National Republican., 1880-08-04
General Garfield a, Home.

correspondence OF the Examiner ana Chronicle.I J
Many thousands of people in all parts of our
country are to-day asking about the home and
domestic life of General Garfield. Having
known him personally some sixteen years, and
by reputation many more, and AZ | was at his
home at Mentor Ohio, II few weeks ago, you
will allow mo a few minutes talk with your
many readers Of the Examiner,
General Garfield is one of the most domestic
of mon, and finds his greatest happiness in his
family and in his library. lie Is family man,
fond Of his children and of their society, and
very careful of their best interests and Of their
instructions; and MS evidence of this his eldest
sou took tho first prize for defamation, or
speaking, at the recent commencement at Con-
cord academy, New Hampshire. The gift of
the father seems TO have been inherited by
the son.
The general is plain, easy, unaffected in
manner, and truly republican in his mode of
life. There is no ostentation, no assertion of
superiority in any way about him. Ho has n
natural but pleasant dignity of manner, in per-
feet keeping with his fine and manly presence.
He is most genial man, and has much ofmag-
netism that attracts all who approach him, and
this pleasing and agreeable manner and social
magnetism comes from character perfectly
pure and formed on the basis of a true chris.
tian faith He is greatly beloved by his neigh
bors and socially is a favorite with all, regard
less of party.
Until within a few years the disciples" the
religious denomination of which he is a mem
ber, had no regularly ordained ministers, aud
any of the disciples who had the ability and
power to interest aud instruct an audience
used to be lay preachers. When General Gar.
field was president of Hiram college he eni-
ployed his remarkable gifts as speaker to
edify and instruct the people. He attends
now the disciple church near his farm in
| anI nj ibp nf tha M al tnr
ionally leads in prayer. He is truly relig.
ious man, and his faith is unshaken by new
theories, by new departures, by new develop
ments of scientists who would break up the
old foundations of faith in Christ and hope in
Immortality and lead us into the slough of un.
belief
Ho is most thorough and laborious student
mot only fine classic scholar, but a good
German and French scholar-aud familiar
with tho best writers of Germany and France
| in literature and science, and especially upon
| finance and the science of government. After
the stormicst debates in tho house, in which
| he has taken the most active part, he will e
into his library in the evening and divert hi:
mind by reading some old Latin or Greek au'
| thor He says this is rest TO his mind. And
this is what John Quincy Adams used TO dc
when in congress General Garfield has more
learning than any man nominated for the
presidency since John Quincy Adams, and thi'
is praise enough for any man. He is a great
lover of nature, and is fond ofiarm life. In thi:
respect he is like Webster and Bryant. HI
is real Cimcinnatus; and the people will cal
him from the plow to the chair OF state to bl
the chief magistrate Of the country he VOlun
teered, as a soldier in the great army Of free
dom, to save.
The homo of General Garfield is that Of {
well-to.do farmer. During this season The
house has been enlarged and repaired, under
the entire superintendence of Mrs. Garfield
1t is finished in hard maple, aud presents
evidence Of very much artistic taste. 1t il
two stories high, piazza in front, and look:
out upon beautifully cultivated fields and
hills in the distance. Mrs. Garfield is moi
only a good housewife and model house
keeper, but, like her husband, she is a supe-
riOr scholar and teaches her children the clas
sizes, as well AS pure English and mathemat
les. She comes Of good New England blood
like her husband, and is in all respects
o model wife, mother, woman, aud will
preside at the White House with quiet and
easy grace and dignity, and with an inteli-
gence and culture that will please and win all
hearts, like the noble woman who is there at
this time2 whose virtues and graces and good
ness will be long remembered. The mother
of General Garfield lives with him, and in The
new home has 4 pleasant room where sh,
has no stairs to climb, aud the late even
ing of her eventfu life is surrounded Will
every comfort. She is proud Of her los.cabir
boy. When the people came 10 greet him
when he came home after his nomination
at Chicago, and the multitude stood beior
his house, he came out upon the piazz
with his mother leaning upon his arm. HOY
the memory OF long ago years OF privatiol
and hardship and toll must have crowde,
upon her mind, and how well she has bcol
paid for her care and devotion to her son
Our first president was a widows son. Let u
have a widows son for our next president u
he has the patriotism Of the soldier, the learn
ing aud experience of the statesman, the faill
of the christian and the character aud integ
rity of u truly honest man,
JAMES A. BRIGGS.
S9 Mo1ienp avpuup Nay Nnrk