The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-06-16
Tie History of Garfield.

by E. r. Sn,aley, Republican Journaust.)
James Abraham Garfield was born Nov. Il
1881, in the township of Orange, CuynhoS
County, OHIO. about fifteen miles from Clevc
from New York, but, like his mother, was &
New England stock. OF the children, no on
besides am has made the slightest mark II
the world. Tho Older brother IS a farmer II
Michigan, and the two sisters are, | believe
farmers wives. James had Il tough time OF |
as Il boy. lie tollcd hard on the farm, carl.
and late in summer, and worked at the car
pcntcr's bench i'm winter. He had an absorb
ing ambition to get an cducation, and the on
~ road open to this end seemed that OF man
ual labor. Tile Ohio Canal ran not far from
on the tow path. and soon got up to the digni
ty OF holding the helm OF Il boat. lie suhsc
Quently decided to go 10 Il school callct
Gcaugn Academy, In an adjoining county. HI
j hired a; SIN Ill room and cooked his own fOOt
to make his expenses $ light as possible. lit
paid his own way after that. never calling OF
his mother for amy more assistance.
When he was twenty-tlirce years Of age hi
be had in the obscure cross roads academy
tie calculated that lie had saved about hal
enough money to get through college, rrovi
dcd he could begin, as he hoped with the ju
Nor year. He got II life insurance policy ant
assigned 1t to u gentleman as security for q
loan to make up the amount he lacked. In
the fall of 1851 lie entered the Junior class o
Williams College, Massachusetts. and gradua'
ted in 1856 with the metaphysical honors o.
his class.
When he went to college, Garfield had con.
ncctcd himself with the Disciples, q sect hav.
Ing n numerous membership In Eastern and
Southern Ohio. West Virginia and Kentucky.
When he returned to Ohio 1t was natural that
he should soon gravitatc to the struggling lit
tie college OF the young sect at Hiram, Portage
county, near his bOyhnOu's home. He be-
came professorin Latin and Greek, and threw
himself with the energy and Industry which
are leading traits of his character into the
work of building up the institution. Before
he had been two years I'm his profcssorship he
was appointed President of the college. His
ambition, if he had any outside Of the college,
lay in the direction of law and politics, Dur
Ing his prOteSsOrsllip. Garfield married Miss
Lucrctin Rundolph, daughter of n farmer in
the ncigiborhood. The young couple bought
Il neat little cottage fronting on the college
campus and began their wooded lie poor and
In debt, but with brave hearts. IN 1853 the
college President was elected to the State Sen
ate from the counties Vt Portage and summit.
But the war came TO alter all his plans. Dur
ing the winter OF lSfl he was active in the
: passage Of measures for aiming the state mi
litia, and his cloqucnce and energy made him
q conspicuous leader OF The Union party.
Colonel OF an Infantry regiment. raised in
Northern Ohio. lie took the field In Eastern
Kentucky, was soon put In command of a
brigade, and by making one or the hardest
routed the Rebel forces, under Humphrey
Marshall, at Titeton. From East Kentucky
| General Garfield was transferred to Louisville
and from that Place has;cncd to Join thenrmy
Of General Buell., which he reached with his
brigade In time to participate in the second
days fighting atTIttsburg Landing. He took
part in the seigc of COrinth and In the opera
tons along the Memphis and Charleston
Railroad. In January. 1861, he was appointed
chief of staff of the Army OF the Cumberland,
and bore n prominent share In all the cam.
, paigns in Middle Tennessee In the spring and
summer OF that year. His last conspicuous
m i1ifory service was Qt the bnttlr OF {llpka-
manga. For his conduct In that hnttle he
; was promoted to 4 Maior-tiencralslIip. 1t Is
said that he wrote all the orders given to the
army that day. and submitted them to Gener-
nj ltOSccrlns for his approval, save one. Tie
one he did not write was the fatal order to
Gen. Wood, which was so worded as not TO
ma%nding-iencra! and which caused the de-
struction of the right wing of the army. The
Congressional District in which Garlicldllvei
was the one long made famous by Joshua Il.
