Excerpt from Life and Work of James G. Blaine: An Account of His Boyhood, His Youth in School, and College, the Initial Period of His Public Career, His Services in Congress and in Two Cabinets, His Great Speeches, His Contests for the Presidency, His International Diplomacy, His Literary Productions The day was when these two walked down side by side, on the early July morning, and entered the Chesapeake Station together. Eighteen years before they had entered Congress together. Both had risen to rank and fame. One had the greater success; the other had the greater genius. It would seem that they were friends. Crash goes the assassin's bullet! One is down, and the other goes on through contention and battle for a season. He, too, has now made his exit through that narrow door which has Opened and closed for every son Of man. What a strange scene is this! Can any fathom life? What is this action for? What are all these senses, this intellect, this perception, this will, this consciousness and soul - what is lzfe intended to subserve and accomplish? It is still the day Of deep sympathy for the exit Of James G. Blaine from the mortal scene. We do not doubt that the faculties of all Americans are for the present moved by the event, and that the logical estimate of the dead is disturbed a little by affection and the sense of. Loss. That Blaine has occupied a conspicuous place in the thought and in the heart of his countrymen for many years cannot be denied or doubted. He was the friend of many men, and many were friends of him. In his life he said brilliant things and enacted a striking part in the drama of the age. This is said Of his part in the public life of the American nation. We all know that an exaggerated estimate is placed upon our public life and upon the actors in it. The public life of the people is not its real life; but only its spectacular existence. The real life is the life of the masses. It is measured by their every-day thoughts and feelings and hopes. As these rise and fall civilization ascends or descends to corresponding altitudes and depressions. Certainly we do not deny that the public life has its greatness and value. We simply insist that this public life is not the true one - that it is only exponential of a greater life resident in the breast of the people. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.