The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-11-04
A Gem Of a Speech.

On the 2Sth inst about two hundred cit
liens OF Portage county. Ohio, visited Gen
Garfield at Mentor, his home. The follow
ing gem of speech was his greetin : Of
all the beautiful and brilliant things he has
said in the many impromptu addresses he
has made since his nomination as the Re
publican candidate for President, this one
ton, inpathos, and the warm outgushing of
noble nature. The company was pre-
sented by.Judge Luther Day, Of Racinne,
Ohio, to whom Gen. Garfield responded:
JUDGE DAY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. I once read
of man who tried TO wear the armor and weld the
sword of some ancient ancestor, and found them
too large for his stature and strength. If 1 should
try at this moment to wear and sway the memories
which your presence awakens 1 should be over
whelmed and wholly unable to marshall and
ter the quickcoming throng of memories which this
smcircle of old and neighbors have brought
to Here school-fellows of twenty-eight
years ago; here men and women who were my
pupils a quarter of century ago; here venera-
bic men who, twenty-one years ago, in the of
Kent, launched me upon the stormy of political
life. see others who were soldiers i'll the regiment
which had the honor to command, and how could
listen to the touching and thoughtful words of my
FRIEND the venerable late Chief Justice of Ohiowho
has just spoken, without remembering that evening
in 1861, OF which he spoke too modestly, when he
and stood together in the old church at Hiram
and called upon the young men to go forth and bat
Bile for the Union, and sixty enlisted before they
slept and thus laid the foundation for the Forty
second regiment. How I forget these things
and all that has followed? How 1 forget that
twenty five years OF my life was so braided and
twined with the lives Of the people of Portage coun
ty when l see men and women from all it's town
ships standing my door? 1 cannot forget these
things while life and consciousness remains, No
other period of my life be likeshat. The fresh
ness OF youth, the Sprin tide of life, the bright
en1ng on towards noonday all were with you ami
OF you, my neighbors, my friends, my cherished
comrades, in all he relations of Social student mil
1tary and political life and friendship. You here
so close to my heart that cannot trust myself to
attempt to marshal these memories with anything
like conference. TO know that my neighbOrS and
friends in Portage county since the first day my
congressional life have never sent to any ConVen-
ton delegate who hostile to me; that through
all the storm of distraction that roared around me
the members of the old guard of Portage county
have never wavered in their faith and friendship,
but have stood by with their locked shields above
my head and given their hearts in every con-
test. If a carry in his memory a jewel
more precious than this, am sure Judge Day has
never heard what it is. [Applause.l
Well, gentlemen on the of great events closing
a great campaign look into your faces and draw
from you such consolation even you cannot I'M
derstand. Whatever the event may be- our past is
sure lapplausel ana Whatever may befall, If can
succeed in keeping the hearts of Portage county
near to me shall know that don't go far wrong in
anything, for they are men who love the truth for
truth sake far more than they love any man.
Ladles ana gentlemen, all the doors of my house
are open to you; the land Of every member of my
family Is outstretched to YOU our hearts greet YOU
ana we ask you to come in. [Great applause
Hon. John L. Keen, mayor of North Dan
vile, Va, was thrown from his buggy on Sun
day evening. and died from his injuries Mon
daV evening