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James G. Blaine

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James G. Blaine

James Gillespie Blaine (January 31, 1830 – January 27, 1893) was an American statesman and Republican politician who represented Maine in the United States House of Representatives from 1863 to 1876, served as Speaker of the House from 1869 to 1875, and was a U.S. senator from 1876 to 1881. He served twice as Secretary of State, under presidents James A. Garfield and Chester A. Arthur in 1881, and under Benjamin Harrison from 1889 to 1892. Blaine was one of two secretaries of state to serve under three presidents, the other being Daniel Webster. He sought the Republican presidential nomination in 1876 and 1880, and received the nomination in 1884, narrowly losing the general election to Democratic nominee Grover Cleveland by approximately 1,000 votes. Blaine was a prominent figure in the moderate faction of the Republican Party, known as the "Half-Breeds". Born in West Brownsville, Pennsylvania, Blaine moved to Maine after college, where he worked as a newspaper editor in Augusta before entering politics. Contemporary sources described him as an effective public speaker during an era when oratory was highly valued in American politics. He supported Abraham Lincoln and the Union cause during the American Civil War, and during Reconstruction he advocated for voting rights for former slaves while opposing some of the more punitive measures favored by Radical Republicans. His economic positions evolved from supporting high tariffs to favoring reduced tariffs and expanded international trade. Throughout his career, Blaine faced allegations of improper financial dealings with railroad companies, particularly concerning the Mulligan letters. While these allegations were never substantiated with conclusive evidence, they became a significant issue in his 1884 presidential campaign. As Secretary of State, Blaine advocated for expanded American involvement in international affairs, marking a shift from the more limited foreign policy approaches of previous decades. He promoted increased trade relationships, particularly with Latin American nations, and supported policies that came to be known as tariff reciprocity. His 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 more assertive American international engagement that would be further expanded during and after the Spanish–American War.

Infobox

President
James A. GarfieldChester A. Arthur
Preceded by
Frederick A. Pike
Succeeded by
Nelson Dingley Jr.
Born
James Gillespie Blaine(1830-01-31)January 31, 1830West Brownsville, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died
January 27, 1893(1893-01-27) (aged 62)Washington, D.C., U.S.
Resting place
Blaine Memorial Park, Augusta, Maine
Political party
Republican
Spouse
mw- Harriet Stanwood (m. 1850)
Children
7, including Walker
Education
Washington and Jefferson College (BA)
Party
Republican

Tables

· External links
Preceded by???
Preceded by???
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by???
U.S. House of Representatives
Chair of the House Rules Committee 1873–1876
U.S. House of Representatives
Succeeded byJ. Warren Keifer
Political offices
Political offices
U.S. House of Representatives
Political offices
Preceded byWilliam M. Evarts
Preceded byWilliam M. Evarts
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded byWilliam M. Evarts
U.S. House of Representatives
United States Secretary of State 1881
U.S. House of Representatives
Succeeded byFrederick T. Frelinghuysen
Preceded byThomas F. Bayard
Preceded byThomas F. Bayard
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded byThomas F. Bayard
U.S. House of Representatives
United States Secretary of State 1889–1892
U.S. House of Representatives
Succeeded byJohn W. Foster
U.S. Senate
U.S. Senate
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Senate
Preceded byLot M. Morrill
Preceded byLot M. Morrill
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded byLot M. Morrill
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Maine 1876–1881 Served alongside: Hannibal Hamlin
U.S. House of Representatives
Succeeded byWilliam P. Frye
Preceded byPowell Clayton
Preceded byPowell Clayton
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded byPowell Clayton
U.S. House of Representatives
Chair of the Senate Civil Service Committee 1877
U.S. House of Representatives
Succeeded byHenry Teller
Preceded byThomas Ferry
Preceded byThomas Ferry
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded byThomas Ferry
U.S. House of Representatives
Chair of the Senate Rules Committee 1877–1879
U.S. House of Representatives
Succeeded byJohn T. Morgan
Party political offices
Party political offices
U.S. House of Representatives
Party political offices
Preceded byJames A. Garfield
Preceded byJames A. Garfield
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded byJames A. Garfield
U.S. House of Representatives
Republican nominee for President of the United States 1884
U.S. House of Representatives
Succeeded byBenjamin Harrison
House of Representatives
Preceded bySamuel C. Fessenden
Member of the U.S. House of Representativesfrom Maine's 3rd congressional district 1863–1876
Succeeded byEdwin Flye
Preceded by???
Chair of the House Rules Committee 1873–1876
Succeeded byJ. Warren Keifer
Political offices
Preceded byTheodore Pomeroy
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives 1869–1875
Succeeded byMichael C. Kerr
Preceded byWilliam M. Evarts
United States Secretary of State 1881
Succeeded byFrederick T. Frelinghuysen
Preceded byThomas F. Bayard
United States Secretary of State 1889–1892
Succeeded byJohn W. Foster
Senate
Preceded byLot M. Morrill
Senator (Class 2) from Maine 1876–1881 Served alongside: Hannibal Hamlin
Succeeded byWilliam P. Frye
Preceded byPowell Clayton
Chair of the Senate Civil Service Committee 1877
Succeeded byHenry Teller
Preceded byThomas Ferry
Chair of the Senate Rules Committee 1877–1879
Succeeded byJohn T. Morgan
Party political offices
Preceded byJames A. Garfield
Republican nominee for President of the United States 1884
Succeeded byBenjamin Harrison

