The morning call., 1893-01-28

L
contest OF 1876 was period Of stormy and
vehement contention. A general amnesty
bill was brought forward, when Mr. Blaine
moved to amend by making an execution of
Jefferson Davis, and supported the PROPOSE
tion in an impassioned speech which pro.
duced deep excitement in the House and
throughout the country. This episode ar
rested universal attention and gave Mr..
Blaine a still stronger hold as q leader of
his party.
The Republican national convention WIS
now at hand and Mr.. Blaine was the most
prominent candidate for the Presidential
nomination. When the convention was
held at Cincinnati he received on the first
ballot 2S5 votes out of total of 754 On
the seventh ballot his vote rose to 351. lack
Ing only twenty-eight of a majority. but
union of the supporters of all the other can
ddateS gave Governor Hayes 3S4 and secured
his nomination. Immediately after the con-
vention, on the resignation Of Sem
tor Morrill, to accept the Secretary
ship Of the Treasury, Mr.. Blaine was
appointed Senator to fill the unexpired term,
and in the following winter he was chosen
by the Legislature for the full ensuing term.
In the Senate be engaged in the discussion
of all current questions. On the currency
question he always assumed a pronounced
position. He favored a bimetallic currency,
AMI equally resisted the adoption of the
single gold standard and the depreciation If
silver. Measures for the development
and protection Of American shipping
early engaged his attention. All the time
he defended the sanctity Of the ballot and
in December, 1878. pending a resolution
presented by himself for an inquiry into
certain alleged frauds iu the South, made
powerful plea as to the injustice wrought
by a deIial of the franchise 10 the blacks.
On the Chinese question he early declared
himself decidedly in favor of restricting
their immigration
AS the Presidential convention of 1880 ap-
preached it was apparent that Mr.. Blaine
retained the same support that had adhered
to him so tenaciously four years before. 1t
was at this convention that the great fight
of the C0nkliDg-Grant faction took place.
Blaine had 264 votes on the first ballot, and
these stuck 10 him, with slight variations,
through the eighteen successive ballots
when lie had 279. At the thirty-fourth
ballot he had 275, Grant 80, Garfield II.
Seeing that the only way to defeat the third
term scheme was to throw Biaine's strength
TO a dark horse. on the thirty-ffih ballot
the Blaine forces f1ocked to Garfield. who
was nominated on the thirty-sixth ballot,
receiving 800 votes.
On his election Mr.. Blaine was rendered
and accepted the Office of Secretary OF State.
He remained at the head of the department
less than ten months, and his effective ad-
mnistration was practically limited by the
assassination Of President Garfield to four.
Upon his retirement he was for the first
time in twenty-thTee years out OF public
stallion. He soon entered upon the cOmpO-
sltiOn of an elaborate historical work en-
titled, Twenty Years of Congress" The
first volume was published in 1854 and the
second in January, 1886. The work had
very wide sale and secured general approval
for its impartial spirit and brilliant style.
At the Republican convention which met
at Chicago in 1884 Judge West. the blind
orator, nominated Mr.. Blaine. On the first
ballot re received 334 p votes. Arthur having
27S. The number necessary TO a choice was
All. The fourth ballot resulted Ill 541 votes
for Mr.. Blaine. and the nomination was
made una mous. The election resulted in
his defeat by Mr.. Cleveland.
Mr.. Blaine's personal pride was deeply
hurt 10y the result Of the campaign, which
made him resolve that lie would never go
through another campaign, except under
conditions which from the nature of things
were impossible. What he dreaded more
than anything else was that he should be
regarded as posing before the Amer
lean public as perpetual candl-
date. lie knew that if he re-
NAMED in this country during the
year preceding the campaign of 1855 his
position would be misrepresented and so ne
went to Europe in the early summer of 1887
for the sole purpose of avoiding every pos
sible political complication.
He was Secretary OF State during the
Harrison administration ard resigned prior
to the convention Of last year.
Perhaps no portion of his long and active
career was more brilliant in achievement
than the last three years. Disappointing
altogether the expectations Of his enemies
who fancied that he would lay himself open
to their attack. he executed the important
duties which fell 20 his department. with an
ability and discretion which extOrt ed ad-
miraton even from those whose prejudices
against him were most obstinate
Mr.. Blaine. by general acclaim, was de-
man of his time.
The issue of his marriage to Miss Stan
wood we're Walker, EmmOns (whO recently
died., Alice (who married Major Coppinger
and is now deceased), Margaret, James g.
Jr. aud Harriet Mrs. Blaine survives him.