The Washington bee., 1893-02-04
DEATH OF BLAINE.
THE GREAT REPUBLICAN, LEADER
DIED AT WASHINGTON.

matched i'm American History for
Both Success and Adversely.
Hon. James G.. Blaine died at Wash
ington, at IL o'clock, on the 9th inst.
of the disease that has so long sapped his
strength. The end came very peacefully,
the sick statesman passing by almost i'm
perceptible degrees from the state of I'M
consciousness to that of death. The
members of Blaine's family were at his
bedside when the end came and received
with the anguish which only bereaved
ones can know, the knowledge that the
long, brave fight against the inevitable
WAS over, at last. The immediate cause
of death was stated by the physicians to
he heart failure, but this was mere in
cident of the organic complaint with
which he had long been afflicted. This
complaint was Bright's disease of pecu-
liar form.
James Gillespie Blaine was born on
Jan 81, 1880, in West Brownsville,
Washington County, Pa. He came from
noted Scotch-1rish stock, his ancestors
having been among the pioneers who,
century and half ago, assembled the
great limestone valley in which Carlisle
is situated, and founded the village. Mr..
Blaine's grandfather, Col. Ephraim
Blaine, was an officer in the Revolution.
airy Army. His son, Ephraim L. Blaine,
was married to Miss Maria Gillespie, a
devout member of the Roman Catholic
Church. They had seven children-five
boys and two girls. The second of these
five sons was James Gillespie Blaine.
Young Blaine was educated at Wash
ington College, and was prominent at
school for his bright intellect and physical
vigor. He graduated in 1S47, and went
to Blue Lick Springs, KY. and became
a professor in the Western Military Insti-
tute. Here he met Miss Harriet STAN
wood, of Maine, who afterward became
hIs wife.
After two years Blaine returned to
Pennsylvania and took up the study of
law. In 1858 he moved to Augusta, Me.
In 1854 he entered into partnership with
Joseph Baker, a prominent lawyer of the
city, and the two purchased the Kenne-
bee Journal, of which Mr.. Blaine at once
became the editor, and made it a promi-
nent organ of the Wing party. In 1851
he became editor of the Portland Daily
Advertiser. In 1856 he was delegate to
the first Republican National Conven-
ton. In 1858 he was elected to the Maine
Legislature. He rapidly made reputa-
ton as all orator and parliamentarian,
and was soon fhe Republican leader of
the State, being chosen chairman of the
Republican State Committee in 1856,
which, position he held for twenty years.
In 1862, Blaine was elected to Congress
from the Kennebec district by 5000 ma
jOrity. and he was reelected to each sue
ceeding Congress until he was transferred
to the Senate in 1876. He soon took
rank as one of the most vigorous debaters
and astute parliamentarians in the
House.
Mr.. Blaine was Speaker of the Forty
first, Forty second and Forty third Con-
crosses, and in that position achieved a
great and enduring reputation. He did
not add to his reputation in the Senate,
the atmosphere of which did not suit his
aggressive ability.
MIR. Blaine was candidate for the
Presidential nomination in 1876, and
came within twenty-seven votes of being
successful His vote increased from 29l
on the first ballot to 351 on the seventh,
but he was beaten by com bination
against him of the delegates supporting
Morton. Conkling. Rartranft, Bristow
and Hayes, who united upon Hayes and
made him the nominee.
In 1880 Mr.. Blaine was one of the
leading candidates at the Chicago Con-
vention. Out of a total of 755 votes lie
received on the first ballot 2S4 votes. On
the thirteenth and fourteenth ballots he
received his highest vote, 2S5, which
gradually declined to 267 on the thirty
fifth ballot. On the thirty sixth ballot
Gen. Garfield was nominated by COM
bination of the elements opposed to Gen.
Grant and third term.
When the Republican Convention met
in 1884, in Chicago, it was clear that Mr..
Blaine had lost none of his hold upon the
party. On the first ballot he received
3344 votes, and he continued to gain I'M
til he was nominated on the fourth bal
lot by vote of 541, of which 400 came
from Northern States. The election
turned upon the result in New York,
which was lost to Mr.. Blaine by LOAF
votes, DR.. Burchard's alliteratiye speech
about Rum. Romanism and Rebellion
being credited with having large in
fiuence in -,sing his defeat.
Blaine C. Id have received the Repub-
lican nom; Iation in 1888, but declined
the honor on account of the state of his
health.
In many respects, Blaine's greatest
work and the most beneficial TO the
country, was done as Secretary OF State.
He was the leading figure in Garfield s
short administration, but resigned three
months after his death. He was again
appointed Secretary of State by President
Harrison, but resigned in May, 1892, to
become candidate for President in OPP
position to Harrison at Minneapolis. As
Secretary of State, his efforts to promote
peace and commerce with South Ameri-
ca, and to unite the republics of the
western hemisphere in a commercial
and fraternal union against Europe, gave
rise to distinctive policy, which was
followed by the Pan-American Congress
at Washington. The reciprocity idea as
a means of extending American trade
must also be credited to Blaine's in
fuence. His mind seemed to broaden,
and his intellect grow more statesman
/ like as age advanced, and, but for his
failing health. and the domestic sorrow
| that broke his heart, there is little doubt
| that he would have achieved his supreme
ambition of becoming President of the
United States.
Mr.. Blaine also made a reputation in
the literature of his time. He was a
brilliant writer and his Twenty Years
r 10 l..-