The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-07-02
BIOGRAPHY OF BLAINE
GAIL HAMrLToN's BOOK CONTAINS
MUCH NATTER OF INTEREST.
She Deals with the MuIIigan Letters
and the Conl<Iing-Frye Episodes
Excerpts from the Work.


Chicago Evening Post.
Gail HamiIton's Biography OF James G.
Blaine" appearing as IL does while Miss
Dodge lies upon the bed Of suffering. has
a three-foId interest-tke interest of a
picturesque theme, OF a brilliant author
ship and of what may be, and that, too.
most unfortunately. a farewell tribute OF
affection.
without reserve It is a fascinating work;
perhaps none more so OF its class has been
written of an American by American
Whatever may be the final judgment OF
history upon Blaine-whether ii place him
in the select first rank OF great Americans
or just below il in the select second-his
memory is peculiarly dear to a part of his
surviving feilow-countrymen who knew
him and loved him; while the magnetism
and magic OF his eIoquence and the inspir-
ing note OF his Americanism extorted ad-
miration even from those VINO refused him
living and refuse him dead the warmer
tribute of affection.
Miss Dodge knew the man, knew him
with the unique intimacy bred of con-
genial tastes, identity OF conviction and
lifelong literary companonship. The
secrets OF his heart were revealed TO her as
TO trusted member OF his own household.
Hers is the rare gift OF approaching the
quality of genius and apprehending its
ideals. No one else is half so well quail
ned to tell the story of his remarkable
career. no one else could have written II
with such an unmistakable strain OF
eamaraderie-of loyalty 10 the friend who
Is gone.
Indeed, the criticism which this biography
will meet with is one laid against it's strong
bias OF friendliness Miss Dodge has
well the Prince Rupert, of American
political ehivalry. Yet 1t may be that in
this characteristic of her work is it's real
charm. and lis real value
In rapid survey OF the book-whch runs
beyond seven hundred pages with the pen
of Miss Dodge and then for score more
to the end with the pen of Mrs. Harriet
Prescott Spofford, who worthiy completed
the task for the invalid author-the pass
are those dealing with the "Mulligan let
tiers episode and the conkling-Frye Incl
fortunes at a crisis: the latter led to the
personal feud which estranged him from
political party. Miss Dodge goes into the
details of both events-for the dignity OF
events they attained as the history of
those times developed-with painstaking
particularly TO give even an epitome of
here.
OF the quarrel with Conkling Miss Dodge
has this to say: ITO a feud there be
two parties. On Mr.. Blaine's side certainly
there was no feud whatever. He spoke 10
the occasion and smote no more He had
fought In his own field the soldiers battle
who had fought in the bloody field the citi-
after was no moment when he was not
ready for peace-at least for such peace as
was possible with Mr.. Conkling. At inter-
walls along the way were ever sprfngfng up
friends who wished to heal the breach. and
Mr.. Blaine always lent himself cheerfully,
design 1t was inevitable that they
should be often in opposition, but they
never contended where. but for that battle
field, they would have combined
COMBINES MANNER
ION the contrary, that early conflict was
rather, doubtless, one Of the things that
made for peace. Mr.. Conkling's manner
wss intolerable, and Mr.. Blaine disembar-
rassed' himself of 1t once for ALL and thus
the world remained unvexed of many a
storm. Mr.. Blaine never made the mis-
take OF Understanding Mr.. Conkling
while fully recognizing his limitations, and
Mr.. Conkling, 1 think, never again made
the mistake of even pretending to leave
Mr. Blaine out of the account. In
presidential nomination campaigns, as
often IN other causes, Mr.. Conkling OPP
posed Mr.. Blaine, but there is no reason
10 attribute Mr.. Blaine's defeats to Mr.
Conkhng any more than to Mr.. Sherman
or TO Mr. Window. or TO others with whom
Mr.. Blaine never had personal conflict
but who were working each for his own
man with as undoubted honesty and zeal
as II that man had not been himself. Mr..
Blaine never nursed the old dispute never
seemed 10 hold it In mind, never used IL as
base OF operations, never gathered
disseminated from IL any poisonous fruit
age, never looked upon ii as other than
an incident or the past right in its origin
ana motive, improbable. perhaps. in its
manner, 10 be left for what. on the spur
or the moment. 1t was worth"
1t is pleasant 10 have this Interpretation
to believe that tue words of Miss Dodge are
practically at the dictation of Blaine
AS bearing upon the relations of the two
"a ne
Incident. AT a dinner party given by Hen
~ Z. Deming, OF Hartford. the conversation
glanced from the Utica of Mr.. Conkling' s
hcme TO a newspaper which had been pub
iished for little while by Mr.. Deming and
for its motto the lines:
NO pent-up Utica contracts our powers
But the whole boundless continent is ours -
question arose as to their authorship
and the whole company gayly contributed
was Barlow. Mr.. Ccnkling offered to bet a
basket OF champagne that ii was from Ad-
dison's Cato Mr. Blaine warned him not to
ship, and that the lines were not from Adj
disons Cato Mr.. Conklng was so sure
by Jonathan NJ. sswall, in an 'Epilogue to
Cato, written for the Bow Street Theater
In Portsmouth. ~. II.
Mr.. Conkling sent the basket of cham
heart as. to insinuate that Mr.. Blaine had
been reading up for il; and when Mr. Blaine
made feast and invited all the Company
TO drink the champagne, Mr.. Conkling did
THE MULLIGAN LETTERS.
The memorable scene in the House on the
morning Of June ). 1876. when Blaine held
up the package OF Mulligan letters before
the Speaker. and with some sense OF hu-
initiation and "a sense OF outrage which. 1
think. any man in my position would feel
took fcrty-four millions OF his countrymen
into his confidence. is described with a rush
OF exultant rhetoric such as Gail Hamilton
ever uses when under the pressure OF a
scene of triumph over injustice. Mr. Blaine
had asked Mr.. Knott. the member from
Kentucky, IL he had received a cable dis
patch from Joseph Caldwell in Europa
dispatch that would exonerate him from the
charge OF improper dealings with the Union
Pacific Railroad Company
Then came the unexpected and upsetting
question from Mr.. Blaine: Has the gentle
man from Kentucky received a dispatch
from Mr.. Caldwell?'
THE House was GREATNESS.
IS I Will explain that directly replied Mr..
Knott.
Z" I want categorical answer demanded
Mr. Blaine