Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-01-08
One Hundred Years of The KennebeC Journal
Linked With the History
of the Journal are Names
of Bygone Statesmen
Blaine, Severance,
Stevens, Burleigh

read today It rings anew with eIo-
quence and power that seems truly
prophetic.
Says Gail Hamilton, in writing Of
the editorial life Of Mr.. Blaine: The
choice of Mr.. Blaine as editor was
speedily justified. His thorough ac-
quaintance with the political history
of the country, his ready compre-
hension. of the issues pending, his
familiarity with the characteristics
and personal history Of prominent
persons, surprised even his friends.
His reviews of measures and judg-
ments of men were correspondingly
Just and incisive. Every is
sue of the Journal was a series of
blows, boyish sometimes in their d.
swift, untiring, effective. Every blow
consolidated the party and con-
founded the opposition. The confi-
dence and strength of the young edi-
tors infused confidence and increased
strength and made many adherents
to the new cause"
In less than two years from the
time of his arrival in Augusta Mr..
.
him the confidence and esteem of the
people that he was made a delegate
to the first pational Republican con-
vention which resulted in the nomi-
nation of Fremont. In the memo
rable campaign that followed, his
ably written articles and his sharp,
pungent, caustic paragraphs were
widely copied in and out of the State.
Mr.. Stevens was both chairman and
secretary of the Republican State
committee, and had little time for
editorial work.
AS editor Of the Journal, Mr..
Blaine not only shaped its policy and
wrote the editorials, but he super
vised the details of the Office. AT
the Journal Office" writes one who
knew him there, che looked over
the newspapers, exchanged CHEEKY
words with the compositors at the
case, and with political friends who
found him there, and not only gave
general. directions regarding the
course of the paper, but stood by the
foreman and dictated the position Of
every article, from the leader down
to the most trivial three-line items"
A great part of his writing was done
at his own house, where he was less
likely to be disturbed or interrupted.
Mr.. Blaine's ownership and active
editorship of the Journal continued
three years, though for a long time
afterwards he was frequent con-
tributor to its editorial columns. In
this time, in addition to his other
work. he reported regularly the
legislative proceedings for the tri-
weekly edition of the Journal. 1t is
a remarkable coincidence that the
legislative reporter Of that time for
the rival paper, the Age, was Mel
vile w. Fuller. 1t is said that Mr..
Blaine's reports of the legislative de-
bates and proceedings, though au-
thoritative from their fullness and
accuracy, were written from mem
ory without any notes.
A most important event bearing
upon its welfare was the act Of the
Legislature making the Kennebec
Journal the State paper. A resolve
to this effect passed both branches,
January IL, 1857. and was at once
signed by Governor Hamlin. On
January ii. 1867, the Legislature
a contract with the pub .
fishers of the Journal to do the State
printing, and with the exception Of
a year or two, all of the legislative
printing and some portion of the
State printing has since been done at
the Journal Office.
In 1857 the Journal again changed
its location. 1t had been in the
third story of a building on the site
of the present Granite National bank
for almost quarter of century,
and now it moved to the third story
of North's block on Water street.
Here it had larger quarters, and new
were procured. SO that the
establishment was better equipped
than ever before. 1t remained In
North's block until 1862, when 1t re-
moved to its present home on Water
at the foot of Court street.
For a number of years the Journal
and the Age were printed on the
same press, but in 1862 the .office
suffered from fire, and for six
the Journal was printed on
the press of Masters, Smith & Com
pany, job printers. in Hallowell.
Three years of labor in the office
Of the Journal had established the
name of Mr.. Blaine as q successful
editor in the highest sense of the
term. Then, in the summer of 1857,
Congressman John M. Wood, who
had come into the chief ownership
OF the Portland Daily Advertiser.
fastened upon the young Augusta
editor as the editor in chief of his
new venture. AS an inducement he
Mr.. Blaine $1,000 a year, n
larger salary than Maine editors
we're then receiving.
Mr.. Blaine, after time. decided
to dispose of his interest in the Jour
nal and accept this f1attering offer.
he sold his share in the
paper to John S. Sayward of Ban &.
gor, and with the issue of October 3,
1857, the name of Stevens e Say
ward appeared as publishers. pro-
prietors and editors of the Journal.
Mr.. Blaine was at the editorial head
Of the Advertiser a little over year,
residing meanwhile in Augusta and
doing much of his work there. Then
his public duties, his political Offices
and new business interests demanded
so much of his attention that he
severed his connection with journal
ism as a regular profession. For
many years he was an occasiona,
to the editorial columns
Of the Journal, and until the day
of his death he retained an active
interest in the paper. During the
first Lincoln campaign he was again
the real editor of the paper for q
few months, and used it like a bat
tering ram against the crumbling
walls of the Democratic citadel. He
was from the first an enthusiastic
adherent and earnest advocate of
Lincoln, and he claimed that the
Journal was the first paper to men,
ton Lincoln's name for the presi-
dency.
The names of James G. Blaine and
the kennebec Journal are insepara- i