my memories of eighty years- 第23部分

Notwithstanding　my　interview　and　what　he　had　said；　he　sent　no　word　whatever　to　me；　and　personally　I　had　no　information　and　no　notification　that　his　candidacy　was　authorized　by　himself。　　What　gave；　however；　much　authority　to　the　statement　that　he　would　accept　the　nomination　was　the　appearance　of　his　son；　Emmons；　among　those　who　were　endeavoring　to　bring　it　about。

There　has　never　been　a　statesman　in　our　public　life；　except　Henry　Clay；　who　had　such　devoted　friends　as　Mr。　Blaine。　　While　Henry　Clay　never　reached　the　presidency　and　was　fairly　defeated　in　his　attempt；　there　is　no　doubt　that　Mr。　Blaine　was　elected　in　1884；　and　that　notwithstanding　the　Burchard　misfortune；　he　would　still　have　been　a　victor　except　for　transparent　frauds　in　New　York。

General　Harrison　was　by　far　the　ablest　and　profoundest　lawyer　among　our　presidents。　　None　of　them　equalled　him　as　an　orator。　His　State　papers　were　of　a　very　high　order。　　When　history　sums　up　the　men　who　have　held　the　great　place　of　president　of　the　United　States；　General　Harrison　will　be　among　the　foremost。

He　retired　from　office；　like　many　of　our　presidents；　a　comparatively　poor　man。　　After　retirement　he　entered　at　once　upon　the　practice　of　his　profession　of　the　law　and　almost　immediately　became　recognized　as　one　of　the　leaders　of　the　American　bar。



XII。　　JAMES　G。　BLAINE

I　have　spoken　in　every　national　canvass；　beginning　with　1856。　It　has　been　an　interesting　experience　to　be　on　the　same　platform　as　an　associate　speaker　with　nearly　every　man　in　the　country　who　had　a　national　reputation。　　Most　of　them　had　but　one　speech；　which　was　very　long；　elaborately　prepared；　and　so　divided　into　sections；　each　complete　in　itself；　that　the　orator　was　equipped　for　an　address　of　any　length；　from　fifteen　minutes　to　four　hours；　by　selection　or　consolidation　of　these　sections。　　Few　of　them　would　trust　themselves　to　extemporaneous　speaking。　　The　most　versatile　and　capable　of　those　who　could　was　James　G。　Blaine。　He　was　always　ready；　courted　interruptions；　and　was　brilliantly　effective。　　In　a　few　sentences　he　had　captured　his　audience　and　held　them　enthralled。　　No　public　man　in　our　country；　except；　perhaps；　Henry　Clay；　had　such　devoted　following。

Mr。　Blaine　had　another　extraordinary　gift；　which　is　said　to　belong　only　to　kings；　he　never　forgot　any　one。　　Years　after　an　introduction　he　would　recall　where　he　had　first　met　the　stranger　and　remember　his　name。　　This　compliment　made　that　man　Blaine's　devoted　friend　for　life。

I　had　an　interesting　experience　of　his　readiness　and　versatility　when　he　ran　for　president　in　1884。　　He　asked　me　to　introduce　him　at　the　different　stations；　where　he　was　to　deliver　long　or　short　addresses。　　After　several　of　these　occasions；　he　asked：　　〃What's　the　next　station；　Chauncey？〃　　I　answered：　　〃Peekskill。〃　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃what　is　there　about　Peekskill？〃　　〃I　was　born　there；〃　I　answered。　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　rising；　〃I　always　thought　that　you　were　born　at　Poughkeepsie。〃　　〃No；　Peekskill。〃　　Just　then　we　were　running　into　the　station；　and；　as　the　train　stopped；　I　stepped　forward　to　introduce　him　to　the　great　crowd　which　had　gathered　there　from　a　radius　of　fifty　miles。　　He　pushed　me　back　in　a　very　dramatic　way；　and　shouted：　　〃Fellow　citizens；　allow　me　to　make　the　introduction　here。　　As　I　have　many　times　in　the　last　quarter　of　a　century　travelled　up　and　down　your　beautiful　Hudson　River；　with　its　majestic　scenery　made　famous　by　the　genius　of　Washington　Irving；　and　upon　the　floating　palaces　not　equalled　anywhere　else　in　the　world；　or　when　the　steamer　has　passed　through　this　picturesque　bay　and　opposite　your　village；　I　have　had　emotions　of　tenderness　and　loving　memories；　greater　than　those　impressed　by　any　other　town；　because　I　have　said　to　myself：　　'There　is　the　birthplace　of　one　of　my　best　friends；　Chauncey　Depew。'〃

