er had doubtless
many times had jurymen remind him of the fact that they had
been on juries that gave verdicts in his favor. Every Member
of Congress likes to meet a pensioner for whom he has secured
a pension. Neither has any thought of wrong in reviving such
a memory. The ruling Mr. Blaine had made was simply stating
a clear rule of the House about which there could be no doubt
whatever. At the same time, I said at the time, what I deem
it my duty to repeat now, I think Mr. Blaine erred, when
he thought it proper to embark in such a speculative investment.
Members of legislative bodies, especially great political leaders
of large influence, ought to be careful to keep a thousand
miles off from relations which may give rise to even a suspicion
of wrong. Their influence and character are the property
of their country, and especially valuable to their political
associates. The great doctrines of which they are the influential
advocates must not be imperiled by any smell of fire on their
garments. But an error of judgment, or of good taste, on
their part, is very far from being corruption. Henry Clay
was a gambler. Other eminent statesmen both in this country
and in Europe have made no secret of even worse vices than
that. They are undoubtedly to be disapproved, in some cases
severely condemned. But the people always have made and always
will make a distinction between such offences and the final
unpardonable guilt of corruption in office.

James G. Blaine was a man of many faults and many infirmities.
But his life is a part of the history of his country. It
will be better for his reputation that the chapter of that
history which relates to him shall be written by a historian
with a full and clear sense of those faults and infirmities,
concealing nothing, and extenuating nothing. But also let
him set nought down in malice. Mr. Blaine was a brilliant
and able man, lovable, patriotic, far-seeing, kind. He acted
in a great way under great responsibilities. He was wise
and prudent when wisdom and prudence were demanded. If he
had attained to the supreme object of his ambition and reached
the goal of the Presidency, if his life had been spared to
complete his term, it would have been a most honorable period,
in my opinion, in the history of the country. No man has
lived in this country since Daniel Webster died, save McKinley
alone, who had so large a number of devoted friends and admirers
in all parts o