The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-02-01
James g. Blaine


last week has been leading factor in
national politics, and for the last half of
this period he has been the dominating
factor, One after another the great
party chiefs having the capacity and the
quality of real leadership have gone
over to the majority. For ten years
none of the men supremely endowed by
nature, imperial in resources and in their
strength of mind and will, who in 1876
at Cincinnati and in 1880 at Chicago
opposed Mr.. Blaine and baked his am
bition to be president, has appeared in
the political lists. ALI are sleeping the
peaceful sleep that comes when life's
atful fever" has burned to embers.
They had left Mr.. Blaine almost the
sole srbiter of the destinies of men and
parties. Has any great national meas
nre been proposed, Mr.. Blaine's views
and his attitude in respect of it have
been deferentially considered; and if
his favor or opposition has not been
conclusive of its fate he has had deci-
sive influence upon the form in which
the measure should ultimately be pre-
scented to the country. Has the ques-
ton of The candidate of his party for
the presidency been considered, the in
quiry that rose intuitively to every lip
was, What is the purpose of Mr.. Blaine?
Since and including 1884, the republi.
can nomination to the presidency has
laid ever at Mr.. Blaine's feet. He has
not needed to ask for it. He has been
importuned to accept it. 1t has been
thrust upon him. Defeated at the polls
10 1884, his popularity with his party
emerged from an ordeal of intensest
heat not merely intact but with an in
crement of mingled love and admiration
that to the unsympathetic seemed to
bear the semb,ance of idolatry. In
1888 the republican national convention
was a glowing mass of determination to
nominate Hr. Blaine, between whom
and his jealous adherents the waters Of
the Atlantic rolled. For days the del
egates awaited sign from across the
ocean. 1t was Mr.. BIaine's opportu.
nifty to be president; but with what
seemed the very wantonness of toying
with fortune, he imperatively refused
the prize to grasp which, in three con-
veations, he had Intellectually employed
all his imperial resources. Again the
prize the convention of 1892 would have
to bestow was his by the universal ac-
claim of his party. The old hostilities
had died away. He would be unitedly
and enthusiastically supported by his
party, but his party again encountered
his firm and unqualified refusal to be-
come its candidate. The sudden and
unlooked.for appearance of his name in
the convention at Minneapolis, he ap-
parently asserting, was one of the
anomalies of a very brilliant but some
what erratic career. 1t was pathetic in
its prophecy of the setting of the sun of
the later era of American politics. His
ambition to be president seems TO have
been the toy and paything of Fate. 1t
has cut short his allotted span of life.
On that fatal rock, wonderful energies
and marvellous capabilities impinged
and were well nigh wrecked.
Estima tes of Mr.. Blaine's character
d, aud assignments of his place in history
will vary with individual prejudices and
prepCssessiOus He was the storm cen
ter Of bitter animosities and hos ilities
that knew no relenting; around his
standard gathered following larger in
numbers, more devoted aud loyal, more
ardent and irrepressible in lis attach
ment, than this generation has seen ex-
hlbited in respect of any other civilian
OF its times. These things mark Mr..
Blaine as the political leader rather than
the statesman. Statesmanahip is de-
Veloped and cultivated amid quieter
walks; yet, when the smoke of political
battle has cleared and he has addressed
himself to the cultivation of the arts of
peace, he has displayed very statesman.
like qualities. In the domain of states
mansbip many of his compeers may
rank him in history; none, however,
was his peer as a dashing political
leader He was Henry of Nevarre in
American politics. His white plume
shone Ia many political Ivry, and be-
hind it were pressing troops of adher.
ents as devoted and ardent and chiv-
alric as the cavaliers who followed the
orlfi imme of the great Huguenot leader.
No false prophet could have attached
to himself so large and Jealous, so loyal
and notable, a following, There was in
Mr.. Blaine something worthy of its
marvellous devotion, however merit may
have been alleged, or it would long ago
have broken up, melted away and dis
appeared, Today millions of the best
OF the American people feel a deep,