Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1893-02-09
Senators spoford and Grndle Eulogise
Blaine in the Maine Senate.

| MIR. president 1T Is not for me to
scatter the f,wers of eulogy upon the
| grave of the dead statesman, but iu com
| mon with the VIII Die people of Maine.
bring expressions of my own profound
| sorrow. Pale Death enters with Impair
| tial step the cottages of the poor and the
palaces of kings" He claims not Only the
baser plant, but strikes down the giant
oak, which has been the pride and glory
| of the forest. For weeks our thoughts
| have been turned to the capital of the ma
ton. and We have anxiously awaited the
latest intelligence from the sick chamber.
where lay, battling with death. the fore
most citizen Of the repubie and when th',
| dread tidings come, and we are told that
James G.. Blaine Is no more. the heart of
the people of Maine, so full OF love and de-
votion, is crushed with sorrow and be-
reavemtnt.
To detail the public life Of Mr.. Blaine
would be but reciting the history of our
country for full generation.
To portray his character would require
something of his genius Born 63 years
ago. he Inherited from both his father and
mother the rugged and sterling qualities
OF his Scotch Irish blood. In his native
state of Pennsylvania he received his early
education and training; his splendid intel
leCtual strength was there developed, and
his mental powers cultivated.
At the aye of ~ years he became a citizen
of the State of Maine, and il is from that
time that We mark his public career. He
/ was elected 10 the State Leg gi>lature in the
< fall Of 1888, at that period just preceding
| the war in the days that tried mems soul.
His capabilities were soon recognized
Genius for craftsmanship was there; his
| wonderful talents Law sleeping in his soul
and it only required the use and exercise
! of his abilities in establishing PROPOSE
tion or defending a principle, 70 awaken
his great latent powers.
Thrice WAS he reelected BY an admiring
constituency, and during his four years
service in these halls he displayed the po-
litical capacity and aptitude which 50 dis
tlngui,hed hi. subsequent career.
la my mind | can to day picture Mr.
Blaine. a. IN 1862 he left the Speakers
chair and upon the floor Of yonder House
delivered his speech upon the Resolves re
latng to national affairs" which has never
been forgotten. He believed that the ad
mini-tration Of President Lincoln was en-
titled To the endorsement OF the Leeisla-
lure Of Maine, and that 1t was the duty
Of Congress 10 provide for the Liberation
of every Slave claimed by any person VINO
should continue In arms against the author
ity Of the United States"
With what eloquence and power he main
tanned his convictions! And the vcrsatil-
ity. legal knowledge, deep thought aud
broad mind displayed by MIR. Blaine In this
discussion marked him as a national man,
aud probably did much to secure his cleo
ton TO the Federal Congress the following
year. Upon the entrance OF Mr.. Blaine TO
the Congress Of the United States he WAS
met by the best brain of the North. The
life of the nation was in peril aud armed
rebellion IN the land and there had been
sent - our national council men of the
greatest abilities and ripe-t experience,
As new member Mr. Blaine was modest,
diligent in research aud faithful To duty
He did not often enter discussions. but his
training in the Speakers chair of the
Maine House had given him knowledge
of parliamentary law which made his in
fl"uce at once conspicuous.
ftis wonderful that in those eXcitin z
days of universal dread and horror, when
30 many questions new to our government
were presented, that almost every position
taken by Mr.. Blaine has since received the
approving judgment Of the people. Words
spoken by him in those days seem almost
like prophecy in the light OF later expe-
rience
His services in the House continued un-
I'll 1876 In lsG9 he was elected to the
Speaker-hip and served by reflections for
six successive years He brought to the
position rare equipments. His admins
tration of this great ONCE, second In i'm
portance and influence only to the Presi-
denCy of the United States, is universally
| acknowledged to be one Of the most brill
liant in the annals of the government,
His ability to govern, his singular spti-
tude for the duties of presiding officer. and
his wonderful mastery of parliamentary
law placed him by the side Of the hitherto
peerless Clay.
Perhaps Mr. Blaiue's greatest work was
| performed, ard his highest achievements
! attained in the cabinet of President Har-
rson. 1t Is fitting that his hfes labor-
| should be closed by such eminent services.
! The greatness of his mind. the superiority
of his craftsmanship, and the briIliancy Of
! his genius, have she'd lu,tre and >plendor
| upon the pages Of American diplomacy.
| His very greatness has sometimes caused
! jealousy and enmity, aud he has not al
ways escaped the foul tongue of SANDER
! but when the names of those who have i'm.
| pugned his motives Shall have been for
gotten and mounds reared over lhe graves
of those who have Dreathed their foul
! breath upon his character shall have sunk
! en- low, the name of James q. Blaine will
shine, in letters of gold, one of the bright.
est stars in the constellation of American
| statesmen.
! Blaine dead. Your friend and mine
Cut down in the flush Of his ripe manhood
and zenith of his power. Gone! Gone To
join the great majority. In the bosom OF
his family and the love and affections OF
his couutrymen-dead Death and love
are the two wings which have borne hin
on ward and to-day We bow al his bier anC
weep over his grave.
20 hearts that never cease to yearn.
. brimming tears that neer are dried,
The dead though they depart. return,
AS though they had not died.
Mr.. President, | move that the resolu
tions as presented by the senator from Pts
cataqus be given passage.
Senator Grindle's Address.
Mr. PRESIDENT The lateness of tn.
hour will prevent ME from making any
lengthy speech. even if | were prepared
to do So have not prepared any speech
and Will simply say very few words. Ol
course it is very well known that on
subject like that which is now before US il
is always very much easier to make goot
half hour speech. There are some thing.
about James G. Blaine which 1t requires NJ
argument to prove, and no illustration tt
make clear. / believe that it could be
truthfully and safely said that taking hin
as whole this generation has not pro
duced his equal. He was admired by many
of the most eminent leaders of the country
and it is certain that he was the idol OF
the rank and file of his party. 1t Is certain
that no one has ever lived In the countr,
who could call forth and awaken such al
unboupded enthusiasm amongst all classe
Of people. OF course, We can readily IN
derstand that there can never be such l
unanimous sentiment In favor Of an indi
viduars popularity in politics as Their
would be in some other paths of though
and work literature, for example; for W.
know that in political issues about one
half of the country is always at issue will
the other half; and however fair one ma
be 1t is certain that he never can call fortt
the admiration of those whose principle
| he opposes as he can those whose princi
Piles he advocates.
IDelieve that when the times Of partisan
| ship and prejudice shall have passed away
, when mis- record shall be viewed simply Il
: the light of history, | believe then that