The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-28

JAMES g.
except during his campaign for the Pres
idency in 1854. Whether I'm public position
or in private life. he always remained a
central figure in national affairs During
his retirement he wrote his Twenty
Years I'm Congress-" work of great his
torical value.
His Political Career.
Mr.. Blaine's position in history will
differ from his relation to The politics
and traditions Of his age. II will be re-
corded of him that he was twenty years
in Congress, that ne was three times
Speaker. for some years senator, once a
beaten candidate for the Presidency, and
that he was Secretary of State in the
terms of two Chief Magistrates, resiga,ng
the position on each occasion, once at
the request OF the Executive and once to
become an unsuccessful contestant for
the nomination against his chief. His ory
will slightly, If at all, refer to Mr.. Blaile's s
career in Kentucky. TO his migration to
Maine, to his adventure on Journal SIN.
TO his course in the Legislature of the
Pine Tree State, and but briefly 10 the
book which he issued and which did not
accomplish the purpose of allaying the
asperities against him among the public
men Of his party. The historian will also
precisely apportion the work which MIR.
Blaine did in either house of Congress
and in the Department of State by ignor-
ing as much OF II as did not take the form
of attained results and remarking the
work that did.
In this history will be Just as a chroni-
cler. but unsatisfying as a mirror Of the
nineteenth century. The space the most
talked and written about man of his time
is likely to occupy in the annals of the fu-
ture will not be large. All the more ii is
requisite that the disparity between the
little that will be permanently recorded
and the much that was contemporI-
neously said should be explained.
Mr.. Blaine rose into view in the war.
but he took no part in II. He did not
volunteer. He was drafted; but he did
not go. He was represented by a substi-
tute, as Mr.. Cleveland was, but there the
resemblance changes. There were three
Cleveland brothers and three Blaine broth
ers Two of the Clevelands volunteered
and served in the Union forces. Lots
were cast as to which one should stay at
home. The lot fell to the younger. who
was afterwards drafted and who paid out
of his own pocket for substitute. who
served 10 the end. None of the Blaines
tasted OF battle. The one who was drafted
was represented by substitute, who cot
no further toward the front than the jail
into which he was cast for trying 20 de-
sert and thereby TO nullify the bounty
paid TO him by the city OF Augusta. The
incident in the case of neither man is Ina
portant except 10 establish the different
treatment each man has received on "the
war side" Of political discussion. The
Democratic omission 10 impress the less
bo relation Of IlIafnn n ba
war and the Republican persistence In
r1jsrepresenting Mr.. Cleveland's cred-
table relation to it illustrate the inheren,
superiority Of the former TO the latter
party in logic and justice.
In the House of Representatives Mr.
Iaine passed his strongest years. He
entered IL with Garfield, and he found
Bingham, Colfax. Logan. Blair and Ali
son there. Until Thaddeus Stevens died
none Of them had a full chance. His
death emancipated the talent OF The
House. Among the men who went TO the
front none exceeded the pace of Garfield,
Blaine and Randall. The Ohio man be-
came the economic authority and the lu-
minous and philosoIhic debater The
Maine man became the floor tacticfan and
the master of parliamentary fence. The
Pennsylvania became the leader Of the
minority, the adherent to regulated lib
erty and the foe Of extravaganza ana cor
.'uption. on the accession of Speaker
ColfaX 10 the Vice-Presidency, Mr.. Dawes
was next in line of precedence and ser-
vice for the Speakership but Mr.. Blaine
,aptured the nomination. Shrewd iabors
before the caucus surprised the party and
the country by the result OF the caucus.
They also planted enmities which vere
never alleyiated, AMI which created that
avidity Of charges against Mr.. 3laine's
character from within Republi canisn
which never ceased.
Mr. Blaine served as speaker for six
years. The end OF tkem found hin ap-
pointed 10 the Senate by the Governor
OF Maine, an act followed by the cleo
ton OF him in the State Legislature for
the full term In the speakership he
changed the Office from the judicial TO
the arbitrary standards it has worn
under every incumbent since. excepting
John C. Carlisle. His greatest public
service In the chair may be said 10 have
been wrought by indirection. He so
strained the rules as TO enable Randall
and the Democratic minority TO flibuster
against the Force bill till II died by the
ending of the session by law. The for
midable endeavor to accomplish his nomi-
nation for President in 1870 was defeated
within the Republican party at the con-
vention in Cincinnati, by a series of mis-
haps. Once when a majority was with
him. the gas was turned off and the
meter damaged, so night session could
not be held. He lost the majority once
again In the same convention by the
boomerang quality Of the oversmartness
OF Robert G. Ingersoll's speech and by
the blunder Of Edward r. Mcpherson
and Eugene Hale in demanding the abro-
cation of the unit rule, when adherence
10 Il would have given to him the solid
vote of Pennsylvania and a majority
over Hayes. The incidents OF MS physi-
cal prostration and of the investigation
~ his relation TO railroad matters, which
was ended by his translation to the Sen
ate. were dramatic features OF career
which never reached the one object Tor
which It was pursued
A. nlotuo remained In the 6eUHxo