James G. Blaine

James G. Blaine
Born	James Gillespie Blaine 31 01, 1830
Birthplace	West Brownsville, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	Template:Death date and age Washington, D.C., U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, newspaper editor, statesman
Known for	Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, United States Secretary of State, 1884 Republican presidential nominee
Education	Washington and Jefferson College (BA)
Children	7

James Gillespie Blaine (January 31, 1830 – January 27, 1893) was an American statesman and Republican politician whose career placed him at the center of national political life for three decades during the latter half of the nineteenth century. Born in western Pennsylvania, Blaine moved to Maine as a young man and rose through the ranks of state and national politics, serving in the United States House of Representatives from 1863 to 1876, including six years as Speaker of the House from 1869 to 1875. He represented Maine in the United States Senate from 1876 to 1881 and served twice as United States Secretary of State—first under presidents James A. Garfield and Chester A. Arthur in 1881, and again under Benjamin Harrison from 1889 to 1892. Blaine was one of only two secretaries of state to serve under three presidents, the other being Daniel Webster. A leading figure in the moderate "Half-Breed" faction of the Republican Party, Blaine sought the presidential nomination in 1876 and 1880 before receiving it in 1884, when he narrowly lost the general election to Democrat Grover Cleveland. As Secretary of State, Blaine advocated for expanded American engagement in international affairs, particularly through trade relationships with Latin American nations. His career was marked by both considerable political talent and persistent controversy, most notably allegations of improper financial dealings with railroad companies that dogged him throughout his public life.

Early Life

James Gillespie Blaine was born on January 31, 1830, in West Brownsville, Pennsylvania, a small town in Washington County in the southwestern part of the state. He was named after his maternal great-uncle, and his family had deep roots in western Pennsylvania. His father, Ephraim Lyon Blaine, was a businessman of Scots-Irish descent, and his mother, Maria Gillespie Blaine, came from a family of Irish Catholic heritage—a fact that would have significant political implications later in Blaine's career. Blaine grew up in a politically engaged household and demonstrated intellectual aptitude from a young age.

After completing his early education in Pennsylvania, Blaine attended Washington and Jefferson College (then known as Washington College), where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. Following his graduation, Blaine briefly pursued a career in teaching. He moved to Kentucky, where he taught at the Western Military Institute, and it was during this period in the border states that he gained firsthand exposure to the institution of slavery and the political tensions surrounding it.

Blaine subsequently relocated to Maine, a move that would define the trajectory of his career. He settled in Augusta, the state capital, where he entered the field of journalism. Blaine became an editor and part owner of the Kennebec Journal, one of the state's prominent newspapers. His work in journalism provided him with a platform to develop and articulate his political views, and he became closely associated with the emerging Republican Party during the politically turbulent 1850s. His editorial positions aligned him with the antislavery sentiments gaining strength in the North, and he became a supporter of Abraham Lincoln and the Union cause as the nation moved toward civil war.

Education

Blaine attended Washington College (later Washington and Jefferson College) in Washington, Pennsylvania, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree. The college was a respected institution in western Pennsylvania, and Blaine's education there provided him with a foundation in the classical liberal arts curriculum typical of antebellum American higher education. After graduating, Blaine took up teaching positions, including one at the Western Military Institute in Kentucky, before transitioning to journalism and politics in Maine.

Career

Maine Politics and Early Political Career

Blaine entered Maine politics in the late 1850s, winning election to the Maine House of Representatives in 1858. He served in the state legislature from 1858 to 1862, and during his time there rose to the position of Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, serving as its 30th Speaker from 1861 to 1862. His tenure as Speaker of the Maine House coincided with the opening of the Civil War, and Blaine used his position to support the war effort and the Lincoln administration's policies. Although Blaine did not serve in the military during the Civil War, he was a firm advocate for the Union cause and used his political influence and editorial platform to rally support for the war in Maine.

United States House of Representatives

In 1862, Blaine was elected to the United States House of Representatives, representing Maine's 3rd congressional district. He succeeded Samuel C. Fessenden and took his seat on March 4, 1863. Blaine would serve in the House for over thirteen years, quickly establishing himself as one of the most prominent Republican members of the chamber.

During the Reconstruction era, Blaine advocated for voting rights for former slaves while opposing some of the more punitive measures favored by the Radical Republicans. This positioning placed him in the moderate wing of the party, a faction that came to be known as the "Half-Breeds," in contrast to the "Stalwart" faction led by Roscoe Conkling of New York. The rivalry between Blaine and Conkling became one of the defining intra-party conflicts of the Gilded Age.

Blaine's rise within the House was rapid. On March 4, 1869, he was elected the 27th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, succeeding Theodore Pomeroy. Blaine served as Speaker for six years, from 1869 to 1875, during a period of significant political upheaval that included the final years of Reconstruction and the scandals of the Ulysses S. Grant administration. As Speaker, he also served as Leader of the House Republican Conference during the same period.

