Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 10.djvu/149

 BLAINE

��body of followers that will do and dare and die for the cause is one who believes his party always right, bnt. right or wrong, is for his party. No more important or exacting duty de- volves upon him than the selection of the field and the time of the contest. He must know not merely how to strike, but where to strike and when to strike. He often skilfully avoids the strength of his opponent's position and scatters confusion in his ranks by attacking an exposed point, when really the righteousness of the cause and the strength of logical intrenchment are against him. He conquers often both against the right and the heavy battalions; as when young Charles Fox, in the days of his Toryism, carried the House of Commons against justice, against immemorial rights, against his own con- victions — if, indeed, at that period, Fox had con- victions — and in the interest of a corrupt admin- istration, in obedience to a tyrannical sovereign, drove Wilkes from the seat to which the electors of IMiddlesex had chosen him and installed Lut- trell, in defiance, not merely of law, but of pub- lic decency. For an achievement of that kind Garfield was disqualified — disqualified by the texture of his mind, by the honesty of his heart, by his conscience, and by every instinct and as- piration of his nature.

The three most distinguished parliamentary

leaders hitherto developed in this country are

Mr. Clay, ^Ir. Douglas, and ^Ir. Thaddeus

Stevens. Each was a man of consummate ability,

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