The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1880-06-17
tCincinnati Commercial
A TyDical American.

A Typical American.
The nomination of Gen. Garfield
for the Presidency will recall more OF
less to every mind his remarkable per-
sonal career. Such career would
have been possible IN no other coun-
try, except it may be in France, the
one other important republic OF the
world.
The traditional and much ridiculed
Fourth of July Grafton which holds
out the Presidency as prizeswlthln1
possible reach of any tow-headed
American boy, is not, after all, with
out a solid foundation in the history
of the United States Some of our
best and wisest Presidents have come
from the ranks Of boys whose child
hood was passed in such poverty as to
invest it with pathos. Early power
ty Of this sort is no disgrace. On the
contrary, it becomes glory when it
might not otherwise have shown.
Gen. Garfeld's career is the typical
American one. Whether he is elected
President or not, his life will always
show what good strong brain and
body and resolute will can accom-
plish unaided. 1t displays well the
versatility which is one of the strong
est traits of our National character.
We have weaknesses enough, and van
tiles enough, but this universal adap-
liability is genuinely American, and it
is not too much to say, even at the
risk Of dropping into the Fourth Of
July rhetoric, that it is an outgrowth
Of our free institutions.
At sixteen years Of age this Ohio
youth possessed scarcely the rudiments
of an English education He was
poor, almost friendless boy, with nat
urally fine but not phenomenal gifts.
He was obliged to help earn the fam
lily living, and, to get little more
money, obtained the place of mule
driver on canal tow-path. 1t didn't
seem to be an auspicious beginning
for future General and candidate for
President Of the United States, but
history records that he handled the
mules well. Perhaps his experience
at that time will be useful to him
hereafter, in certain contingencies.
One feature of his career is marked.
Whatever work he was set about, he
seems to have done it better than 9TH
erboys did. He was promoted from
the tow-path to be regular canal
boatman When, a little later, he de-
termined to educate himself, he speed
lily became the best scholar in his class
Meantime the modest, simple youth
"boarded himself" wore homespun
and worked at the carpenter trade
mornings and evenings, to pay hi:
way at school.
BY turns he had been canal boat
man, carpenter, wood-chopper anC
country school-teacher. It was a lif,
of the barest and hardest practica
tendencies, without much in it to fos
ter rlines Of abstract thought; yet whel
this awkward backwoods youth grad
uated at Williams College, he took tn
first prize in metaphysics.
He went home from college and be
gan teaching school to pay his colieg
debts, meanwhile studying law might
and mornings ~ just as he had befor
done carpenter work. He was admit
ted to the bar He never was preach
er, although he has been called so tim
and again. The law was the goal {
his ambition. But the war broke ou
Garfield entered the army as Coll
mel, and now we find the young ma
who had already done so many thing
and done them well, proving himse
possessed of no mean military capac
ty. He gained the first real victor
for the Union army in the West. II
plotting steamboat up the Big San(
~ 10
to his hungry soldiers, was a hero
exploit. He is a man who has n
vaunted himself of his military reco1
therefore, perhaps, does not get cree
for being as good soldier as he
But the incident on the Big Sandy
one. worthy to become historic. I
crooked, dangerous stream was so hls
that no pilot who was acquainted WI
it would attempt to ascend it. Not
man could be had for love or none
But the soldiers up at Piketon wor
be starving in few hours. He
termined to pilot the boat-load of pl
visions himself. He had been lawy
schoolmaster, carpenter, and seve
other things, but he had never und
taken to pilot an unwieldy steambC
up raging river. Nevertheless,
did it successfully. Much is forgiV
to courage. Perhaps his ancient
perience as canal navigator hell
him some Two nights and one d
he stood at the pilots wheel, bril-
ing his precious cargo in triumph
his brave boys. The picture is of
sort which fingers in the memory.
is one which Garfeld's old soldiers '
not be apt to forget, and, after Chi
amauga, is his last point in the W
When he entered college he
awkward and green to noted
gree, and conscious of these deficl
cies to an extent that was painful.
is now and has been for years
most graceful and eloquent orator
Congress For the rest, so wise {
critical Judge as Mr.. Secretary {
Schurz says:
II regard Gen. Garfield as stat
man of the highest order, in VIII
hands the affairs of the Nation can
safely trusted"