The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-06-12

to Gen. Wood. and which did not prop
erly convey General Rosecran'' meaning,
and caused serious disaster to the right
wing of the army. His services were SO
highly appreciated by the War Depart
ment that he was promoted to the rank
Major General "for gallant and merito-
rious conduct in the battle of Chicka-
manga
On December 9TH, 1868, General Gar
field resigned his commission in the army
to take a seat in Congress, to which he
had been elected while absent in the field
in 1862. lie had consented to be a can
didate at that time. because the period
was long between the election and the
time to take his seat. and he had no idea
that the war would last as long as it did.
He has ever since been a member of the
House Of Representatives. by successive
reflections and is now serving his ninth
consecutive term, being one of the two
or three oldest members in service.
On entering Congress. Gen. Garfield
was placed with Generals Schenck and
FarnSworth on the Committee on Mill
tary Affairs. He at once became active
in debate, and prominent i'll all the I'M
portant measures before the House. In
1867 at the beginning of his second term,
he was placed on the committee on ways
and means. In 1861, he was again placed
/ on the military committee. of which he
was made chairman. In 1852 he was
| chairman of the committee on banking
and currency, and i'll 1871 he succeeded
| Hon. Henry l.. Dawes as chairman of
/ the committee on appropriations. This
craftsmanship he held until the advent of
| the Democratic majority i'll 1870. lie is
now 4 member of the committee of ways
and means, aud was member OF the
select committee appointed at the last
! session to revise the rules of the House.
Since the election of Mr.. Blaine to the
| Senate. III 1877, General Garfield has been
recognized as the leader of the Republ-
can minority in the House of Represen-
tatives, and he has always commanded
the respect of his colleagues of both par
ties by his statesmanlike methods and
| his temperate treatment Of great public
questions. In January last he was elect
ed by the Legislature OF Ohio to repre-
sent that State in the United States Sen
ate to succeed the Hon. Allen G. Thur
man. whose term of service will expire
with the close of the present Congress.
General Garfield is noted for his schol-
arship. He is an omnivorous reader, Il
close student and line lln9ulst. lie is
a particularly well posted scholar in the
classics, and is in the habit of resting
himself" when overworked in public
business, by reading and TRANSMITTING the
Latin and Greek poets. He has house
in Washington, and has recently furnish
ed a new summer residence at Mentor,
Ohio. His family consists of his mother,
his wife, and five children, four boys and
one girl. The two elder boys are at
school in New Hampshire. He is a large,
broad shouldered man, six feet high.
heavily but not cumsily built, with a
large head and high forehead, light brown
hair and beard, perceptibly tinged with
gray, blue eyes and pronounced features.
lie has sonorous, musical voice of great
power, and is ready and graceful speak
| cr.
At the meeting of the Society of the
Army of the Cumberland, of which he
was member, in Washington, last fall,
when the statue of General Thomas was
dedicated, his speeches were always sure
to arouse the enthusiasm of the veterans
present. and at that time there was con-
siderable speculation as to his chances
for the Presidency, although he denied
at that time that he was Il candidate.