Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-05-10
Monday, May 10, 1909.
A Historic Incident Recalled.

There died in New York last week an
old time stenographer and newspaper
man named Andrew Devine of whom
few of us ever heard, but whose life
story was curiously interviewer with
that OF James 6. Blaine and con-
sequrrtly with the political history of
the country. AS a newspaper man Mr..
Devire had relations with Mr.. Blaine
that were confidential and intimate.
Once, and once only, and then through
no fault of his own. he failed Mr. Blaine.
The latter is said to have believed that
the one lapse. for which he could not
blame his friend, was fatal to the
dearest ambition of his life. To cor
respondent Of the New York Sun, Fred
Ireland. an official reporter of debates
in the House of Representatives at
Washington, said that Mr.. Devine had
given to him, with the understanding
that it should not be published before
Mr.. Devine's death, written story of
incident, which, many people believe,
cost Mr.. Blaine the Presidency. Mr..
Ireland said that this was the belief of
Mr.. Blaine himself. and that the latter
was confident that that unfortunate
break would never have occurred had
Mr.. Devine been present when the del
egation headed by DR.. Burchard was
received by Mr. Blaine
1t seems that in the campaign of
Associated Press to have Mr.. Devine
report his speeches. OF the Burchard
incident. Mr.. Ireland. speaking from
memory of Mr.. Devine's manuscript,
to which he couud not at the moment
refer, said:
During the campaign whenever Mr..
Blaine was to receive a delegation it
was Mr.. Blaines habit to ascertain in
advance from the spokesman of the
delegation just what was to be said in
order that he might make a fitting
reply More frequently, however, it
was Mr.. Devire to whom Mr.. Blaine
entrusted this duty. Mr.. Devine has
told me that there was no public man
who was as keenly alive to the impor
tame to be attached to the form in
which news story was first presented
in newspaper publication On the
morning of the day that the delegation
headed by DR.. Burchard called on Mr.
Blaine Mr. Devine was obliged to go
to Brooklyn to attend the funeral of
his wife's father. After the funeral, in
returning to New York to join Mr..
Blaine at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, Mr..
Devinc saw an account in the after
noon newspapers of Mr.. BurChard's
Rum. Romanism and Rebellion
speech and Mr.. Blaine's reply to it and
realized instantly that Mr.. Blaine had
made fatal error. Upon arriving at
the hotel Mr.. DeVine sought Mr. Blaine
and asked him about the speech. show
ing him the newspaper account
We all know Mr.. Blaine's cxplana-
ton of his failure to challenge Burch-
ards stupid words. He had not heard
them. He was thinking of his own
speech to be made to the delegation,
and paid but little attention to what
Burchard ives saying He was sure
that if Devine had known in advance
he woulG have put him on his guard.
Had Mr.. blaine been on his guard or
realized what Burchard was saying he
would have set things right then and
there. and not even the mugwamp de
lection ar Tammany fraud could have
taken the New York electoral vote
from him. Mr.. Dcvino, W no was about
40 years Old. was a native of Ontario
His first work as reporter was in the
New York Assembly. and i'm 1886 he
went to Washington as reporter for the
New York Associated Press in the
United States Senate.