Local　committees　who　desire　to　use　the　candidate　to　help　the　party　in　their　neighborhood　and　also　their　county　tickets　are　invariably　most　unreasonable　and　merciless　in　their　demands　upon　the　time　of　the　candidate。　　They　know　perfectly　well　that　he　has　to　speak　many　times　a　day；　that　there　is　a　limit　to　his　strength　and　to　his　vocal　cords；　and　yet　they　will　exact　from　him　an　effort　which　would　prevent　his　filling　other　engagements；　if　they　possibly　can。　This　was　notoriousIy　the　case　during　Mr。　Blaine's　trip　through　the　State　of　New　York　and　afterwards　through　the　country。　　The　strain　upon　him　was　unprecedented；　and；　very　naturally；　he　at　times　showed　his　irritation　and　some　temper。

The　local　committees　would　do　their　best　with　the　railroad　company　and　with　Blaine's　managers　in　New　York　to　prolong　his　stay　and　speech　at　each　station。　　He　would　be　scheduled　according　to　the　importance　of　the　place　for　five；　ten；　fifteen；　twenty；　or　thirty　minutes。

Before　we　reached　Albany　he　asked　me　to　accompany　him　to　the　end　of　our　line　at　Buffalo；　and　make　the　introduction　as　usual　at　the　stations。　　The　committee　would　sometimes　succeed　in　changing　the　programme　and　make　the　stays　longer　at　their　several　places。　Mr。　Blaine's　arrangement　with　me　was　that　after　he　had　decided　how　long　he　would　speak；　I　should　fill　up　the　time；　whether　it　was　longer　or　shorter。　　That　would　often　enlarge　my　speech；　but　I　was　young　and　vigorous　and　had　no　responsibilities。

I　remember　one　committee；　where　the　train　was　scheduled　for　ten　minutes；　succeed　in　having　it　delayed　an　hour；　and　instead　of　a　brief　address　from　the　platform　of　the　car；　carried　the　presidential　party　to　a　stand　in　the　central　square　where　many　thousands　had　gathered。　　In　the　first　place；　this　city　was　not　on　Mr。　Blaine's　schedule；　and　as　it　was　late　in　the　afternoon；　after　a　fatiguing　day；　he　therefore　told　the　committee　peremptorily　that　ten　minutes　was　his　limit。　　Then　he　said　to　me：　　〃Chauncey；　you　will　have　to　fill　out　the　hour。〃

Mr。　Blaine's　wonderful　magnetism；　the　impression　he　made　upon　every　one；　and　his　tactful　flattery　of　local　pride；　did　a　great　deal　to　remove　the　prejudices　against　him；　which　were　being　fomented　by　a　propaganda　of　a　〃mugwump〃　committee　in　New　York。　　This　propaganda；　as　is　usually　the　case；　assailed　his　personal　integrity。

Notwithstanding　the　predictions　made　at　the　time；　he　was　nominated；　and　it　was　subsequently　repeated　that　he　would　not　carry　New　York。　From　my　own　experience　of　many　years　with　the　people　of　the　State　and　from　the　platform　view…point；　I　felt　confident　that　he　would　have　a　majority　in　the　election。

It　was　a　few　days　before　the　close　of　the　canvass；　when　I　was　in　the　western　part　of　the　State；　I　received　an　urgent　telegram　from　Mr。　Blaine　to　join　him　on　the　train；　which　was　to　leave　the　Grand　Central　Station　in　New　York　early　next　morning　for　his　tour　of　New　England。　　Upon　arrival　I　was　met　by　a　messenger；　who　took　me　at　once　to　Mr。　Blaine's　car；　which　started　a　few　minutes　afterwards。

