Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1893-01-28


bitter tears over his losses and wounds.
May all these be closed--as they viii be
with the closing of the gravel
Blaines rise 10 public notice was aus
picious, but not singular. He entered
easily and successfully into the stormy
life of politics. He devoted himself 10
that pursuit with native zest under the
sharp spur Of an unusually active am
bition. His early experiences in jour
nalism stood him well in hand. The
period in which he held the editorial pen
was precisely that in which the old style
OF explosive and redundant oratory was
giving place to the exacter and truer
forms Of speech.
The transformation demanded that the
orator of thAnew period should be man
of exact language and cogent argument
Blaine's quick and capacious mind con-
formed readily and in excellent measure
TO the new demand, and when he ad-
vanced to the national platform he went
with the equipment Of perfect linguistic
forms, a fair measure of imagination
and ever improving argumentative re
sources.
The editorial career of Blaine had an
intrinsic as well as secondary merit. BY
his pen he commanded his first public
applause. The young Republican party
had the Pathfinder fA it's candidate.
Blaine was in at the birth. He was then
twenty-six years of age. He was dele
gate TO the audacious convention which
nominated Fremont for the presidency.
Such a candidate was worthy of such
support. The aspiring young Maine ed
itor made his columns flame with passion
and appeal. Glorious spring days were
those when human liberty began to re-
viyel Happy fortune of the young men
of 1856 to appear on the stage when truth
was put on trial; when party debate had
not yet degenerated into wrangle, in
trigue and falsehood; when the defense
of principle still promised as fair reward
as is now promised for hateful subserv-
iency to the caucusl Blaine's virgin ed
itorials were eagerly sought by the jour
nalists of Boston and were reprinted in
Ohio and Michigan. His name was al
ready heard as far as Minnehaha and the
Platte
James Ct. Blaine entered the house of
representatives in 1868 to continue in
active service in that body for fourteen
consecutive years. This was the period
in which he achieved his national repu-
tation. He was one of the many aspiring
young civilians upon whom the after
forces and passions of the great war
played and reacted with striking effect.
In proportion as his faculties were strong
er and his ambitions more prevalent thar
those of his fellow members he rose above
them until only few competitors re-
manned of like stature and mettle. On
one side was seen in the same rank with
himself the persistent Garfield, and on
the other the magnificent and arrogant
Conkling. These three perhaps already
saw the presidency afar off. They also
saw each other. Not all of them could
reach the goal
Blaine at this epoch had many advan-
tages. In addition to native gifts and
well earned attainments he had the power
of growth. He was always a growing
man. To the end of his career-or verv
nearly to the end-he continued to branch
and flourish. His growth was strong
and conspicuous. Each year added to
his stature. His figure, his intellectual
and personal life. became picturesque
and striking.
Herein is a difference between the
strong man and the weak. The strong
man grows long and well. The weak
man grows for a short space and then
grows no more. He has brief effiores-
cence and then a dwarfish delivery Of
sour fruiti But the strong man grows
and continues to flourish in thought aid
spirit to the end of his days.
1t were not amiss to ascribe to James
G. Blaine this unusual power of develop
ment. Have his last years been years of
weakness? Has there been in him intel
lectual decline? Has he had an epoch Of
senility and the second childhood of old
age? Nay, the last estate has not been
of this color in the case of the great
secretary.
We need not here repeat to what ex-
tent James G.. Blaine wrought himself
and his purpose into the legislation and
history of his times. Three times speaker
of the house of representatives in the
stormy and anarchic period which fol-
lowed the civil war, he must needs have
contributed much to those public meas
ures in which the current history of our
country was recorded. Upon all OF the
issues arising in the train Of the TO-
MNm,A