 Philadelphia 's law libraries gave Blaine the chance to at last begin to study the law , but in 1853 he received a more tempting offer : to become editor and co @-@ owner of the Kennebec Journal . Blaine had spent several vacations in his wife 's native state of Maine and had become friendly with the Journal 's editors . When the newspaper 's founder , Luther Severance , retired , Blaine was invited to purchase the publication along with co @-@ editor Joseph Baker . He quickly accepted , borrowing the purchase price from his wife 's brothers . Baker soon sold his share to John L. Stevens , a local minister , in 1854 . The Journal had been a staunchly Whig newspaper , which coincided with Blaine 's and Stevens 's political opinions . The decision to become a newspaperman , unexpected as it was , started Blaine on the road to a lifelong career in politics . Blaine 's purchase of the Journal coincided with the demise of the Whig party and birth of the Republican party , and Blaine and Stevens actively promoted the new party in their newspaper . The newspaper was financially successful , and Blaine was soon able to invest his profits in coal mines in Pennsylvania and Virginia , forming the basis of his future wealth . 
