Francis Preston Blair

For his son, the Civil War general, seeFrancis Preston Blair Jr.

"Washington Globe" redirects here. For the fictional newspapers, seeState of Play (film)andPolitical Animals (miniseries).

Francis Preston Blair Sr.(April 12, 1791 – October 18, 1876) was an American journalist, newspaper editor, and influential figure in national politics advising several U.S. presidents across party lines.

Francis Preston Blair
Blairc.1870
Born	(1791-04-12)April 12, 1791 Abingdon, Virginia,U.S.
Died	October 18, 1876(1876-10-18)(aged 85) Silver Spring, Maryland,U.S.
Alma mater	Transylvania University
Occupation(s)	Journalist, politician
Years active	1830–1849
Known for	Founder of theRepublican Party
Notable work	Hampton Roads Conference(1865)
Political party	Democratic(1828–1848; 1865–1876) Free Soil(1848–1854) Republican(1854–1865)
Spouse	Eliza Violet Gist ​ (m.1812)​
Children	5 (incl.Montgomery,Elizabeth,andFrancis Jr.)
Signature

Blair was an early member of theDemocratic Party,and a strong supporter of PresidentAndrew Jackson,having helped him win Kentucky in the1828 presidential election.From 1831 to 1845, Blair worked as Editor-in-Chief of theWashington Globe,which served as the primary propaganda instrument for the Democratic Party, and was largely successful. Blair was an influential advisor to President Jackson, and served prominently in a group of unofficial advisors and assistants known as the "Kitchen Cabinet".

Blair, despite being a slaveholder from Kentucky, eventually came to oppose the expansion of slavery into western territories. He supported theFree Soil Partyticket ofMartin Van BurenandCharles Francis Adams Sr.in the1848 presidential election.In 1854, in opposition to theKansas–Nebraska Act,he left the Democratic Party and helped establish theRepublican Party.Blair served as an advisor to PresidentAbraham Lincolnduring theAmerican Civil War.In 1861, he was sent by Lincoln to offer command of a large Union army to ColonelRobert E. Lee,who declined, and instead joined theConfederacy.Blair also helped organize theHampton Roads Conferenceof 1865, a failed attempt to end the war.

After the Union victory, Blair became disillusioned withRadical Reconstruction,a policy promoted by manymembersof the Republican Party. He eventually left the party and rejoined the Democrats. His son,Francis Preston Blair Jr.,was the party's nominee for vice president on a losing ticket in the1868 election.Blair died in 1876 at age 85.

His home,Blair HouseonLafayette Square, Washington, D.C.across from theWhite House,is now used to host visiting heads of state and other guests of the president. It has been called "the world's most exclusive hotel."

Early life and career

Blair was born atAbingdon, Virginiato aScottish-Americannamed James Blair, a lawyer who became anAttorney General of Kentucky,and Elizabeth Smith. Raised inFrankfort, Kentuckyand referred to as "Preston" by the family members, he graduated fromTransylvania Universitywith honors in 1811. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1817 but did not practice due to a vocal defect.He took tojournalism,and became a contributor toAmos Kendall's paper, the FrankfortArgus.

During the social and financial turmoil caused by thePanic of 1819,Blair joined the so-called Relief Party of Kentucky. He participated in theOld Court – New Court controversyin Kentucky. He was president of the public Bank of the Commonwealth, which opened in May 1821 to provide relief for debtors. The Bank's charter was denied by theKentucky Court of Appeals(KCoA), which was backed by the United States 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. The KCoA ruled that the relief measures already started were unconstitutional. The state legislature abolished the KCoA, and created a new Court of Appeals, but the Justices of the old KCoA refused to accept this act or turn over the Court's records. In 1824, Blair was appointed Clerk of the "New Court", and led a party which broke into the clerk's office and seized the records. A few years later, the New Court was abolished and Blair returned.

As an ardent follower ofAndrew Jackson,he helped him to carry Kentucky in the1828 presidential election.In 1830, he was made editor ofThe Washington Globe,the newspaper that was the recognized organ of theJacksonian democracy.In this capacity, and as a member of Jackson's unofficial advisory council, the so-called "Kitchen Cabinet",he exerted a powerful influence on national politics.The Washington Globewas the administration's voice until 1841, and the chiefDemocraticorgan until 1845, when Blair ceased to be its editor.He partnered with John C. Rives, and started aprinting house,receiving profitable orders fromCongress,including publishing the proceedings of Congress inThe Congressional Globe,the precursor of theCongressional Record.During his time in Washington serving Jackson, Blair acquired in 1836 what later became known as theBlair Houseat Washington, D.C.

