Evening star., 1936-06-14
By John .Clagett Proctor.

District OF COlumDla, duu, ouuAy
enough. both died here and were buried
in this cit. although the body OF Mr..
Blaine was reinterred in Blaine Memo
rial Park, Augusta, Me, in 1870.
OF course, both men were legal resi-
dents OF their respective States. but
they were then domiciled here and had
resided in this city for a number OF
years. Blaine first entered Congress
March 4, 1868, and Logan in 1859,
when Stephen - Douglas, the Little
Giant" was representing the State Of
Illinois in the Senate, and, like Doug
las, Logan at that time was a Demo-
crat.
The contest of 1884 for the presi-
dental nomination was one OF the
keenest we have had, and the election,
in which Blaine and Logan were de-
feated by Cleveland and Hendricks,
was one of the most spirited.
James Gillespie Blaine had been
candidate for the nomination both IN
1876 and in 1880 so he was not new
conner by any means, and by this tune
ne surely knew all the political tricks
that had ever been played.
AT THE convention of 1876 he was
placed in nomination by that
great orator and anti-Christian writer
and lecturer Robert G. Ingersoll, and
it was he who coined at the time the
phrase "Plumed Knight" His speech,
as reported, is freely punctuated with
applause, great applause" etc, but
omitting these references IN his re-
marks, he said in part:
Our country, crowned with the vast
and marvellous achievements of its
first century. asks for man worthy
of the past and prophetic OF its fu-
ture; asks for a man who has the au-
dacity of genius; asks for man who is
the grandeSt combination OF heart,
conscience and brain beneath the flag.
That man is James G. Blaine. For
the Republican host led by this In
trepid man there can be no such thing
as defeat. This is grand year, year
filled with the recollection OF revo-
luton; filled with the proud ana ten
der memories of the sacred past; filled
with the legends of hberty-a year in
which the sons of freedom will drink
from the fountain of enthusiasm; a
year in which the people call for a
man who has preserved in Congress
what our soldiers won upon the field;
a year in which We call for the man
who has torn from the throat of trea-
son the tongue of SANDER; a man
who has snatched the mask of democ-
racy from the hideous face of rebel
lion; a man who like an intellectual
athlete, stood in the arena OF debate,
challenged all comers, and who up 10
the present moment is total stranger
to defeat. Like an armed warrior, like
a plumed knight, James G. Blaine
marched down the halls OF the Amer
ican Congress and threw his shining
lance full and fair against the brazen
forehead of every defamer of this
country and maligner of its honor" etc.
In 1880 Blaine had been nominated
at Chicago by Mr.. Joy of Michigan,
seconded by Mr.. Pixley OF California.
Grants friends we're running him
again. and on the first ballot he re-
ceived 3O4 votes, while Blaine received
284. After % ballots were taken, a
long recess was voted. and when the
convention convened again, James A.
Garfield was chosen. He was entirely
a dark horse and did not receive any
votes on the first ballot, and before
the recess was taken had only received
two.
IN THE convention of 1884 Mr.. Blaine
was nominated by Judge William A.
West of Ohio, the blind orator, and
ex-Gov. Davis of Minnesota, ex-
Speaker Elisha Grow of Pennsylvania
and ex-senator Platt of New York
supported the nomination in flowery
words. President Arthur was then
serving the last year of the term he
succeeded to upon the death of Presi-
dent Garfield, and he was placed in
nomination by Martin T. Townsend.
The District of Columbia had two
votes in the convention, and Perry
Carson, Tall Sycamore of the Poto-
mac" and Frank B. Conger, the city
postmaster, were sent there as dele
gates. However, it was not long before
they were at swords points, and The
Star had this to say on the subject:
"The District delegates have been
inharmonious throughout the proceed
ings of the convention. Perry Carson,
the colored c%egate, and Conger, the
postmaster, have disagreed this after
noon. When the District was called
for a member of the National Com
mittee, Mr.. Carson proposed ex-Dis-
trict Attorney Corkhill, and Conger
objected and proposed himself. To
this Mr.. Carson disagreed, and then
Mr. Carson proposed Jay Cooke. jr.
Mr. Carson proposed several other
names, and they finally had to an
nounce that they could not agree. The
question will be left to the Republican
Central Committee of the District of
Columbia. The quarrel between these
two delegates is very bitter. Perry
Carson claims to represent the real
active colored Republicans of Wash
ington. He says openly that he had
over Is votes more for delegate than
Conger and that Conger purchased
just enough votes outside of the en-
ployes about the department to secure
his election. He says that Conger and
he were together in the matter and
that there was to be an equal division
Of their Joint privileges"
But regardless of how the Washing
ton vote was cast, Mr.. Blaine was much
in the lead on the first ballot receiving
334Is, the other candidates receiving
Arthur, 27s; Edmunds, 90; Logan,
631a; John Sherman, 80; Joseph r.
Hawley, 13; Robert T. Lincoln, 4, and
William T. Sherman, 2.
ON THE fourth ballot Blaine re-
ceived the nomination, and the
selection of Gen. Logan as candidate
for Vice President was only matter
of minutes after he was placed in
nomination by Senator Cullum. 1t be-
ing seconded by Mr.. Prentiss OF Mis-
souri,
A. kI,;e oor,un,,fina man later tn