The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1893-02-02

ne was elec1ed 10 congress in lsr2 and for
period OF eighteen years he was member of
one or the other houses of congress. His career
in the national congress was an eventful one
His antagonism to the Stevens reconstruction
bill in 1867 created stir in the nation and after
q seeming defeat his amendment modifying this
proposed military law in the south was carried
through both house and senate. In 1869 MIR.
Blaine was elected speaker of the house,
acting in that capacity for six success.
sive years. This career in the house has al
ways been regarded as exceptionally brilliant.
The political revulsion OF 1874 placed the de-
mocracy in power in the house and Mr.. Blaine
became the leader of the republican minority.
Preceding the presidential contest of 1876 the
session of the house was a stormy one and in
the general amnesty bill, removing the dsabili-
ties OF participants in the rebellion, MIR. Blaine
stood up for an exception in the case of Jeffer-
son Davis. One of his most notable speeches
was made at this time under the spur OF opposi
tion from Mr. Hill of Georgia.
In 1876 he was called upon to defend his polit-
zeal character against charges of bribery from
the Union Pacific and other railroad compa-
MES. The Mulligan letters were produced and
the stormy scenes of May and June of that year
followed June Mr. Blaine rising to personal
explanation, denied the right of congress
to compel the production of his private papers
He expressed his willingness to stand any
examination, and having possessed himself
u
serve nothing. He stood up in the house hold
ing the letters in his hand. He proceeded to
read them At this time Josiah Caldwell. one
Of the originators of the Little Rock & For,
Smith railroad, was travelling in Europe and
efforts had been made at Mr.. Blaine suggestion
to reach him by telegraph After reading
these letters Mr.. Blaine turned to the chairman
OF the investigating committee and demanded tc
know if any answer had been received from Mr.
CALDWELL Oh
answer when Mr.. Blaine turned upon him,
charging. as within his own knowledge that
the chairman had received such dispatch
completely and absolutely generating me
from this charge and you have suppressed it :"
OF this scene Gen. Garfield once said that it ex.
ceeded anything he had ever seen in congress.
June II was the time of the republican ma.
tional convention. The previous Sunday he
had been Frustrated by the heat and fears were
entertained for his life. In the convention
however. his friends stood firm. On the first
ballot he received 2S5 votes out of the total OF
754 The remainder were divided between SEN
ator Morton, Secretary Brist0w, Senator COnk-
ling. Gov. Hayes and others On the seventh
ballot his vote rose to 35l, lacking only q of q
nomination. A combination upon Hayes how.
ever, defeated him.
Mr.. Blaine entered the senate some months
later. Again in 1880 his friends Of four years
before stood by him in the national convention
The first vote stood: Grant, 3O4; Blaine, 2s4;
Sherman, %; Edmunds, 81: Washburne, 30:
Window, 10, and Garfield, l. On the final bal.
lot, however, the Blaine forces united on Gar.
field, who was nominated After his election
Mr. Blaine was made secretary of state He
was in the cabinet ten months. After Garfield,s
death Mr. Blaine retired from the cabinet
On his retirement he was for the first time in
twenty-three years out OF public station. He
took up his wellknown historical work,
Twenty Years OF Congress- and issued the
first volume in January, 1884 In this year he
was again before the republican convention for
the nomination to the presidency On the fourth
ballot he received 54l Of the Sl3 votes and was
nominated. President Arthur was his chief
competitor. This campaign was a peculiarly
bitter one. The result hinged upon New YORK.