References

  1. The house was donated to the State of Maine by Blaine's daughter, Harriet Blaine Beale, in 1919 and is now used as the G
  2. While the First Amendment already imposed the first two restrictions on the federal government, they were not deemed to
  3. Equivalent to $1.89 million in 2024
  4. Before the passage of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1913, Senators were chosen by their
  5. Equivalent to $153 million in 2024
  6. The exact state of Blaine's health is debatable; many of his biographers believe him to have been a hypochondriac.
  7. The cartoon is based on Phryne before the Areopagus, a painting by Jean-Léon Gérôme.
  8. The rumor arose because the Blaines had not filed a marriage license when they married in 1850. Licenses were not requir
  9. Some scholars have suggested that Blaine's Anglophobia was always more for political advantage than out of genuine senti
  10. Equivalent to $15.2 million in 2024
  11. Equivalent to $778,412 in 2024
  12. Muzzey, p. 6; Russell, p. 5.
  13. Crapol, p. 1.
  14. Muzzey, p. 1.
  15. Muzzey, pp. 2–3.
  16. Muzzey, p. 5; Russell, p. 5.
  17. Rose, pp. 30–31; Muzzey, p. 5.
  18. Notable American Women, 1607–1950: A Biographical Dictionary
    https://books.google.com/books?id=rVLOhGt1BX0C&q=james+blaine+sister+nun&pg=RA1-PA34
  19. Rolde, p. 28.
  20. Muzzey, pp. 12–14; Russell, p. 8; Crapol, p. 2.
  21. Muzzey, pp. 4, 14; Russell, p. 8.
  22. McClelland, p. 127.
  23. Muzzey, p. 15; Russell, pp. 9–10.
  24. Muzzey, pp. 16–17; Russell, p. 12.
  25. Muzzey, pp. 17–19; Rolde, pp. 38–39.
  26. Muzzey, p. 20; Russell, p. 28.
  27. Muzzey, pp. 21–22; Russell, pp. 28–29.
  28. Rolde, p. 47.
  29. Rolde, p. 49.
  30. Muzzey, pp. 22–23, 27; Russell, pp. 30–31.
  31. Muzzey, p. 24; Crapol, pp. 3–4.
  32. Muzzey, p. 27; Crapol, p. 4.
  33. Muzzey, p. 28; Crapol, p. 18.
  34. Muzzey, p. 29; Crapol, p. 9.
  35. Muzzey, p. 30; Russell, pp. 50–51.
  36. Muzzey, pp. 228–232.
  37. Rolde, p. 56.
  38. Muzzey, pp. 31–32; Rolde, pp. 63–69.
  39. Muzzey, pp. 32–35; Crapol, p. 19.
  40. Muzzey, p. 37.
  41. Muzzey, p. 39; Crapol, pp. 20–21; Russell, p. 99.
  42. Crapol, p. 20; Muzzey, pp. 42–43.
  43. Muzzey, pp. 42–47; Russell, pp. 101–106.
  44. Muzzey, pp. 48–49; Russell, pp. 130–136.
  45. Muzzey, pp. 50–51.
  46. Muzzey, pp. 52–53.
  47. Muzzey, p. 57; Russell, pp. 172–175.
  48. Blaine, p. 379, v. 2.
  49. Muzzey, p. 58.
  50. Muzzey, pp. 53–57.
  51. Hoogenboom, pp. 358–360.
  52. Russell, p. 186; Muzzey, p. 62; Summers, p. 5.
  53. Historical Highlights
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  54. Muzzey, pp. 62–63.
  55. The speaker of the House of Representatives
    https://archive.org/details/speakerofhouseof00folluoft/page/340
  56. Crapol, p. 41.
  57. Poore, Ben. Perley, Perley's Reminiscences of Sixty Years in the National Metropolis, Vol. 2, p. 211 (1886).
    https://archive.org/details/perleysreminisce02poor/page/211/mode/1up?view=theater
  58. Muzzey, p. 62; Crapol, p. 33; Summers, pp. 5–6.
  59. Muzzey, p. 64.
  60. Muzzey, p. 66.
  61. Muzzey, pp. 67–70; Russell, pp. 211–217.
  62. Smith, p. 545; Muzzey, pp. 74, 77–82; Russell, pp. 266–272.
  63. Muzzey, p. 75.
  64. Muzzey, p. 71.
  65. Summers, pp. 59–61.
