Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1893-02-02

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JAMES @. BLAINE.
family had been summoned to the sick
room, and all the members were pres
ent at the end. Death came with no
struggle. DR.. Johnston was summoned
to the bedside of Mr.. Blaine early this
morning, but his presence was not
known to those outside until about
lilo, when, in company with DR.. Hyatt,
he left the house. Roth phyeicians
were unusually pale, and when accosted
by the reporter for the latest news the
significant look IN their faces answered
the question, HE is Dead" said DR..
Johnston, "and he passed away peace
fully" The doctors did not give the
exact time of death, but later 1t was
learned that death came at IL o'clock.
THE NEWS AT THE CAPITOL.
The news spread to the capitol and
throughout the city in q few minutes.
1t was everywhere expected, but when
the announcement came the impression
was more striking than any that has been
created by similar news since the death
of A braham Lincoln. The fatal termina-
ton of his illness caused but little sur
prise, the news of it had been so long
expected. 1t was foregone conclu-
sion that his battle with death would be
the final defeat of his life. Though the
facts as to his illness, have from the first
been studiously concealed through the
official channels of communication, he
WAS q sick man when he returned to
Washington to settle down for the win
ter; death and its bereayements added
more and more to his ailments. lie has
grown worse, and has continued on his
journey to the grave as fast as the days
would carry him. Science and skill
gave him the weapons of defense for a
comparatively long time, but his death
has furnished the end of the fight. He
was doomed man from the start, and
to all intents he has been dead man
for these many days past
James Gillespie Blaine was born in West
Brownsville, Washington County, Pa,
January 81. 1880. He was the second son
of Ephralm l.. Blaine and Mary Gillespie.
On his fathers side he inherited the hardy
and energetic qualities of the Scotch-lrlsh
blood. Ills great-grandfather, Ephraim
Blame, bore an honorable part In the rev.
dictionary struggle, was an officer III the
Pennsylvania line, a trusted friend OF
Washington. and during the lastfour years
CT the war served as the commlSsary-gen-
eral of the northern department. OF his
command. Possessed of ample means, he
drew largely from his own private purse,
and enlisted the contributions of various
friends for the maintenance OF the army
during the severe and memorable winter
at Valley Forge. From the Cumberland
Valley, where his ancestors had early set
tied and had been among the
founders of Carlisle. Mr.. Blaine's
father remoyed to Washington Si C s;4Is
what was a fortune in those days, and had
large landed possessions in Western Penn
sylNania; but their mineral wealth had not
then been developed, and though relieved
from poverty he was not endowed with
affluence, and large family made a heavy
eEal education, and had travelled in Eu-
rope and South America before settling
down in Western Pennsylvania, when he
served as a prothono tarX. Mr.. Blaines
mother, a woman of superior Intelligence
and force of character, was a devout Cath
olic; but her SON adhered to the Presby-
terian convictions and communion OF his
paternal Scotch-Irsh ancestry. The early
education of Mr.. Blaine was Sedul0uSly
cultivated He had the advantage of ,ex-
and for part of the year 1871
he was at school in Lancaster,
o., where he lived in the family of his rel
ative, Thomas Ewing, then secretary OF
the treasury. In association with Thomas
Ewing. Jr., after ward member of Con
for college under thoroughly trained
EngiShman, William Lyons, brother of
Lord Lyons, and at the age of Ii he EN-
tered Washington College, i'm his own
county, where he was graduated i'm 1S47.
1t is said that when 8 years old he was
marked taste for historical studies, and
excelledfn literature and mathematics. In
the literary society he displayed the p0lit-
zeal aptitude and capacity that dstin-
gulshed his subsequent career. Some
in the Western Military Institute at
Blue Lick Springs, KY. Here he formed
the acquaintance of Miss Harriet
Stanwood, OF Maine, who was connected
with seminary for young ladies at the
EeighbOring town of Millersburg, and to
whom within few months, he was mar
ried. He soon returned to Pennsylvania,
where, after some study of the law. he be-
came teacher in the Pennsylvania InSti-
tuition for the Blind at Philadelphia. The
young teacher had charge OF the higher
classes in literature and science. and the
principal has left record that his bril-
liant mental powers were exactly qualified
to enlighten and instruct the interesting
minds before him." After an association of
two years with this institution. he removed
in 1854 to Augusta. Me-. where he since
made his home. Purchasinga half inter
est In the kennebec Journal, he became its
editor, his ready faculty and trenchant
writing being peculiarly adapted to this
field.
Almost simultaneously with taking up
his residence in Maine Mr. Blame entered
into politics. He engaged in the move
ment for the formation OF the Republican
party with all his energy, and his earnest
and inciSive discussion of the rising |
conflict between freedom ard slavery |
attracted widespread attention. In
1856 he was delegate to the
first Republican national convention, |
which nominated Gen. Fremont for the |
presidency.
In 1862 Mr.. Blaine was elected to Con- |
gress, where, in one branch or the other, |