The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-01-08
GAnrIELn,s rnIuMpIr.
A Manly TrIbute from n Democratic
Paper.

A Manly Tribute IfOh " lbchiocpt1ic
Cincinnati Enquirer Of yestsrlay.
The candidates. OF strong men in the
Senatorial contest succumbed to the can
didacy of one strong man with the people
Of his party behind him. 1t was largely
the constituencies that nominated Gener-
al Garfield for the United States Senate in
Republican caucus last night. The peo-
pie at home would not permit the nomi-
nation Of any one else. The nomination
of General Garfield by reclamation was a
high personal compliment. 1t was " nota'
BILE tribute to a strong individuality that
has risen into historic importance from
the ranks Of the people. There were
strong and eminent men in Ohio candi.
dates for this S~enatorship There was ex-
Senator Matthews. He had been In the
Senate Just long enough to begin TO make
n mark. He had appeared to great adyan'
tage In that body. He had the friendship
and support OF the Administration. Ills
abilities are shining. He is an advocate
of great power. He had wealthy and in
nuential friends outside OF the LegisIa-
ture. But even he saw that his candidacy
was hopeless, and withdrew from the con-
test.
There was Judge Taft. lie had the
sympathy OF a large portion OF the Repub'
lfcan party Of the State. 1t was within me
common knowledge that his honorable
ambitions had been thwarted by men IN
his own party, and by methods open 10
objections. He had filed high positions
with credit. His abilities were not dis.
puted. He had years and dignities and
honors and friends and sympathy; but his
candidacy was unavailing. Dennison, an
ex.war Governor, was an earnest and
eager candidate. His long service in the
marty and the associations about his name
were OF little avail against the candidate
from Mentor. There were other candi'
dates not without strength. General Gar
field, therefore, did not obtain this nomi'
nation by reclamation owe weak and In
significant candidates; and the more credit
q beaten foe deserves the more luster Il
added to the name Of the conquercr. The
triumph OF General Garfield is 0 notable
one because OF the eminence oil his oppo-
nents.
Genera Garfield has scarcely reached
the age when the intellectual p0Seris, Oh
the average, mature. He was forty.eight
years OF age on the 10Th OF November
Though still comparatively young, he has
been a member Of Congress eight consecu'
tive terms, and the present Congress is the
ninth in which he has sat rs u member
He will have been eighteen years in the
public service in II end oil the
Capitol when he moves over to the other,
Garfield is Ohio born. T~wenty-three
years ago lie graduated at Williams Col.
lege. The few years he lived and studied
at Williamstown, a gentle village OF quiet
beauty Just over the edge OF Massachn'
sets, did not alter the rural habits OF
change, save in the direction Of learning
the simple life which was be
gun in Orange, Ohio. Young Gar
ileld wal twenty-five when he grad
uated, a late beginning, most boys
would say. He worked his way through
College as he has worked his way through
life, and that process Is necessarily some
what slow. Three years after leaving Col
lege Garfield was q member OF the Ohio
Senate. He plunGedia at once into politics
1u6 years AuOub 4ouu IGI VI POAAtIS1
and he caught the step OF the Western Re
serve. Something OF a school teacher
something Of n preacher, something OF {
soldier, something OF a lawyer, Genera
Garfield has, nevertheless, devoted prac
ticalIy his entireI life to politics. He viii
move from the House to the. Senate with
out a lapse. lie will go to the more state
" branch OF the Congress thoroughly
trained and equipped by long years Of ex
perience in public life which have beer
studiously employed.
We predict that Garfield's Senatorial ca
reer will be a successful one. Some mer
suffer by going from the House to the Sen
ate. Blaine was a King in the House, bu'
is not a leader in the Senate. Even Voor
hees was relatively greater in the HOUSE
than he is in the Senate. Garfield, We
believe, will increase in the Senate the
reputation he has made in the House
He has much Of the Senatorial manner
and Of the Senatorial temper. He is pains
taking, industrious, thoughtful, with q
delightful prejudice in favor OF scholarly
things. He is sometimes partisan to the
last degree, and his partisanship has driven
him into inconsistencies; but he will cred
itably represent his party in Ohio in the
Senate Of the United States.