There　was　an　unusual　excitement　in　the　crowd；　which　was　speedily　explained。　　The　best　account　Mr。　Blaine　gave　me　himself　in　saying：　〃I　felt　decidedly　that　everything　was　well　in　New　York。　　It　was　against　my　judgment　to　return　here。　　Our　national　committee；　however；　found　that　a　large　body　of　Protestant　clergymen　wanted　to　meet　me　and　extend　their　support。　　They　thought　this　would　offset　the　charges　made　by　the　'mugwump'　committee。　　I　did　not　believe　that　any　such　recognition　was　necessary。　　However；　their　demands　for　my　return　and　to　meet　this　body　became　so　importunate　that　I　yielded　my　own　judgment。

〃I　was　engaged　in　my　room　with　the　committee　and　other　visitors　when　I　was　summoned　to　the　lobby　of　the　hotel　to　meet　the　clergymen。　I　had　prepared　no　speech；　in　fact；　had　not　thought　up　a　reply。　When　their　spokesman；　Reverend　Doctor　Burchard；　began　to　address　me；　my　only　hope　was　that　he　would　continue　long　enough　for　me　to　prepare　an　appropriate　response。　　I　had　a　very　definite　idea　of　what　he　would　say　and　so　paid　little　attention　to　his　speech。　In　the　evening　the　reporters　began　rushing　in　and　wanted　my　opinion　of　Doctor　Burchard's　statement　that　the　main　issue　of　the　campaign　was　'Rum；　Romanism；　and　Rebellion。'　　If　I　had　heard　him　utter　these　words；　I　would　have　answered　at　once；　and　that　would　have　been　effective；　but　I　am　still　in　doubt　as　to　what　to　say　about　it　now。　　The　situation　is　very　difficult；　and　almost　anything　I　say　is　likely　to　bitterly　offend　one　side　or　the　other。　　Now　I　want　you　to　do　all　the　introductions　and　be　beside　me　to…day　as　far　as　possible。　　I　have　become　doubtful　about　everybody　and　you　are　always　sure…footed。〃　　I　have　treasured　that　compliment　ever　since。

As　we　rode　through　the　streets　of　New　Haven　the　Democrats　had　placed　men　upon　the　tops　of　the　houses　on　either　side；　and　they　threw　out　in　the　air　thousands　of　leaflets；　charging　Blaine　with　having　assented　to　the　issue　which　Doctor　Burchard　had　put　out　〃Rum；　Romanism；　and　Rebellion。〃　　They　so　filled　the　air　that　it　seemed　a　shower；　and　littered　the　streets。

A　distinguished　Catholic　prelate　said　to　me：　　〃We　had　to　resent　an　insult　like　that；　and　I　estimate　that　the　remark　has　changed　fifty　thousand　votes。〃　　I　know　personally　of　about　five　thousand　which　were　changed　in　our　State；　but　still　Blaine　lost　New　York　and　the　presidency　by　a　majority　against　him　of　only　one　thousand　one　hundred　and　forty…nine　votes。

Whenever　I　visited　Washington　I　always　called　upon　Mr。　Blaine。　The　fascination　of　the　statesman　and　his　wonderful　conversational　power　made　every　visit　an　event　to　be　remembered。　　On　one　occasion　he　said　to　me：　　〃Chauncey；　I　am　in　very　low　spirits　to…day。　　I　have　read　over　the　first　volume　of　my　'Twenty　Years　in　Congress；'　which　is　just　going　to　the　printer；　and　destroyed　it。　　I　dictated　the　whole　of　it；　but　I　find　that　accuracy　and　elegance　can　only　be　had　at　the　end　of　a　pen。　　I　shall　rewrite　the　memoirs　in　ink。　　In　these　days　composition　by　the　typewriter　or　through　the　stenographer　is　so　common。〃　　There　will　be　many　who　differ　with　Mr。　Blaine。



XIII。　　WILLIAM　McKINLEY

In　the　canvass　of　1896　the　Republican　organization　of　the　State　of　New　York　decided；　if　possible；　to　have　the　national　convention　nominate　Levi　P。　Morton　for　president。　　Mr。　Morton　won　popular　favor　as　vice…president；　and　the　canvass　for　him　looked　hopeful。　But　a　new　man　of　extraordinary　force　and　ability　came　into　this　c