his case the old quotation, "genius is only an infinite capacity for hard work."

Thus equipped, he threw himself into the midst of his new duties with his usual energy. The Journal was made a thoroughly live and aggressive paper, but no one could deny that it was at the same time eminently just both in praise and blame. By its vigor and fearlessness, combined with its young editor's rare insight into men and affairs, it became a power in the State, and Mr. Blaine's reputation spread into adjoining commonwealths as that of a man rapidly rising into prominence. The substantial success of the paper was also very marked under his management, and it was never more pros

perous.

During the four years that Mr. Blaine spent in this active and exciting conduct of a leading political journal, he still found time, with his habits of rapid work, for keeping up his studies of history and general literature, studies which his powers of mind made very fruitful. He has a command of both these subjects, fresh and unobscured in his mind, and ready to be put into instant use, which makes him remarkable among his compeers in political life.

In 1858, Mr. Blaine was elected to the Legislature, and also made Chairman of the Republican State Committee, honors to which his powers as a political organizer and leader already fully enti

tled him. He remained Chairman by successive elections for many years.

On relinquishing the conduct of the Kennebec Journal, he was beset with offers on every side, by those who appreciated his talents and wished to gain the aid of them. He finally accepted the editorship of the Portland Advertiser, though still continuing his residence at Augusta.

About this time he made his first essay in a production more permanent than the day-to-day writing of journalism, and like his first manuscript and recent volume, it was historical in character, being a life of Hon. Luther Severance, who had established the Kennebec Journal nearly thirty years before. In a pamphlet of forty pages the biographer set forth with his unfailing literary skill the main facts in the interesting career of this widely-known and very popular New England journalist, who was also minister to the Hawaiian Kingdom under President Taylor in 1850. The work was received with great favor.

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CHAPTER II.

POLITICAL AND OFFICIAL CAREER.

GREAT men are sometimes beholden to occasion for the development of their qualities. Mr. Blaine had attained prominence in his adopted State, not only as a writer and journalist, but also as a political manager, before his capacity for public speaking was suspected, perhaps even by himself. It was known, of course, that in addition to his command of the pen, he was fluent and effective in private conference, could express his views clearly and carry his point in an argument, but he had rather an aversion to the platform, or, at all events, a diffidence that kept him from appearing there. In 1856 he was a delegate to the memorable Convention at Philadelphia which nominated Fremont. On his return to Augusta, at a mass meeting held to ratify the choice, some of the old citizens contrived to get him upon the stand and put him forward simply to tell the story of the Convention, in response to a general request. The congenial task soon warmed him to his work ; he found confidence and words together, and the maiden speech of his public career was a pronounced success. From this time on there was no

thought of confining his labors to the sanctum or the council-chamber. He made speeches in nearly every part of the State, and was heartily greeted as a solid and convincing "stump" orator, acquitting himself in this undertaking, as in all the others that have fallen to his lot, in a manner easily the first among all competitors. His aid was eagerly enlisted in subsequent campaigns, but it may be remarked that this never led him to make his oratory a matter of price. His efforts were given freely and spontaneously, for the good of the cause, and he would not accept pay or allow a charge to be made for hearing him.

The first public office held by Mr. Blaine came to him in an exceptional way. In making the newspaper under his control thoroughly alive and useful, he had occasion to criticise the penal and reformatory institutions in Maine, and expose their lax and inefficient management, under an antiquated system which needed reform. As he never spoke without entire command of the facts and justice upon his side, this well-sustained attack compelled attention by the authorities of the State, arousing, as it did, enlightened public opinion to some degree of excitement. The late Lot M. Morrill, who was then Governor, took an adroit, and, as it turned out, very beneficial method of silencing the damaging fire of criticism. As if to say, "You seem to know more of this than we do," he threw the responsibility upon the young

editor himself, by appointing him a Commissioner to examine the prisons and reformatories of Maine and other States, and suggest what improvements were needed in the former. Mr. Blaine accepted the important trust, and entered upon it in a manner worthy of himself. He traveled through fifteen of the commonwealths of the Union, closely observing their methods of dealing with the vicious, and made an elaborate report, embracing many recommendations founded upon his keen, practical judgment. These were largely adopted and enforced. As a result, the institutions he had denounced were put upon a sound and paying basis, upon which they have ever since remained.

It was in 1858 that Mr. Blaine was sent to the Legislature, where he was to pass a four years' apprenticeship in the science of legislation in the stirring period just before and including the outbreak of the war. After service on important committees, he was twice elected Speaker of the lower House. Even at this comparatively early age, a little more than completing his third decade, he showed his genius for Parliamentary law and procedure, and his tact in the management of a deliberative assembly. Fortunate, indeed, must have been the legislature which enjoyed the services of James G. Blaine as presiding officer. The fame of his short career in this capacity is still affectionately preserved in the State, and spoken of as a standard of comparison which his