The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-02-02

FOUR OF MR.. BLAINR's CHILDREN.
with grave charges affecting his integrity of
character. Accusations were publicly made
that he had received rs price for his inau-
ence certain securities from railway seek
ing congressional aid. The proof Of these
accusations were said to be in the posses
sion of certain clerk named Mulligan
and in the shape of letters. The friends Of
Mr.. Blaine looked very solemn in these
days, and he was himself most anxious.
One morning when this black cloud was
hanging over him and his friends he arose
to question of personal privilege. There
had been q hint Of his intention. The great
galleries were packed Every seat upon the
hoorw taken, and senators had come from
their chamber that they might see and hear
Blaine in this hour of his desperation and
peril. For every discomfort which this
throng suffered. they were amply repaid.
The scene whiclftook place has been almost
unequaled in parliamentary annals. Blaine
stood there magnificent in his defiance
He held aloft 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 accusa-
lions were.
Blaine was never more superb. He con-
quered that house by his very magniflcence
of resistance. He held himself ut bay so
that men cheered and the galleries resound-
ed to the echo with the applause of this
spectacle. He eread the letters through, and
then, with dramatic power which, if 1t were
acting, was finer exhibition of the dra-
matte gift than the greatest actors have
ever shown, he pointed tho finger of scorn
and accusation at a certain member Of the
house and accused him Of withholding n
telegram which would have proved his in
nocence.
Blaine enemies always asserted that this
was acting. They did not deny the magnifl-
cence of the performance, but they suspect
ed its sincerity. For his friends it was a
perfect vindication, and for himself it was
a complete victory, rs the formal charges
were from that day dropped. 1t was n
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 defled the majority in his own party and
made q ruling which he insisted was Just
and in accordance with his oath as speaker,
but which enabled the Democratic minor
fly 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 nc
strength in his own party and gained for
him the admiration of many Democrats, SO
that it was long afterward said that of all
Republicans Mr.. Blaine was the most popu.
lar with the Democracy.
His First Failure.
He lost the presidential nomination in
1876 when it was almost his. Personal ami.
mostly unquestionably cost him that prize
The offense he had given to Conkling and
anger which he had caused to arise in the
hearts of men who controlled other dele,
cations led to hasty combination, which
resulted In ballot that sent Mr.. Blaine to
the rear Men wondered how he would act
In this emergency. His heart had been SC
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.
yealed the highest resources. He sent q
most cordial dispatch to Governor Hayes
the nominee, promised to take active part
in the canvass, and did, going to Maine and
conducting there, rs chairman Of the state
committee, canvass which was the admi
ration OF every man who saw it,