, advantage Of in 1853 by an ambitious lawyer
named Hutchins TO carry n convention
against him. The friends of Glddinss never
iorgave Hutchins., cast about for a means OF
defeating him, and made use of the populari-
ty of Gen. Garfield and nominated him while
lie was In the field without asking his consent.
! This WAS in lSi!2. When he heard of the nom
nation Garfield reflected that it would be tif-
teen months before the Congress would meet
to which he would be elected, and believing.
as did every one else, that the war could not
pOSSiDly last Il year longer, cOnctuucu 10 nc
ccpt. On entering Congress in December. 1868
he took an active part in the debates OF the
House and won n recognition which few new
members succeeded In gaining. He was not
popular among his fallOw-inembers during
his first term. They thought him something
of II pendant because he sometimes showed
his scholarship IN his speeches, and they were
jealous OF his presence: Ills solid attain;
mentS II aminbic social qualities enabled
him to overcome this prejudice during his
second term. and he became on terms Of close
friendship with the best men In both Houses.
His co:nIniticc service during his second term
was on the ways and means. lie was q hard
worker, and a great reader. Since lSij he has
had no opposition in his W party. In 1872
the Liberals and Democrats united 10 beat
him. but his ma GRITTY was larger than ever.
In 1914 the Grcenbaclicr and Democrats coin-
bincd and put up II popular soldier against
him, but they made no impression on the re-
! suit. The Ashtabula District. as IT. Is general
~ called, Is the mGSt faithful To It's representa-
tivrs of any in the North. II has had but
iour members In half q century. In the For
ticth Congress Gen. Garfield was chairman OF
the committee on military affairs. In the
Eorty-iirst he was given tho c"hairmanshi;! OF
banking and currency. His next promotion
WAS 10 the craftsmanship OF tl~cappToprlhtion
committee, which he held until the Demo-
Gratis came into power In tho House in 1870.
When james &. Blaine wont To the Senate,
In 1877. the mantle of Republican leadership
In the House was'by common consent placed
upon Garfield. and he has worn IL ever since,
In january last General Garfield was elected
to the seat which will be vacated by Allen q.
Thurman on The It'll Of March. 1881. lie ~.
cciVeu the unanimous vote OF the caucus an
honor never given TO any man OF any party
in the State OF Ohio.
AS leader in the House he Is more cautious
and less daShlng than Elaine, nnrl his Judicial
turn OF mind makes him too prone to look for
two sides OF n question for him to he an ell
Gent partisan. When the issue fairly touch
rS lis convictions, however, lie becomes thor
oughly aroused and strikes tremendous blows
Garfield waits for nn opportunity to deliver Il
pitched battle. and his sr~IIeralship Is shown
. tO best ad vantage when the light is q fair one
and wagcd on grounds where each party
thinks itself strongest. Tllcn his solid Shot
! OF argument are exceedingly effective. On
the stump Garfield Is one of the very best ora,
tors in the Republican party. lie has Il good
voice. an air OF evident sincerity, great clear
knitting his together. SO as tC
mal;ca speech deepen its impression o. the
mind of the nearer until the climax Is reach
ed. Gen. Garfield has i've children living
and has lost two. who died IN infancy. The
Generals mother Is still living, and has long
been II member of his family. LII person
Gen Garfield Is six feet high, broad-ShOuldcr
cd and strongly built. He Inns an UNUSUAL
large head, that seems to be thrcc-fnurths fore
head, light brown hair and beard, large, llEh'
blue eyes, q prominent nose and full cheeks
He dresses plainly, Is fond OF broad hrilnmeI
SLOUGH hats and stout boots. cats heartily, care:
temperate In all respects save In that OF Dralr
work, and is devoted TO his wife and children
and very fond of his country home. Among
men he Is genial, approacliablc. comimnlont
bic and n remarkably entertaining talker.