The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-02-10
JAMES G. BLAINE.
Interesting Sketch of His Career as
Citizen and Statesman.
His Birth and Early History-Hls Services
Tn the senate and House - Candidate
For the Presidency His Favorite
Schemes as Secretary of state.

ccneInes rs secretary OF state.
From the St Louis Globe Democrat is
compiled the following interesting
sketch of the life and public services of
the late James g. Blaine:
Early Lite aad History.
James Gillespie Blaine was Of Scotch-Irish
descent He was the second son of Ephraim l.
Blaine and Marie Gillespie. He came of old
revolutionary stock His grandfather. Col
Epraim Blaine was an officer in a Pennsylvania
regiment during the first four years of the revo-
luton During the last four he was commits
sary general in the northern division of George
Washington's army. He was trusted friend
of Washington. Blaine's father was the largest
land owner in Pennsylvania at the close of the
war He lived at West Brownsville, Washington
county. 1t was there, on January 81 1889, that
James G.. Blaine was born.
From the time young Blaine was old enough
to think he had to study. He had tutors at his
own house until he was IL years Old. Then he
was sent TO the home OF his uncle, Thomas
Ewing, at Lancaster, o. Mr.. Ewing was at that
time secretary Of the treasury. For one term
after his arrival at Lancaster he attended the
public school there in company with his cousin,
Thomas Ewing, Jr., afterwards representative
in congress
Young Blaine was l3 years old when he passed
the necessary examinations and entered Wash
ington college in his native county 1t was an
institution of considerable prominence at that
time He excelled in literature and especially
in mathematics. There were two literarT So
cieties in the college-the Washington and the
Union Young Blaine allied himself to the
Washington and got his first experience in pol
itics there.
Young Blaine was graduated with honor on
September -, 1917 He was the orator of his
class. From college he went to Blue Lick
Springs Ky, and began earning his living as
professor of mathematics in the Western NIL
itary institute. II was while he was teaching
there that he became acquainted with Miss
Harriet Stanwood After courtship of year
the couple were married Mr. Blaine continued
teaching year more. and then he returned 70
Pennsylvania, where, after some study Of the
law. he became a teacher in the Pennsylvania
institution for the blind in Philadelphia. He
had charge OF the higher classes in literature
and the sciences. He remained a teacher in
this school until 1874 when. at his wile's solici
tation he moved TO Augusta. Ne. He had
saved little money, and with it be purchased
a half interest in the Kennebec Journal, and
took editorial charge of the paper
Two years after taking up his residence in
Maine Mir. Blaine actively engaged in politics
The republican party was forming. Mr.. Blaine
got out on the stump and made speeches in
q delegate to the republican national convention
which nominated John c. Fremont for presi-
dent The speeches he made during the cam
paign made him famous in his own state. In
the heat of the campaign he became the editor
Of the Portland Advertiser, much more infiu-
entiai paper than his own. and he added to his
reputation as political writer. In 1883 after
a hard fight, he got the nomination for member
of the assembly from his district Then began
his domination of the republican party in the
state. For many years he had absolute control
of it, and he carried it through many hot
fight successfully.
In the session of 1851 So he was elected speak
er OF the assembly. The year he was elected
speaker he was also elected chairman of the
republican state committee. He gave the
closest attention 10 the minute details OF cam
pagniug What gave him his greatest hold on
the people was the fact that he made business
of becoming personally acquainted with every
man woman and child he met He remained
the chairman Of the republican state commit
tee for twenty years. He was never defeated
in Maine for any Office for which he ran. and
none Of his friends whose nomination for Office
he desired was ever defeated.
In 1S6! he had become ambitious for a career
greater than he could obtain in the state OF
Maine He had had himself nominated and
elected TO congress.
In Congress.
Mr. Blaine served in the house OF representa-
tivcs continuously for fourteen years, and was
then promoted TO the senate. He grew in the esu
nation of the republican party from the dav he
entered congress. In 1868 he was the recognized
leader OF the republican majority in the house.
In 1853 he was elected speaker and served as
such until the democratic majority elected in
1874 was seated 1t was in the session after his
deposition as speaker that Mr.. Blaine encoun-
tered the hottest times in his political career.
For four years his public career had been calcu-
lated TO put him in the front rank of the candi-
dates for the republican nomination for presi
dent 10 succeed Grant In point of popularity
he lowered head and shoulder above every other
man in the party. He became the object against
which all the shafts OF his political opponents
were aimed He was quick thinkers quick and
logical speaker and daring fighter. The firing ut
him from the enemy's camp was heaviest in
April. 1876 At one time there were three spe
cial congress investigations foot, all aimed at
him. He was the object of violent personal
abuse. and was accused Of many crimes Chief
among these was that he had sold his influence
as speaker OF the house to help along railroad
deals-that he had among other things received
bonds of the Little Rock & Fort Smith railroad,
that these bonds had been sold to the Union
Pacific Railroad Co. for his benefit and that he
had received S64,GO1 from the Union Pacific
Railroad Co for services undefned. On April
"a he made a personal explanation to the house
of representatives. He read letters from on
GERS OF the Union Pacific company and from
bankers who were said TO have negotiated the
drafts These letters declared that there had
never been anv transactions of the kind
charged, and that Mr.. Blaine had never re-
ceived a cent from the company.
During his early wears in the house of repre-
sentltives, Mr.. Blaine made few long adj
dresses, but the effective part he took in run
ming discussion won him areputation as an alert
and skilful debator. He was bold IN attack.
quick in repartee and apt in illustration" says
one of his bi0graphers in summing up the quail
tiles which fitted him for parliamentary war
fare. besides this biOgrapher aids: His
close stud of political history. his accurate
Knowledge Of the record and relations OF public
men and his unfailing memory gave him great
advantages"
During the period of reconstruction he was
active in the discussion and framing of meas
ures relating to the readmission OF the states
that had been in rebellion. He oppressed Thli-
deus Stevens proposal that representation
should be apportiored according to the number
of legal voters, ana his own proposition that
the population should be the basis was EN-
bodied in substance in the fourteenth amend
ment. He also opposed Mr.. Stevens plan Of
military government in the southern states and
finally secured the adoption of the Blaine
amendment"
Mr. Blaine was the first man in congress to
oppose the theory that the public debt should
be paid in greenbacls when that theory was
strongly urged in 1861 In the same year he
was foremost in opposing the British doctrine
of perpetual allegiance He maintained that
natuIalized citizen of the United States should
have the same protection abroad that native
born citizen should have.
During his six years in the speakers chair