Contemporary sources described Blaine as an effective public speaker during an era when oratory was valued in American politics. His ability to command the floor and his sharp memory for legislative detail made him a formidable figure in the House. He was succeeded as Speaker by Michael C. Kerr when Democrats won a majority in the 1874 elections, but Blaine continued to serve in the House until 1876.

The Mulligan Letters

Throughout his congressional career, Blaine faced persistent allegations of improper financial dealings with railroad companies. The most damaging of these centered on what became known as the Mulligan letters—a series of letters allegedly demonstrating that Blaine had received favorable financial treatment from the Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad in exchange for political favors. The letters came to public attention in 1876 when James Mulligan, a bookkeeper who had come into possession of the correspondence, was called to testify before a congressional committee.

In a dramatic episode on the House floor, Blaine seized the letters from Mulligan and read selected portions aloud to the chamber, arguing that they proved his innocence. While these allegations were never substantiated with conclusive evidence, they became a recurring issue throughout the remainder of Blaine's career and played a significant role in his 1884 presidential campaign.

United States Senate

On July 10, 1876, Blaine was appointed to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Lot M. Morrill, who had been appointed Secretary of the Treasury. Blaine served as a senator from Maine from 1876 to 1881. During his time in the Senate, Blaine continued to be a leading figure in Republican politics and used his position to advocate for his views on tariff policy, foreign affairs, and civil rights.

Blaine's economic positions evolved during his Senate years. While he had been a supporter of high protective tariffs earlier in his career, he began to favor reduced tariffs and expanded international trade, a shift that reflected both changing economic conditions and his growing interest in foreign policy and commercial expansion.

Presidential Campaigns

Blaine sought the Republican presidential nomination three times. In 1876, he was a leading candidate for the nomination but was ultimately passed over in favor of Rutherford B. Hayes. His candidacy that year was hampered by the Mulligan letters controversy and by the opposition of the Stalwart faction of the party. He again sought the nomination in 1880 but lost to James A. Garfield on the thirty-sixth ballot at the Republican National Convention.

In 1884, Blaine finally secured the Republican presidential nomination, facing Democrat Grover Cleveland in the general election. The campaign was one of the most contentious in American history, marked by personal attacks on both candidates. Cleveland faced scrutiny over allegations that he had fathered an illegitimate child, while Blaine continued to be dogged by the Mulligan letters and questions about his financial dealings. Democrats used the chant "Blaine, Blaine, James G. Blaine, the continental liar from the state of Maine" against him during the campaign.

The 1884 election was decided by razor-thin margins. A critical moment came in the final days of the campaign when the Reverend Samuel D. Burchard, speaking at a pro-Blaine event in New York City, described the Democrats as the party of "Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion." Blaine, who was present at the event, failed to immediately repudiate the remark. The incident was seen as having cost Blaine crucial Catholic votes in New York, a state he lost by fewer than 1,200 votes. The loss of New York's electoral votes gave the election to Cleveland.

The "Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion" episode was particularly damaging given Blaine's own family background; his mother was of Irish Catholic heritage, and Blaine had previously been able to draw some Catholic support. The anti-Catholic overtone of the remark thus struck at one of Blaine's potential electoral advantages.

The Blaine Amendment

Beyond his presidential campaigns, Blaine left a lasting mark on American education policy through what became known as the Blaine Amendment. In 1875, while still serving in the House, Blaine proposed a constitutional amendment that would have prohibited the use of public funds for sectarian schools. The amendment was a response to the political controversy over Catholic parochial schools and the broader debate about the separation of church and state in education. While the federal amendment failed to pass the Senate by a narrow margin, its principles were subsequently adopted in many state constitutions. These state-level "Blaine Amendments" remained a subject of legal and political debate well into the twenty-first century.

The Blaine Amendment became closely associated with anti-Catholic sentiment in the United States, and Blaine's role in promoting it has been a subject of historical debate, given his own partial Catholic family heritage. The amendment and its state-level counterparts have been characterized by some historians as reflecting the nativist and anti-Catholic politics of the Gilded Age.

First Term as Secretary of State (1881)

When James A. Garfield was elected president in 1880, he selected Blaine as his Secretary of State. Blaine assumed office on March 7, 1881, succeeding William M. Evarts. Blaine's first tenure as Secretary of State was cut short by tragedy. President Garfield was shot by assassin Charles J. Guiteau on July 2, 1881, and died on September 19, 1881. Blaine continued to serve briefly under Garfield's successor, Chester A. Arthur, but resigned on December 19, 1881, as Arthur wished to assemble his own cabinet. Blaine was succeeded by Frederick T. Frelinghuysen.

Despite its brevity, Blaine's first stint at the State Department signaled his interest in expanding American involvement in international affairs. He began developing the policies of trade reciprocity and Pan-American cooperation that would more fully take shape during his second term.