Politician

Blair in May 1845 byThomas Sully

Blair backedJames K. Polkduring the1844 presidential election;however, he did not establish a good rapport with Polk and was forced to sell his interest inThe Washington Globe.In1848,he actively supportedMartin Van Buren,theFree Soilcandidate, for the presidency. Next, in1852,Blair supportedFranklin Pierce,but became disillusioned in his administration after Pierce backed theKansas–Nebraska Act.With other anti-slavery, free-soil Democrats, Blair helped to organize the newRepublican Party,and presided at its1856 preliminary conventionatPittsburghon February 22, 1856,forging a party block out of discordant elements ofWhigs,abolitionists,free-soilersandnativists.He used his political experience, influence and persuasion to create a momentum for a new party.

At the1856 Republican National Convention,he was influential in securing the nomination ofJohn C. Frémont,who was married toJessie Benton Frémont,a daughter of his old friend,Thomas Hart Benton,for the presidency.At the1860 Republican convention,he, as delegate at large from Maryland, initially supportedEdward Batesfor the1860presidential nomination. When it became clear that Bates would not succeed, Blair supported the nomination ofAbraham Lincoln.

The elder Blair took it upon himself to advise Lincoln, and both of his sons,Francis Jr.,who became a Union general, andMontgomery Blair,who joined Lincoln's cabinet, were the president's trusted associates. On April 17, 1861, just three days after the surrender ofFort Sumter,Lincoln asked Francis Blair to convey his offer to ColonelRobert E. Leeto command theUnion Army.The next day, Lee visited Blair acrossLafayette Squarefrom theWhite House.Lee blunted Blair's offer of the Union command by saying: "Mr. Blair, I look upon secession as anarchy. If I owned the four millions of slaves at the South, I would sacrifice them all to the Union; but how can I draw my sword uponVirginia,my native State? "

AfterLincoln's re-election in 1864,Blair thought that his former close personal relations with theConfederateleaders, including PresidentJefferson Davis,might aid in bringing about a cessation of hostilities, and with Lincoln's consent went unofficially two times toRichmondand induced President Davis to appoint commissioners including Confederate Vice PresidentAlexander H. Stephensto confer with representatives of the United States. This political maneuvering resulted in the futileHampton Roads Conferenceof February 3, 1865.

During theReconstruction Era,Blair advocated a speedy reunification without placing much burden on the Southern states and spoke against theRadical Republicans' Reconstruction policies in the South. He became a political ally of PresidentAndrew Johnson,and eventually rejoined the Democratic Party.

Later years

Entrance toBlair Housein Washington, D.C.

Preston Blair permanently established his residence inWashington, D.C.in 1836 after acquiring a home on 1651 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest. The brick dwelling first became known asBlair's Houseand then simplyBlair House.In 1840, Blair, and perhaps his daughterElizabeth,encountered a "mica-flecked "spring in the vicinity of Seventh Street Pike, nowAcorn Parkon Blair Mill Rd. off the renamedGeorgia AvenueinMontgomery County, Maryland.He liked the location at present day East West Highway and Newell Street,Silver Spring, Maryland,so much that he bought the surrounding land and built a spacious summer home in 1849 which he calledThe Silver Spring.His son James, a naval officer, and his wife Mary lived in a two-story cottage on the estate, eventually naming itThe Moorings.Blair's other son, Montgomery, built a summer house for his family nearby, calling itFalkland;it was burned down in 1864 during a Confederate raid byGeneral Jubal Early.Gen. Early denied any personal involvement with the destruction ofFalklandand took credit for savingThe Crystal Springfrom plunder.

In 1854, Blair gave his Washington, D.C. house to his son Montgomery and permanently settled atThe Silver Spring.After his death, his daughter Elisabeth inherited the house for her lifetime.

Even though he held slaves as servants in his household, Blair became convinced after theMexican–American Warthat slavery should not be extended beyond where it was currently allowed.By 1862, Blair had told his slaves that they could "go when they wished"; he later said that "all but one declined the privilege," choosing to stay on as servants.

After the Civil War, Blair placed all his political hopes and aspirations with his son, Francis "Frank" Blair, who was the1868Democratic vice-presidential candidate and became a U.S. Senator in 1871 before dying in 1875. Blair died the following year at his estate atSilver Spring, Maryland,at the age of 85.

