Washington at the time, and on
terms of some intimacy with Mr. Blaine.
/ received from him an invitation to ac-
com pany him to Yorktown on board a
large steamer belonging to the federal
government. In the great company
which thronged the big ship found my
self the only Englishman. The deck and
the saloon glittered with the sheen of
French and German uniforms.
As the big paddle steamer thrashed her
swift way down the Potomac, Mr.. Blaine
said
after these ceremonies are over.
which no doubt in the nature of things
tend somewhat to our Standardization.
have it in my mind to do something
more. 1t seems to me that it would be a
graceful and handsome thing, as a finale,
to make frank and cordial demonstra-
ton of respect and fraternal goodwill
toward England, which we have not
ceased to regard as the mother country.
I propose to haul down the stars and
stripes, run up the British flag and hail
it with royal salute.
"You were the conquerors,' I replied
sourly enough, land are quite within
your rights in celebrating the memory of
your triumph; but I think it an error of
taste on your part to pat the vanquished
on the back in the way you propose
u can not agree with you.' said Blaine
with cheerful assurance, land I believe
fOu WILL Aao yOuAoOJl AuyuOW.
am going to do it, and we shall see
what we shall see.''
The commemorative celebration had
come to close, and there was now to be
proceeded with Americas compliment
to Britain. Around the lofty flagstaff
the troops formed in hollow square fac
ing inward. The stars and stripes de-
scended from the peak on one halyard
and the flag of England assembled on the
other.
AS the folds of the grand old banner
unfurled to the Virginian wind it's
naughty scroll of gold' the President
of the great American republic rose to
his feet and barred his head. The occu-
pants of the stand and the vast throne
surrounding the parade followed his ex-
ample. From the cannon mouths roared
out the measured fire of royal salute.
The troops presented arms and the STAN
dard bearers. as if by one impulse,
dropped their colors until they swept the
ground. The massed bands around the
Flagstaff struck up ''God Save the
Queen" and their strains we're echoed
by the pealing voices of great multi
tude.
AS they died away on the still throb-
bling air Blaine turned his radiant face
toward me, and there was the flash of
conscious triumph in his eye. But had
been conquered, convinced and made
ashamed before that meaning glance was
Idarted at me-