 With Speaker Schuyler Colfax 's election to the Vice Presidency in 1868 , the leadership of the House became vacant . Blaine had only been a member of Congress since 1863 , but he had developed a reputation for parliamentary skill and , aside from a growing feud with Roscoe Conkling of New York , was popular with his fellow Republicans . He was elected with the unanimous vote of the Republican members at the start of the 41st Congress in March 1869 . Blaine was an effective Speaker with a magnetic personality ; President Ulysses S. Grant valued his skill and loyalty in leading the House . He enjoyed the job and made his presence in Washington more permanent by buying a large residence on Fifteenth Street in the city . At the same time , the Blaine family moved to a mansion in Augusta . 