Family

Blair's estate,The Silver Spring

Francis Preston Blair and his wife Eliza Violet Gist atThe Silver Spring

Francis marriedEliza Violet Giston July 21, 1812. He had three sons,Montgomery Blair(1813–1883), James L. Blair (1819–1852) andFrancis "Frank" Preston Blair Jr.(1821–1875), and two daughters, Juliet Blair (1816–1819) andElizabeth Blair(1818–1906). Montgomery and Francis became prominent in American politics. Among many contributions, Montgomery Blair represented Dred Scott before the United States Supreme Court in theseminal 1857 case regarding slavery.Francis became a prominent Senator and ran as the Democratic Party's nominee for the Vice Presidency in 1868. James, who participated as a midshipman in Antarctica's exploration and was later commissioned as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, made his fortune during theCalifornia Gold Rush,but died at an early age. Blair's daughter,Elizabethmarried Rear AdmiralSamuel Phillips Leeand was a close friend ofMary Todd Lincoln.His nephew,Benjamin Gratz Brown(1826–1885) was also politically inclined, becoming a U.S. Senator and Missouri Governor. His grandson,Blair Lee I(1857–1944) became a U.S. Senator from Maryland.

Legacy

As editor ofThe Washington Globenewspaper for fifteen years and publisher ofThe Congressional Globe,Preston Blair became an influential political figure of theJacksonian Era,and served as an unofficial adviser to presidentsAndrew JacksonandMartin Van Buren.By idealizing republicanism and democracy as national ideals in his writing, he contributed to the growing popular spirit ofAmericanism.Blair held onto his political capital during Van Buren's presidency, but began losing his political influence as the pro-slavery wing of the Democratic Party gained more power.

In response, after briefly supporting theFree Soil Party,he helped to launch the newRepublican partyin 1854. At the outbreak of theCivil War,he personally conveyedLincoln's offer toRobert E. Leeto command all the Union armies, which Lee rejected. During the war, Blair served as unofficial political adviser to Lincoln.After Lincoln's re-election, Blair organized the abortiveHampton Roads Conference,where peace terms were discussed with the Confederates, but no substantial issues resolved. He opposed the radical congressional Reconstruction of the South after the Civil War.

William Ernest Smith, Professor of American History from Miami University, wrote in 1933 that Francis Preston Blair and his two sons, Francis and Montgomery, "are representatives of a longer period of influence in American politics than any other family except the Adams family."Two of Blair's three sons,Montgomery BlairandFrancis Preston Blair Jr.were prominent in American politics; his daughter,Elizabeth Blair Lee,wasMary Todd Lincoln's confidante. Blair's Washington, D.C., residence with its rich history withstood the test of time and currentlyBlair Houseis the common name of the President's Guest House complex.

The city ofSilver Spring, Marylandtook its name from Blair's estate.Out of three houses connected to the Blairs at Silver Spring, only the house of James Blair survived. In her will, Violet Blair Janin, a daughter of James and Mary Blair, designated the house for public use and renamed it fromThe MooringstoJesup Blair Housein honor of her brother.It is currently located in the center of 14.5-acre Blair Park at Silver Spring and is administered by theMaryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

In 1885, a new school at 635 I Street, NE in Washington D.C. was renamed the "Blair School" in honor of Francis P. Blair Sr.The school was closed prior to 1978 when the building became the home of Blair House, a large Transitional Rehabilitation housing facility.

Media portrayal

• InSteven Spielberg'sLincoln(2012), Preston Blair is played byHal Holbrook.
• InRonald Maxwell'sGods and Generals(2003), Preston Blair is played byMalachy McCourt.

Neither Spielberg's nor Maxwell's production teams elected to actually portray Francis Preston Blair particularly faithfully. Whereas in real life, he was of a spindly frame, bald, and clean-shaven, both films portray him as overweight, and whileLincolnportray him as having a great mop of hair by the standards of the time,Gods and Generalsportray him as having a handlebar moustache. This is highly curious, seeing both movies otherwise went out of their ways to secure as aesthetically a realistic depiction of the era and the people therein as possible.

See also

• Old Court – New Court controversy

References

Attribution:

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Chisholm, Hugh,ed. (1911). "Blair, Francis Preston".Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 4 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 33.

Further reading

• Blair, Francis P.A Voice from the Grave of Jackson: Letter from Francis P. Blair to a Public Meeting in New York, Held April 29, 1856.Washington: Buell & Blanchard, printers, 1856.
• The Papers of the Blair Family.Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress, 1988.
• Laas, Virginia J.Wartime Washington: The Civil War Letters of Elizabeth Blair Lee.Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1991.
• Smith, Elbert B.Francis Preston Blair.New York: Free Press, 1980.
• Smith, William E. Francis P.Blair: Pen-executive of Andrew Jackson.Cedar Rapids: The Torch Press, 1931.
• Smith, William E.The Francis Preston Blair Family in Politics, 2 vols.New York: The Macmillan Company, 1933.

External links

• Francis Preston BlairatFind a Grave
• Blair HouseArchived2016-03-17 at theWayback Machine
• Blair family papersfromPrinceton University Library. Special Collections