Second Term as Secretary of State (1889–1892)

Blaine returned to the State Department under President Benjamin Harrison, serving from March 9, 1889, to June 4, 1892. He succeeded Thomas F. Bayard and was in turn succeeded by John W. Foster.

During this second term, Blaine pursued an ambitious foreign policy agenda centered on expanding American commercial interests abroad. He advocated for increased trade relationships, particularly with Latin American nations, and promoted policies of tariff reciprocity—the idea that the United States would lower tariffs on goods from nations that reciprocated with favorable trade terms for American exports. This approach represented a significant shift from the strictly protectionist tariff policies that had dominated Republican thinking.

Blaine was instrumental in organizing the first International Conference of American States (also known as the Pan-American Conference), which convened in Washington, D.C. The conference brought together representatives from nations across the Western Hemisphere and laid the groundwork for what would eventually become the Organization of American States. Blaine's diplomatic approach emphasized American commercial interests and included support for territorial expansion in the Caribbean and Pacific regions.

His foreign policy initiatives contributed to the development of a more assertive American international engagement that would be further expanded during and after the Spanish–American War of 1898. Blaine's vision of the United States as a hemispheric commercial power anticipated the more interventionist policies of later administrations.

Blaine resigned as Secretary of State on June 4, 1892, amid deteriorating health and a souring relationship with President Harrison. He made a final, unsuccessful bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 1892 but was unable to mount an effective campaign.

Personal Life

Blaine married Harriet Stanwood in 1850, and the couple had seven children, including Walker Blaine, who followed his father into politics and public service. The Blaine family made their home in Augusta, Maine, where Blaine had settled after moving from Pennsylvania. The Blaine House in Augusta later became the official residence of the Governor of Maine.

The Blaine family experienced personal tragedy and public scandal. The divorce of Blaine's son Walker from his wife became a national sensation, with the details of the marital dispute playing out in newspapers across the country. When James G. Blaine publicly entered the dispute against his former daughter-in-law, the resulting press coverage further complicated the family's public image.

Blaine's health declined significantly in his final years. He suffered from various ailments during his second term as Secretary of State, which contributed to his resignation in 1892. James G. Blaine died on January 27, 1893, in Washington, D.C., just four days before his sixty-third birthday. He was buried at Blaine Memorial Park in Augusta, Maine.

Recognition

Blaine's name became attached to numerous geographic features and public entities across the United States. Several counties bear his name, including Blaine County, Idaho, which was formed in 1895. Other places named after Blaine include Blaine County, Montana, Blaine County, Nebraska, and Blaine County, Oklahoma, as well as the city of Blaine, Minnesota.

The Blaine House in Augusta, Maine, where the Blaine family resided, was donated to the state and has served as the official residence of the Governor of Maine since 1919. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and stands as one of the most tangible memorials to Blaine's legacy in his adopted state.

Blaine was the subject of a C-SPAN program examining his role as a presidential contender, reflecting ongoing historical interest in his career and its place in Gilded Age politics.

His role in proposing the Blaine Amendment continued to generate scholarly and legal discussion well into the twenty-first century, as state-level versions of the amendment remained subjects of litigation and debate regarding the funding of religious schools.

Legacy

James G. Blaine's career encompassed some of the most consequential positions in American government during the Gilded Age, and his influence extended across domestic and foreign policy. As Speaker of the House during the turbulent years following the Civil War, he helped shape the legislative direction of Reconstruction. As Secretary of State, he laid groundwork for the expansion of American diplomatic and commercial engagement in the Western Hemisphere that would characterize the twentieth century.

Blaine's political career also illustrated the limits of Gilded Age political culture. The Mulligan letters controversy demonstrated how allegations of corruption—even those never conclusively proven—could define a public figure's reputation. His narrow loss in the 1884 presidential election, influenced by the "Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion" incident, became a classic example of how a single misstep could determine the outcome of a closely contested race. The phrase "He was almost president of the United States" became an epithet associated with Blaine, capturing the sense of a career that came tantalizingly close to its ultimate goal but fell short.

Blaine's advocacy for Pan-Americanism and tariff reciprocity represented a forward-looking approach to American foreign policy that anticipated later developments. His vision of the United States as a commercial and diplomatic leader in the Western Hemisphere influenced subsequent policymakers and contributed to the frameworks of inter-American cooperation that developed in the twentieth century. At the same time, his proposed constitutional amendment regarding sectarian schools left a complex and contested legacy in American education policy and constitutional law.

Historians have continued to study Blaine as a figure who embodied the contradictions of his era—a skilled politician who could not escape the shadow of scandal, a proponent of expanded democracy who also promoted policies associated with religious intolerance, and a visionary diplomat who never attained the presidency from which he could have most fully implemented his ideas.