  66. Crapol, pp. 42–43; Green, pp. 49–51.
  67. Smith, pp. 568–571; Green, pp. 47–48.
  68. See Everson v. Board of Education, 330 U.S. 1 (1947).
  69. See Cantwell v. Connecticut, 310 U.S. 296 (1940).
  70. Green, pp. 39–41.
  71. Green, p. 38.
  72. Crapol, p. 44; Muzzey, pp. 83–84; Thompson, pp. 3, 19.
  73. How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda
    https://www.americanantiquarian.org/proceedings/44525121.pdf
  74. Muzzey, pp. 84–86.
  75. Muzzey, pp. 87–93; Crapol, p. 44; Summers, pp. 62–63.
  76. Muzzey, pp. 93–94.
  77. Muzzey, pp. 99–100.
  78. Crapol, p. 45.
  79. Hoogenboom, p. 261; Muzzey, pp. 104–107.
  80. Quoted in Muzzey, p. 110.
  81. Muzzey, pp. 111–112; Hoogenboom, p. 263.
  82. Muzzey, p. 115.
  83. Hoogenboom, pp. 274–294; Muzzey, pp. 116–127.
  84. Muzzey, p. 128.
  85. Muzzey, p. 129.
  86. Muzzey, pp. 130–133; Hoogenboom, pp. 318–325, 351–369.
  87. Muzzey, pp. 140–141; Summers, p. 65.
  88. Hoogenboom, pp. 392–402.
  89. Muzzey, pp. 135–139; Crapol, pp. 50–51.
  90. Unger, p. 217.
  91. Hoogenboom, pp. 356–359.
  92. Unger, pp. 358–359.
  93. Crapol, pp. 48–50; Muzzey, pp. 146–148.
  94. MeasuringWorth
    http://www.measuringworth.com/datasets/usgdp/
  95. Muzzey, pp. 148–151; Sewell, pp. 65–66.
  96. Crapol, pp. 51–53.
  97. Hoogenboom, p. 414.
  98. Smith, p. 615; Muzzey, pp. 160–165.
  99. Smith, p. 616; Muzzey, p. 167; Summers, pp. 65–66.
  100. Muzzey, p. 169.
  101. Muzzey, pp. 171–172; Smith, pp. 616–617.
  102. Muzzey, pp. 173–174; Reeves, pp. 178–183; Crapol, p. 62.
  103. Muzzey, pp. 177–179.
  104. Muzzey, p. 186.
  105. Muzzey, p. 185.
  106. Muzzey, pp. 191–195.
  107. Crapol, pp. 62–64; Pletcher, pp. 55–56.
  108. Crapol, pp. 65–66; Doenecke, pp. 55–57; Healy, pp. 57–60.
  109. Doenecke, pp. 57–58; Crapol, p. 70.
  110. Crapol, pp. 74–80; Doenecke, pp. 64–67; Healy, pp. 40–52.
  111. Crapol, p. 81; Doenecke, pp. 71–73.
  112. Peskin, pp. 595–597; Russell, pp. 385–386.
  113. Peskin, pp. 589–590.
  114. Peskin, pp. 606–607.
  115. Crapol, pp. 81–82; Russell, p. 386.
  116. Russell, p. 388; Reeves, pp. 255–257.
  117. Doenecke, pp. 173–175; Reeves, pp. 398–399.
  118. Muzzey, p. 225.
  119. Summers, pp. 62, 125; Muzzey, pp. 225–227.
  120. Muzzey, p. 226; Russell, p. 390.
  121. Muzzey, pp. 232–237.
  122. Muzzey, pp. 242–246; Crapol, pp. 71–73.
  123. Muzzey, pp. 253–255.
  124. Crapol, p. 91; Muzzey, pp. 263–265.
  125. Crapol, p. 91; Reeves, pp. 368–371.
  126. Crapol, p. 92.
  127. Muzzey, pp. 273–277.
  128. Muzzey, pp. 281–285; Reeves, p. 380.
  129. Muzzey, pp. 285–286; Reeves, p. 381.
  130. Nevins, pp. 145–155; Muzzey, pp. 293–296.
  131. Muzzey, pp. 287–293; Nevins, pp. 156–159.
  132. Nevins, pp. 187–188; Muzzey, p. 294, n. 2.
  133. Nevins, pp. 159–162; Muzzey, pp. 301–304.
  134. Nevins, p. 177; Muzzey, pp. 303–304.
  135. Nevins, pp. 162–169; Muzzey, pp. 298–299.
  136. Muzzey, pp. 299–300; Crapol, p. 98.
  137. A Secret Life
  138. White House History
    https://www.whitehousehistory.org/the-life-and-presidency-of-grover-cleveland
  139. Nevins, p. 181; Muzzey, p. 322.
  140. Muzzey, pp. 307–308; Reeves, pp. 387–389.
  141. Muzzey, pp. 308–309; Nevins, p. 170.
  142. Muzzey, pp. 316–318; Nevins, pp. 181–184; Crapol, p. 99.
