The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-01-27

cHhTHcltr. hCcubatlOnS were puDllcly made
that he had received as a price for his infiu-
ence certain securities from railway seek
ing congressional aid. The proof of these
accusations were said to be in the posses
sion of a certain clerk named Mulligan
and in the shape of letters The friends Of
Mr.. Blaine looked very solemn in these
days, and lie was himself most anxious.
One morning when this black clond was
hanging over him and his friends he arose
to equestion of personal privilege. There
had been hint OF his intention. The great
galleries We're packed Every seat upon the
floor was taken, and senator's had come from
their chamber that they might SEQ and hear
Blaine in this hour Of his desperation and
peril. For every discomfort which this
throng suffered they were amply repaid
The scene which took place has been almost
unequnled In parliamentary annals. Blaine
stood there magnificent in his defiance.
He held sloft the bundle of discriminating
letters, of itself dramatic picture and sit
uation worthy of the greatest dramatists,
and he declared with some sense of humil-
iation and personal outrage that he would
himself read these letters to the house, that
its members might see what those aceusa-
tions were.
Blaine was never more superb. He con
quered that house by his very magnifcence
Of resistance He held himself at bay so
that men cheered and the galleries resound-
ed TO the echo with the applause OF this
spectacle, He read the letters through, and
then, with dramatic power which, il it were
acting, was a finer exhibition of the dra-
matte gift than the greatest actors have
ever shown, he pointed tho finger of scorn
and accusation at n certain member of the
house and accused him of withholding a
telegram which would have proved his in.
nocence.
Blaine's enemies always asserted that this
was acting. They did not deny the magnif-
cence Of the performance, but they suspect
ed its sincerity. For his friends it was a
perfect vindication, and for himself it was
complete victory, as the formal charges
were from that day dropped. 1t was
perilous step to take, Had it failed Blaine
must inevitably have been ruined.
His moral courage was displayed when
at the very last of his experience as speaker
he defied tho majority in his own party and
made ruling which he insisted was Just
and in accordance with his oath as speaker,
but which enabled the Democratic minor
ity successfully to maintain its fight against
what was then called the force bill A
weaker man than Blaine would have been
ruined by this ruling, but it cost him no
strength in his own party and gained for
him tho admiration OF many Demo ocrats, SO
that it was long afterw%d said that of all
Republicans Mr. Blaine was the most popu-
lar with the Democracy.
HIS First Failure.
lie lost the presidential nomination In
1876 when it was almost his. Personal ami
mostly unquestionably cost him that prize.
Ilt.., fTa,. L.. hs,1 ~,
anger which he had caused to arise in the
hscrts Of men who controlled other dele
cations led to a hasty combination, which
resulted in u ballot that sent Mr.. Blaine to
the rear. Men wondered how no would act
in this emergency. His heart had been so
enthusiastically set upon the nomination
that many believed he would show some of
the weaknesses of human nature and that
we would discover the weak point IN his
mental and moral equipment. But he re-
yculed the highest resources He sent a
most cordial dispatch to Governor HAYES,
the nominee, promised to take active part
in the canvass, and did, going to Maine and
conducting there, AS chairman of the state
committee, canvass which was the admi-
ration of every man who sawit.
In these eanvasscS rs a politician Mr.
Blaine was not less great than yben upon
the floor OF congress He frequently made
sleeping car his home They would hear
OF him one day in Portland and the next in
the lumber regions He received dispatches
and reports in this car. He gave orders
like general on field of battle He
brought himself into personal touch with
all of the politicians and as many of the
citizens as possible, aud some OF the anec-
dotes which are told of the way In which
he met sudden emergencies suggest his
wonderful intellectual resources and the
rapdity OF his mental operation.
Blaine In tho Senate.
His political intuitions were illustrated
In another way at this time. He unques-
tionably suggested the arrangement by
which Senator Morrill, of his state, was
transferred from the senate chamber to
General Grants cabinet and Blaine was
appointed to Morrill's seat and afterward
elected. he felt that his day of usefulness
in the house WIS over. He had made his
record, and he believed that in the compar-
ative quiet of the senate chamber he would
find some rest and would also be able to
carry on the politics which had tho presi-
dental nomination of 1880 In view. His
friends always felt that his life In the SEN
ate was irksonle. He adapted himself to
the traditions of that somewhat lethargic
body, but at the cost of some personal dis
cipline. OF course his personality was felt
there, but as a senator he added but little
II any to his repute
While he did not enter upon the canvass
Tor the presidential nomination of 1850 in
that dashing and inspiring way which char
acterized him previous to 1876. yet he had
The nomination in view and knew that he
was the choice Of large part of the politi-
cal leaders and felt that he was of the masses
Of his party. lie advised, but he did not
1ictate, and he let his political friends do
The work OF combination to great extent.
He would unguestionably have been nomi.
mated had he not been compelled to face the
enormous popularity of General Grant. |
which was increased by his trip around the !
world, and was made use of with graat skin
BY the politicians. But though Blaine could |
lot beat General Grant in the convention
himself, he could name the man who could |
'eat him, and thus General Garfield became |
he candidate
Garfield could make no other choice than |
3!aire for secretary of stuie, hut what
5laines career as eecretary eud Gnrfields
3 president would have been Of course is Il
natter of surnise. The impression has al
ways been that Blalne's personality would
ave dominated the administration. lie
Sas, however, pledged to Garfield to sup
ort him for a denominations
Blaine In Emergency.
MIR. Blaine was with General Garfield at
he time hs was sssassinatetl, and from the
ervous shock he then received lie never
nily recovered. He had never been the
ian physically after the sunstroke of 1879
hat he vha hsfnra Rnt u,is faartr,i axpe.