Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1893-02-01

JAMES g. BLAINE.
family had been summoned to the sick
room, and all the members were pres
ent at the end. Death came with no
struggle. DIR. 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 physicians
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, land he passed away peace
fully" The doctors did not give the
exact time of death, but later it was
learned that death came at II 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 Abraham Lincoln. The fatal termina-
ton of his illness caused but little sur
prise, the news of it had been so long
expected. 1t was a foregone conclu-
sion that his battle with death would be
the final defeat of his life. Though the
facts as to his illnessl 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 bereavements 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
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 a 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-Irish
blood. HIS great-grandfather, Ephraim
Blame, bore an honorable part in the rev.
dictionary struggle, was an officer IN the
Pennsylvania line, a trusted friend of
Washington. and during the laStfour years
Of the war served as the commIssary-ge
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 ana memorable winter
at Valley Forge. From the Cumberland
Valley, where his ancestors had early set
tied and had been aml2g the
founders OF Carlisle. Mr.. Blaine's
father removed to Washington COun-
ty in 1918. He had inherited
what was fortune in those days, and had
large landed possessions in Western Penn
sylvania; but their mineral wealth had not
then been developed, and though relieved
from poverty he was not endowed with
md 70 IL do
drain on his means. He was man of lib
eral education, and had travelled in Eu-
rope and South America before settling
down in Western Pennsylvania, when he
served as parliamentary. Mr.. Blaines
mother, woman of superior intelligence
and force of character, was devout Cath
Ollie; but her son adhered to the PreSby-
terrain convictions and communion of his
paternal Scotch-Irish ancestry. The early
education of Mr.. Blaine was sedulouSly
cultivated. He had the advantage of ex-
cellent teachers at his own home,
he was at school in Lancaster,
o., where he lived in the family of his rel
alive, Thomas Ewing, then secretary of
the treasury. In association with Thomas
Ewing, Jr., afterWard member Of Con-
greSs, young Blaine began his preparation
for college under thoroughly trained
Englishman, William Lyons, brother of
Lord Lyons, and at the age of Ii he en-
tered Washington College, in his own
county, where he, was graduated in 1S47.
1t is said that when 9 years old he was
able to reclte Plutarch's lives He had a
marked taste for historical studies, and
eXcelledln literature and mathematics. In
the literary society he displayed the polit-
zeal aptitude and capacity that distin-
gulshed his subsequent career. Some
time after graduation he became teacher
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
neighboring 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 tine 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. Purchasing half inter-
est IN the Kennebec Journal, he became it's
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 or the Republican
party with all his energy, and his earnest
and inciSive discussion of the rising
conflict between freedom and 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- |
grcSs, where, in one branch or the other, |
he served for eighteen years
In 1875 Mr.. Blame was appointed to the |
Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the |
resignation Of Senator Morrill,, and tn, |
next winter was elected by the Legislature |
to the succeeding term. HIS career in the |
Senate was both brilliant and dlStno-
uiShed as il had hnnn In the HnnSn