  143. Summers, pp. 289–303; Muzzey, pp. 322–325.
  144. Muzzey, pp. 326–341.
  145. Muzzey, pp. 341–343.
  146. Muzzey, pp. 347–348.
  147. Muzzey, pp. 348–349.
  148. Muzzey, pp. 354–359.
  149. Muzzey, pp. 361–369; Crapol, p. 106.
  150. Muzzey, pp. 368–372; Crapol, pp. 106–107.
  151. Muzzey, pp. 372–374.
  152. Muzzey, pp. 375–382; Calhoun, pp. 47–52.
  153. Muzzey, p. 383.
  154. Muzzey, pp. 387–391; Calhoun, pp. 58–61.
  155. Crapol, pp. 111–113; Calhoun, pp. 74–75.
  156. Muzzey, pp. 389–391, 462–464; Calhoun, pp. 75–77.
  157. Crapol, pp. 116–117; Calhoun, pp. 77–80, 125–126; Rigby, passim.
  158. Crapol, pp. 116–117; Muzzey, pp. 394–402.
  159. Crapol, pp. 123–125; Calhoun, pp. 125–126, 152–157.
  160. Crapol, pp. 125–129; Socolofsky & Spetter, pp. 204–207.
  161. Crapol, pp. 118–122; Muzzey, pp. 426–437; Pletcher, pp. 56–57.
  162. Crapol, pp. 122–124.
  163. Crapol, pp. 120–122; Calhoun, pp. 81–82.
  164. Muzzey, pp. 415–416; Socolofsky & Spetter, p. 146; Healy, p. 207.
  165. Crapol, pp. 130–131.
  166. Muzzey, p. 418; Calhoun, p. 127.
  167. Muzzey, pp. 419–421; Socolofsky & Spetter, pp. 147–149.
  168. Muzzey, pp. 421–423; Socolofsky & Spetter, pp. 150–152.
  169. Crapol, pp. 105–106, 138–139.
  170. Sewell, passim.
  171. Muzzey, pp. 403–405; Socolofsky & Spetter, pp. 137–138.
  172. Muzzey, pp. 408–409; Socolofsky & Spetter, pp. 140–143.
  173. Socolofsky & Spetter, pp. 153–154; Muzzey, pp. 411–412.
  174. Socolofsky & Spetter, pp. 155–156; Muzzey, pp. 412–414; Calhoun, pp. 126–127.
  175. Crapol, p. 132; Socolofsky & Spetter, p. 88.
  176. Crapol, p. 121; Muzzey, p. 461.
  177. Calhoun, pp. 134–139; Muzzey, pp. 468–469.
  178. Muzzey, pp. 469–472.
  179. Muzzey, pp. 473–479.
  180. Muzzey, pp. 480–482.
  181. Muzzey, pp. 484–487.
  182. Muzzey, pp. 489–491.
  183. James G. Blaine Elementary School
    https://blaine.cps.edu/m/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=431829&type=d
  184. Rolde, p. xiii.
  185. "SMU mourns loss of former dean and professor R. Hal Williams"
    https://www.smu.edu/News/2016/hal-williams-18feb2016
  186. Dibacco, Thomas V. (May 19, 2016). 2016 contest could be like 1884 all over again. Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved March 3,
    https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/os-ed-1884-elections-deja-vu-052016-20160519-story.html
  187. Gyory, Andrew (December 8, 2015). Don't think Trump will ever pass a Muslim Exclusion Act? Just ask Sen. James G. Blaine
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/12/08/the-gop-front-runner-wants-to-ban-a-whole-group-of-people-this-isnt-the-first-time-thats-happened/
  188. Demaria, Ed (May 9, 2016). In #NeverTrump Movement, Echoes of 1884's 'Mugwumps'. NBC News. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
    https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/nevertrump-movement-echoes-1884-s-mugwumps-n570486
  189. "'Death by Lightning': Vondie Curtis Hall, Željko Ivanek & Barry Shabaka Henley Among 8 to Join Netflix Limited Series"
    https://deadline.com/2024/10/death-by-lightning-cast-netflix-vondie-curtis-hall-zeljko-ivanek-barry-shabaka-henley-1236113706/
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