Morris tribune., 1880-06-17

Houses. His committee service during his
second term was on the ways and means,
which was quite to his taste, for It gave him
an opportunity 70 prosecute the studies In \
finance ana political economy which he had
always felt q fondness for. He was a hard
worker and great reader In those days, 20.
Ing home with his arms full Of books from
the Congressional library and sitting up late
nights to read them. It was then that he
laid the foundations OF the convictions on the
held to firmly amid all the storms Of political
agitation. He was renominated In 1854, with.
out opposition, but In 1865, Mr.. Hutchins,
whom he had supplanted, made an effort to
defeat him. Hutchlns canvassed the district
thoroughly, but the convention nominated
fairfield by reclamation. He has had no CD.
Liberals and Democrats united to beat him !
out his majority was larger than ever. In
1874 the Greenbackers and Democrats com.
bined and put up popular soldier against
him, but they made no impression on the re.
suit. The Ashtabula district as 1t Is generally
called, Is the most faithful to It's representa-
tiVes OF any in the North It has had but four
members In half century.
In the Fortieth Congress General Garfield
was chairman of the committee on military
affairs. In the Forty first he was given the
chairmanship OF banking ard currency,
which he liked much better, because It was
In the line OF his financial studies. His next
promotion was to the craftsmanship OF the
appropriations committee which he held un-
I'll the Democrats came into power In the
House In 1875. HIS chief work ON that CON-
mittee was steacy and judicious reduction
OF the expenses OF the government. in ali
the political struggles in Congress he has
borne leading part, his clear, vigorous and
moderate style OF argument making him one
OF the most effective debaters In either House.
When James G. Blaine went to the Senate,
In 1877, the mantle Of Republican leadership
in the House was by common consent placed
upon Garfield. and he has worn 1t ever since.
In January last General Garfield was elected
to the Senate TO the seat which will be va
Gated by Allen G. Thurman on the 4th of
March, 1881. He received the unanimous
vote OF the Republican caucus, an honor never
given to any man of any party in the State OF
Ohio. Since his election he has been the
recipient Of many complimentary manifesta-
| tons in Washington and in Ohio
aARF1ELD As A LEADER.
As Q leader in the House he is more cautious
and less dashing than Blaine, and his Judicial
turn of mind makes him too prone to look for
| two sides of o question for him to be an eff
| Glen. partisan. When the issue fairly touches
his convictions. however, he becomes thorough
| ly aroused and strikes tremendous blows.
| Blaine's tactics were to continually hsrrAss
| the enemy by sharpshoOting surprises and
| picket firing. Garfield waits for an oppor-
tunity to deliver . pitched battle, and his
| generalship is shown to best advantage when
the fight is . fair one and waged on grounds
| where each party thinks itself strongest. Then
| his solid shot of argument are exceedingly
| effective. On the stump Garfield is one of the
very best orators IN the Republican party. he
| has good voice, an air of evident sincerity,
| great clearness and vigor of statement and
way of knitting his arguments together 80 a.
| to make q speech deepen its impression on the
mind of the nearer until the climax Ia reached.
OF his industry and Btudious habits great
deal might be said, but single illustration
| will have to suffice here. Once during the
busiest part of very busy session &C Washing
barricade Of books. This was NO unusual
| sight, but when glanced 1t the volumes saw
that they were all different editions of Horace,
or books relating to that poet. II find / am
! overworked and need recreation, said the gen.
eral Now my theory il that the best
way to rest the mind is not to let it be
idle, but to put it at something quite outside
| of the ordinary line of its employment. 80 ]
| am resting by learning all the Congressional
library can show about Horace and the various
editions and translAtions of his poems"
| GARFIELD AT HOME.
General Garfield is the possessor of two
houses, and his family migrates twice q year.
Some ten years ago, finding how unsatisfactory
| life was in hotels and boarding houses, be
| bought lot of ground on the corner of Thir-
tenth and streets, in Washington, and with
| money borrowed of friend built q plain, sub
| stantial three story house. A wing was ex-
tended afterwards to make room for the fast
growing library. The money was repaid in
| time, and was probably saved in great part
from what would otherwise have gone to land.
lords. The children grew MP in pleasant home
| surroundings, and the house became q centre
of much simple and cordial hospitality. Five
or six years ago, the little cottage at Hiram
was sold, and for q time the only
residence the Gar8elds had in
his district was summer house
he built on Little Mountain, bold elevation
in Lake county, which commands o view of
thirty miles of rich farming country stretched
along the shore of Lake Erie. Three years ago
he bought q farm in Mentor, in the same
county, lying on both sides of the Lake Shore
& Michigan Southern railroad. Here his fam
lily spend all the time when he is free from his
duties in Washington. The farm house is q
low. old fashioned, story and half building
but its limited Accommodations have been sup
plemented by numerous out buildings, one Of
which General Garfield uses for office and lib.
rary purposes. The farm contains about one
hundred and twenty acres of excellant land, in
high state of cultivation, and the Congress
man finds q recreation, of which he never tires,
in directing the field work and making inn.
provements in the buildings, fences
t and Orchards miles Cleveland is . Gnly
|
is post Office and q railway station within hall
, mile, and the pretty country town of Paines.
Ville is but FIVE miles distant. One of the pleas
ures of summer life on the Garfield farm in I
drive of two miles through the woods to tn
lake shore and q bath in the breakers.
General Garfield has five children living, and
has Lost two, who died in infancy. The two old
er boys Harry and James, are now at school in
New Hampshire. Mary. or Molly, as everybody
calls her, is handsome, rosy-cheeked girl Of
about Ia. The two younger boys are named
Irwin and Abram. The Generals mother il
Btlll living and has long been q member of hil
family. She il an intelligent and energetic old
lady, with . clear head and strong will, and
keeps we'll posted in the news of the day and il
very proud of her sons career, though more
liberal of criticism than of praise.
General Garfeld's district lies in the extreme
!. northeastern corner of Ohio, and now embraces
the counties Of Ashtsbula, Trumbull, Geauga
; Lake and Mahoning. His old home couAty Of
!, Portage was detached from IL year ago. With
the exception of the coal and iron regions il
the extreme southern part, the district is purely
! q rural one, and 10 inhabited by population
! of pure New England ancestry. It is claimed
that there is less ilitt racy in proportion to tn
. population than in any other district In tn
United States. -
In person General Garfield is six feet high
, broad-shouldered and strongly built. He ha
. an unusually large head. that seems to b
three fourths forehead, light brown hair and
, beard, large, light blue eyes, . prominent nos
: and full cheeks. He dr. sses plainly, Ia font
of broad brimmed SLOUGH hats and stout boots
, eats heartily, cares nothing for luxurious iv
ing, is thoroughly temperate in all respect
|, save in that Of brain work, and 10 devoted :,
his wife and children and very fond of hi
country home. Among men he is genial, up
{ proachable oOmpanionable and . remarkabl!
entertaining talker.
Excellent reasons exist why Thomas Eclet
7 trio Oil should be used by persons trouble
with affections of the throat or lungs, sore
!. upon the skin, rheumatic pain, corn