Background
James Blount was born on September 12, 1837, in Clinton, Georgia, United States, the son of Thomas and Mary (Ricketts) Blount.
James Blount was born on September 12, 1837, in Clinton, Georgia, United States, the son of Thomas and Mary (Ricketts) Blount.
James Blount was graduated from the University of Georgia in 1857, studied law, and was admitted to the Macon bar.
During the Civil War James Blount served in the Confederate army as a private in the Floyd Rifles until he was invalided home. On partial recovery he organized a company known as Blount's Cavalry, of which he was made colonel, but soon came the news of Appomattox. During the troubled period of Reconstruction he took an active part in maintaining order, and his powers of persuasion or command were often called upon to control the passions of threatening mobs.
Blount’s experience and competence in the field of foreign relations led to his appointment in March 1893, shortly after his last term had expired, as a special commissioner to Hawaii with paramount authority to represent the United States Government and to investigate the details of the crisis in the affairs of the islands. This episode proved the most conspicuous distinction of Blount's career. Since early in the century a large majority of the white residents of the islands had been of American birth, and had largely influenced or controlled the native government. As early as 1853 and 1854 and again in 1866 suggestions of annexation to the United States had been favorably entertained by the native rulers. In 1891 however Queen Liliuokalani ascended the throne and soon inaugurated a policy tending to strengthen native rule and increase the power of the crown. Opposition fostered by the American element finally led to the setting up of a provisional government, which on January 17, 1893, declared the queen deposed. Sanford B. Dole, the Hawaiian-born son of American missionaries, was head of the provisional government. The American minister to Hawaii was John L. Stevens. John W. Foster had just succeeded James G. Blaine as secretary of state.
On January 16 at the request of Minister Stevens the captain of the United States cruiser Boston, which by chance or design had anchored at Honolulu shortly before, landed 300 marines. It is a matter of dispute whether Minister Stevens and the marines aided the provisional government in overpowering or overawing the unhappy queen. Secretary Foster elaborately says they did not. Blount, Cleveland, and Gresham more than imply they did. At any rate the queen under protest yielded to force majeure and appealed to the United States Government for justice. Dole dispatched five commissioners to negotiate a treaty of annexation. They reached Washington on February 3; the treaty was drafted and sent to the president on February 14, and submitted to the Senate on February 15, with an urgent recommendation of "prompt action. " March 4 however found it still unratified, and Cleveland's first official act was to withdraw it and send Blount out to investigate. Meanwhile at the request of the provisional government Stevens had accepted the islands as a protectorate of the United States, and raised the American flag over the Government House. Commissioner Blount promptly arrived at Honolulu and, convinced by his early investigations of the complicity of American interests in the revolution, he ordered the flag lowered and the marines withdrawn, putting an end to the protectorate. Stevens resigned and was recalled in May, and Blount was appointed minister in his place, remaining in Hawaii until August. On his return the report of his investigations was accepted by the President as decisive.
On December 18 Cleveland sent to Congress a message which contained the words: "By an act of war, committed with the participation of a diplomatic representative of the United States, and without the authority of Congress, the government of a feeble but friendly and confiding people has been overthrown. A substantial wrong has been done, which we should endeavor to repair . " The report and the President's action were received by the country at large with conflicting sentiments, and not a little excited opposition was expressed. The high motives of the commissioner, however, remain unimpeached. His outstanding characteristic seems to have been unswerving integrity and devotion to duty. This was recognized in the remarkable tributes paid him by his colleagues of the House on the occasion of his retirement. He spent the last decade of his life in the practise of law in Macon and in the care of his country estate.
James Blount was a member of Democratic party. In 1872 he was elected to the federal House of Representatives from the sixth congressional district, and retained his seat by successive elections until 1893, when he declined further nomination.
In appearance Blount was of medium stature, florid complexion, a penetrating steel-gray eye before which falsehood or deceit trembled. His fine head of hair became snowy white very early in life, giving him distinction among the members of the House.
James blount was married to Eugenia Wiley, daughter of Dr. Jack Barnett Wiley and Ann Clapton Wiley.