The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-02-02
DEATH OF j. G. BLAINE.
THE DREAD SUMMONS COMES
TO THE Ex-SECRETARY.
The Greatest Statesman Of Modern
Times Answers the Call of the
Angel of Death--His Death
Mourned by His
Countrymen.

Countrymen.
Washington, Jan. 2S.-One more name,
Y that of James G. Blaine, has been added
to the list of the nations dead. Once
/ more the thoughts of the people are
turned toward the man who, as the
Plumed Knight was such an object OF
devotion. For years he stood in the
very first rank of the great men OF the
! land and few men have ever welded such
a potent influence as James e. Blaine.
He was the one whom his party delight
ed to honor and whose word was law
with his followers. With the exception OF
the presidential chair he achieved every
form of success possible to statesman
in free country. He began at the bot
tom of the ladder of fame. He rose to
the top, and with his death there passes
away one Of the foremost figures IN the
history of the republic. Few men have
had so many ardent admirers and de-
voted riends. He made many bitter
enemies as we'll. This was but natural
result of the position he filed IN LIE.
But now all animosity is buried, and
friends and political foes alike unite IN
expressions of regret at the passing away
of the imam from Maine
Those who were long in the state de-
partment and knew Mr.. Blaine when he
was at his best, recognized with sorrow
during his last service that there was
remarkable change in his physical con-
dition MI. Blaine was conscious OF his
poor state of health. A prominent Re
publican who called on him about a year
ag,,, in speaking of this said: u went to
Mr.. Rlaine the latter part of last January
and asked him if he was going to be a
candidate for the presidency. he an
swered: No, sir; l cannot entertain the
thought for one moment. It would XIII
me sure, and know it, and do not be-
lieve I have friend on earth who would
ask me to be candidate if he knew the
stat of my health Mr.. Blaine added:
L am going to write letter on the sub
ject.' After Mr.. Blaine had written his
candidate for the Republican nomination
he was waited upon by his friend and
urged to reconsider his action. 1t was
represented to Mr.. Blaine, who was then
ill, that the campai gn would be made so
mental exhaustion, and that the result
would be his triumphant election. With
an air of dependency the sick man re-
piled that he was satisfied that he could
not live through a heated political cam
paign, Or that if he should, the harrass,
lnents of a presidential Office would
surely terminate his life within six
months after he took his seat. He in
tended, and this statement is significant
in some of the subsequent events, to re-
early summer, retire to his Maine home
and spend his remaining days in quiet
literary work. Mr.. Blaine's death at
last
Came Pa1nlessly and Quietly,
but not without premonition. The at
toni nh ioio how tod Ivy
in these later days, since hope of re-
covery was abandoned, that when the
end came it would probably occur with
at least two or three hours warning.
The patient lay so quietly that even
the doctors were hardly able to say when
he died. No word Of consciousness, no
look of recognition had passed. At 10 AS
he lay so still that the window shades
were raised to give more light to enable
the physicians to determine if life still
fingered. Fifteen minutes later they pro-
claimed him dead. The news was in
stantly flashed all over the world. Young
Mr.. Blaine was in the act of writing a
note to President Harrison to inform him
arrived, accompanied by his private Sec
rotary and the secretary of state, Mr..
Foster. All the rest of the cabinet quick
ly followed, and the excitement through
out the city became general as the news
spread: Both houses Of congress ad-
journed. and the former associates of
the ex-senator and .ex-speaker of both
political parties united in eloquent trib-
utes to his memory.
A public funeral was suggested. but
the wishes of the family prevailed and
the ceremonies will be of a private
nature. They will be held at the Presby-
terrain Church of the Covenant, where
Mr.. Blaine was a pew-holder, on Mon
fciated at the funeral of Mrs. Harrison
and her father. will conduct the services,
ME remains will be laid to rest in the
beautiful Oak Hill cemetery in George
town, which now, forms part of Wash
ington City. BY the side of his favorite
son. Walker Blaine. and his daughter,
Mrs Coppinger. The physicians have Of
1cially made public the cause of death as
d Brlght,s disease aggravated by ,tuber;,
HIS CAREER.
Life and Works of the Statesman
Who Is Now No More.
,s James Gillespie Blaine was born Jan. 81,
1890 7 at Indian Hill farm. Union township,
which he saw the light was the first stone
The boys father was well-to-do and he had
every advantage. He had special i1lStruc-
tors ana sc the of
lived with his relatives, the family of Thorn
4 as Ewing, thu, then secretary of the treas
tiles when a mere lad Of eleven. He was
Il graduated from the Washington University
of Western Pennsylvania in 1S47, before he
was quite eighteen; the first of thirty three
classmates. MI Blaine excelled as stu
dent. There appears no period in his early
life where he was not successful, Indeed,
IN accordance with ordinary rules, Mr..
Blaine should have had much harder times
to have brought out his power.
Like Webster and other great Americans
Blaine began his career by teaching. His
school was at Georgetown, Ky: where in
1853, he became acquainted with and mar
ried Miss Stanwood. The Stanwoods were
men Of prominence in New England. and Mr..
j Blaine exchanged a pedagogue's pursuits for
those of journalist. -.- Z ~ ~. =.
AS the editor of the Kennebec Journal he
was associated with Mr.. Stevens. They had
the st, state 9, PRINTING This proved insufficient
for a 81 200 salary, This prompted him to
assume. the editorship of the Portland Daily
Advertiser. He soon returned to Augusta
and made it his home for twenty-five years.
Journalism soon led him into politics. In
u 1857 he was elected to the state legislature
of Maine: He occupied seat in the lower
branch till 1862. Two years of that time he
d presided over the hOuSe IF da1apatpS IJe