BLAIS, André Albert, R. C. bishop, b. at Saint- Valier, Bellechasse co., province of Quebec, 26, Aug., 1842. He entered tlie ecclesiastical college of St. Anne de Lapocatiere for his priestly studies, and he was ordained in the priesthood in 1868. His first parochial work was performed as assistant priest of St. Coloiub de Sillery, and he was thence called to a professorship in Levis college. In 1868 he was elected assistant director of Ijaval university and professor of English at the Lille seminary. In 1874 he went to Koine to make a more finished course of sacred studies, and there in 1877 he received the degree of doctor of canon law. He next made a continental tour, and on his returning to Quebec he was appointed professor of canon law, a position he held until 1881, when he made another Kuropean tour, and went to Palestine. In 1882 he was appointed chaplain of the Sisters of the good shepherd, and so continued until January, 1890. Having been appointed bishop of Germanicopolis and coadjutor bishop of Kimouski, he was consecrated in 1890, and, by virtue of his right of succession as appointee, on the resignation of Bishop Langevin. in 1891, he became bishop of Kimouski.
BLAISBELL, Albert Franklin, author, b.
in South Hampton, N. H., 31 Aug,, 1847. He was
graduated at Dartmouth in 1869, taught for six
years, and was graduated at the medical depart-
ment of Harvard in 1878. He then commenced
the practice of medicine in Providence, and is physician to the lihode Island hospital. He has published "Study of the English Classics" (Boston, 1878); "Our Bodies, and how we Live" (1885); "How to Keep Well" (1885); "Child's Book of Health" (1886); and " First Steps with American
and British Authors " (1888). He has edited "Readings from the Waverley Novels" (1888).
BLANCHET, François, Canadian physician,
b. in the parish of St. Pierre, Kiviere du Sud, in
1777; d. in Quebec, 26 .June, 1830. He was educated in Quebec seminary, studied medicine in New York city, and settled in practice in Quebec. He represented his native county in the provincial assembly for several years, warmly espoused the popular cause in the contests between the people and the colonial executives, and was imprisoned in 1810. During the war of 1813 he was at the
head of the medical slafT of the province of Quebec. During his parlimentary service in 1814 he introduced the first bill for the general education of the people, and was active in schemes for internal improvements. He published in French a valuable work on "The Application of Chemistry to Medicine" (New York. 1800).
BLANCO, José Félix, Venezuelan patriot, b.
in Caracas, 24 Sept., 1783; d. there, 18 April, 1872.
He was left an orphan in early youth, and owed
his education to friends, who urged him to enter
the church. He was ordained in 1801, but took
an enthusia.stic part in the movement for inde-
pendence, and at the junta of 19 April, 1810, he
called Madariaga and other tril)unes to take part
in the discussion which culminated in the declara-
tion of independence. Being appointed chaplain
in the revolutionary army, he took part in several
campaigns, often in a military capacity. After
the evacuation of Angostura by the Spanish Blan-
co's energetic measures provided from the rich
stores of the missions the means to pay in the
Antilles for arms and clothing for the patriot
army. In 1818 he explored jirivately the situation
and public means of Casanare, regarding an inva-
sion of New Granada, and his favorable report led
Bolivar to undertake that enterprise in the next
year. He was afterward called by Vice-President
Santander to Colombia, where he served in the
administration till 1830, having been promoted
brigadier. After the separation of Venezuela from
Colombia, he returned to his country, became gov-
ernor of Maracaibo, minister of war in 1837, mem-
ber of the supreme military court and of congress,
and, finally, under Monagas, 1847, minister of
finance, but after the fall of Monagas, in 1855. he
retired to private life. Under Paez's short admin-
istration he was appointed government councillor
and general of division in 1862, but his desire to
return to the church, which he had left in 1818, at
last was gratified by Pope Pius IX., and in 1863 he
was reinstated and appointed assistant priest of
the cathedral of Caracas. His last years were
pas.sed in the duties of his ministry, in putting in
order the documents that he collected during long
years, and in preparing his great historical work.
This work, which reaches from 1780 to 1832, was
edited after his death by Kamon Azpurua, under
the title of " Documeiitos para la Historia de la
vida piiblica del Libertador de Colombia, Peru y
Bolivia" (16 vols., Caracas, 1877).
BLATCHFORD, Samuel, clergyman, b. in
Devonshire, England, in 1767: d. in Lansing-
burg, N. Y., 27 March, 1828. He was educated
at the Dissenting college of theology at Homer-
ton, near London, and in 1789 became pastor of a
Presbyterian church in Devonshire. He came to
this country in 1795 to take charge of a church in
Bedford, Westchester co., N. Y., was sub.><eqnently
pastor at Bridgeport, {'onn., and in 1804 of the
churches at Waterford and Lansingburg, N. Y.,
and at the same time principal of the academy in
the latter town. In 1824-'8, he was first presi-
dent of Kcnssclaer polytechnic institute. — His son,
Thomas Wyudeait, physician, b. in Topsham,
Devonshire, in 1794; d. in Troy, N. Y., 23 Dec.,
1866. was educated under his father and at Union
college, attended a course of lectures at Kensselaer
polytechnic institute, and was graduated at the
New York college of physicians and surgeons in
1817, in the meantime studying in London under
Sir Astley Cooper. After practising one year in
New York city and nine years on Long Island, he
settled in Troy, N. Y.. where he subsequently re-
sided. He was president of the New York state
medical society, a vice-president of the American
medical society, and a member of several profes-
sional and scientific bodies. Dr. Blatehford was
a successful fihysiciau in Troy for forty years.
BLISS, Alexander, soldier. b. in Boston. Mass.,
27 Dec, 1837 ; d. in Washington. D. C, 30 April,
1896. He was graduated from Harvard in 1847.
and studied law with William Allen Butler, of New
Yord, but never practised. Early in the civil war
he entered the army as captain of volunteers, and
later passed through the various grades of major,
lieutenant-colonel and colonel by brevet in the reg-
ular army, his service being chiefly in the ipiarter-
master's department. Kesigning from the army
in March, 1868, he was appointed secretary of legation at Berlin, his stepfather, George Bancroft,
being the niinister to Germany, and remained at
that post for six years. In the absence of Mr.
Bancroft Col. Bliss was for a time during the
Franco-German war charge, d'affaires. With .lohn
P. Kennedy he published, for the benefit of the
Maryland soldiers and sailors' fair, "Autograph
Leaves of our Country's Authors" (Baltimore,
1864); "Republican or Democrat" (New York, 1880); and two valuable pamphlets on the Halifax award and the northeastern boundary question.
BLISS, Cornelius Newton, merchant, b. in Fall Kiver, Mass., 20 Jan,, 1833 ; was educated in pub-
