If you missed any part of this program, well air it again tonight at 8 00 p. M. Eastern right here on cspan3. Cspan is touring cities across the country exploring American History. Next, a look at our visit to the blaine house in augusta, maine. Youre watching American History tv, all weekend, every weekend, on cspan3. I want to welcome you to the blaine house, since 1919, the home of maines governors and their families. The house was actually built in 1833, by a captain james hall from bath, maine, for those of you who know maine, bath is a major ship building and seaport town. And captain hall decided in 1830 to retire from the sea, he bought this very strategically located piece of land, right across from the state house that year, 1830, and in 1833 he finished construction on a very handsome twostory, hipped roof federal house, which was to be his retirement home. One of the early features that survives in the house from his time is the beautiful winding staircase, and i think it i
Grant felt if he ran for president it would have been because of conklin and he could have been the de facto president. Grants presidency, he was not a particularly strong president. And particularly when you look at reconstruction during this period, a lot of problems. When you look at corruption during his period, when people look back on corrupt presidencies, they jump out with grant and harding as the ones that lead the list there. An ill grant weakened by bad health and would not have been a strong figure elected. He wanted to block blaine. He just wanted to make sure blaine didnt get. Could you explain more about how he could be serving microphone, please. How he could be serving in the civil war and being elected to congress but he cant be there . Did that happen a lot . How did that work . The answer is yes, it did. Not a lot, but anyone can be elected to congress if you are a hey, just look down the block. Anyone can be elected to congress as long as they are 25 years of age a
Harriet blaine beal donated the house and grounds to the state of maine for the purpose of a governors home. Sadly Harriet Blaine beal had lost her son, Walker Blaine beal, in world war i and he had actually owned the house and then upon his death the house reverted back to her and she, recognizing it probably wasnt going to go on in the family and negotiation that recognizing the need that maine had and the close proximity of the blaine house to our statehouse across the street she donated the house for the purpose of the governors home. This is the state reception room. When the house was built in 1833 this was two rooms and then when the blaines acquired the house in 1862, in 69 and again in 1872 they made some major changes to the house which included opening up both these two rooms into one big reception room. This really reflects the fact that in the blaine period of ownership from 1862 into the early 1900s that there was a lot of entertaining that went on in the house related to
But certainly since he was a significant general in the civil war, everyone understood he wasnt physically there. [ applause ] so i will hang out. Some of you are wanting to go and find out whats happening in the hockey game. Next week is mckinley. Another set of really fascinating stories. On saturday, cspans issues spotlight looks at police and Race Relations. Well show you president obama at the Memorial Service for Police Officers shot and killed in dallas. When the bullets started flying, the men and women of the dallas police, they did not flinch and they did not react recklessly. And South Carolina republican senator tim scott giving a speech on the senate floor about his own interactions with police. But the vast majority of the time i was pulled over for nothing more than driving a new car in the wrong neighborhood or some other reason just as trivial. Our program also includes one familys story about an encounter with police in washington, d. C. , followed by a badge the city
I would definitely look to neils book to start out with. All right. One more plug for him. And also the state library. Very good reference at the state library. I would like to close. We have just really a minute left and ask you the question. Support our thesis. What was the legacy, whats the importance to America Today of james g. Blaine having been a politician here . I think his influence as secretary of state was very important. Its a great legacy. His desire to build some kind of cohesion between the north american and south american and Central American states. I think theres that, and i think also if you look back across his long career in public life, it is that he is one of the key builder of the Republican Party in the 19th century. Hes there in the beginning in 1854, and hes still there almost 40 years later as probably their most powerful and most identifiable figure. And maine today has a republican governor and two republican senators and congressional delegation here is