The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-02-03


vantages of a junior Senator. If his ca
reer had not been rounded ont by mem
cradle service ia the State Department,
he would have gone to his grave with the
reputation of being leader of incOmpar-
able genius and unrivalled authority;
but something would have been lacking
to complete his fame. He would have
been remembered as a matchless politi-
cal organizer and as sturdy champion
of the cause of Protection, fighting in the
open field after Mr.. Clay and Mr.. Gree
ley had fallen in the defensive trenches;
but his name would have been less iden-
tilted with an original policy in National
affairs. 1t was reserved for him not only
to electrify the country with browning
exhibition of progressive Americanism,
but also to leave behind him in the State
Department record of illustrious ser
vice equalled only by the fame of Web
ster, Marcy and Seward, and to create an
enlightened policy which is destined to
enlarge immeasurably the sphere of
American influence ON this continent.
The sneer at his statecraft as spurious
and pinchbeck Jingolsm long ago died
away. What he has done has been to
raise the standards of American diplo-
macy and to make it worthy of a pacific
anu DIOHICSSlN6 NAHUM. AZ DtIliu
Rome he taught military powers to re-
spect the dignity and honor of the Re-
public; at London he upheld with res
olute hand American rights; and in the
Pan American Congress he opened the
way for new era of reciprocal trade, for
community of interests in continental
policy, and for the abolition of war by
compulsory courts of arbitration.
The genius of this many sided man
ripened in the plenitude of his political
authority and power over men until there
seemed to be nothing lacking. In the
lucidity and charm of his literary style
he was the equal of John Quincy Adams.
In political dialectics he had Mr.. Gree
ley's rare talent of writing for dspeak-
ing to the common people, and making
the most intricate economic questions
luminous and practical. In his diplo-
matte papers were combined the dignity
of Webster, the firmness of Marcy and
the tact and flexibility of Seward. In
breadth of view and in unerring discern
ment of the forces of public opinion and
the tendencies of manifest destiny he
was another Jefferson. His conversation
and social destinations rivalled those of
Clay. If the later years of his life were
the most productive in creative work,
the great authority which he had &C
quired as leader, inspired by American
instincts and swayed by an enlightened
Judgment, armed him with power to
carry out his reciprocity policy and to
extend the beneficent influence of Amer
lean ideas on this continent. Now being
dead, he yet speaketh and the last work
of this illustrious Americans life will be
a glorious heritage for the Nation.
I The Tribune also says: Perhaps mo
man in the city of New Y orki had oceu-
pied closer and more intimate relations
toward Mr.. Blaine than Chauncey NJ. De-
pew. AS is well known, Mr.. Depew was
for many years a supporter of Mr.. Blaine
for the Presidency. 1t was a matter of
some surprise to the friends of Mr. Blaine
at Minneapolis when Mr.. Depew APP
peared there as the unalterable adherent
of President Harrison and an advocate of
his reelection. But the two friends un-
derstood each other thoroughly, as will
be seen by a reading of the interview
with Mr.. Depew, which follows: ualf
"In the canvass of 1884, " said MIR. De-
pew, II travelled and spoke with Mr..
Blaine for several weeks. In going
through the State of New Y ork he gener- /
ally put me forward to make the princi-
pal speech. He would say as we came to
each station, -sY will talk hers Eve, ten
fifteen, twenty, twenty five or thirty
minutes as the case might be. He had
accurately determined the number of
minutes which he would himself
occupy A committee would come upon
the car at the station preceding that
where the train was to stop for the meet
ing. These stoppages averaged about
sixteen a day. Mr.. Blaine would in
few minutes absorb from the committee
men all there was Of local coier or of his
torical incident in the town. Then he
would retire to his room on the car, and
when the train reached the station he
would deliver an address as complete as
If he had been all night preparing it. 1t
would sparkle with local illusions, which
tickled the villagers and made them be-
lieve that the principal part of Mr..
Blaine's life had been spent in contem-
plating results in their own towns.
''As an instance of his peculiar readi-
ness as we'll as his love for fun" con-
tinued Mr.. Depew, II will relate that 1
had introduced him in short speech at
YoRkers, ParrytOwn and Sing Sing, and
then had made a longer speech after
ward, when the schedule time for the
stop was not completed when Mr.. Blaine
got through, As we approached Peeks-
KILN asked me what that place was dis
tinguished for. : } Z jrttiI il VI
WELL said, among other things
was born there He said he had never
heard of that before and seemed pro-
foundly interested in the event. There
were about three thousand people at the
station. As l stepped forward to intro
duce him he pushed me to one side and
said Fellow citizens of Peekskill: AS |
have passed up AMI down your noble
Hudson on steamboat or on the cars for
the past quarter of century, there is
one place which has always had for me a,
special interest, and that is your beauti'
full village. always vlOoked for it be-
cause it brought forcibly to nay mind the
fact that it was, the birthplace ofEmy
cherished friend and your distinguished
townsman Mr. Ohauncey Depews sEfI
1.-THE day of the Burchard Incident
and accident" said Mr.. Depew, 81 was
speaking in the western part of the State
and received a telegram from him asking
me to break my engagement and come to
New York at once. i arrived the follow
ing morning, and just in time to find
him leaving on an early train for speak
ing tour through Connecticut. He said:
Il propose that you do all the principal
speaking to-day. Something happened
yesterday that made me mistrust every
body except people whom [ thoroughly
know And then he told me of the
Burchard incident. l said: Mr.. Blaine.
why didn't you check him or correct
him? He said: The fact is, was tired