Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-10-08
THE DEAD PRESIDENT.

skill were unavailing. lie has fallen at the
post Of duty martyr TO the principle of
honest government. He was struck down BY
the hands Of miscreant assassin when his
services were most needed by his country
He has been called away from earth but his
name is written among the immortas. IL will
appear on the brightest page of American
history along with those of Washington and
the martyrcd Lincoln. His was busy life, a
life Of toll and just at the moment when the
long struggle was crowned with success,
when he was the chosen one Of fifty millions
of people. the tomb opened to receive him.
jam q Abram Garfield was born near the
town of Mentor in the State of Ohio, on the
10th Of November, 1881. Ho was the youn-
gest of four children and when only eighteen
months old his father died, leaving the family
poor and the widowed mother the solo sup
porter. When very young he manifested a
desire for knowledge but the opportunities for
gaining an education in what was at that time
tho "far West" were few indeed. At the
ago of fifteen he obtained employment as
driver for a canal boat. He was determined
to secure an education and by the strictest
economy managed TO save means sufficient to
enable him to enter a seminary. He was next
engaged in teaching school, and afterward de-
termined to study theology. He entered
Hiram's College, Ohio, when twenty years of
age, and had to engage in manual labor dur
ing his spare moments to earn funds to COM
plete his studies. He remained at this school
lege, from which he graduated with the high
est honors in 1855, in his twenty fourth year.
He then returned to Hiram, where
in 1858 he was married to Miss Lucretia
Rudolph. He was appointed to a professor
ship in Hiram College, filling the chair of
Latin, and occasionally lectured and filled
engagements in vacant pulpits in the vicinity.
He was elected to tho Ohio State Senate in
1863, where he was soon recognized as a
leader, and was n bold opponent of slavery.
On the breaking out of the war of the rebel
lion he was loyal to the Union, and was ap-
pointed Lieutenant Colonel of the Forty
second Ohio regiment. infantry, and was soon
after advanced to the rank of Colonel. In the
latter part of 1861 he was ordered to Ken
lucky with his regiment to join General Buell.
He was put in command Of force consisting
OF four regiments of infantry and battalion
of cavalry. and routed larger force under
General Humphrey Marshall. He was pro-
NOTED to the rank of Brgadier General, and
was made Chief of General Rosecrans' staff,
and did good service in the hard fought bat
ties of Pittsburg Landing, and Chcamauga
He retired from the army in 1863 with the
rank of Major General, to take seat in the
House of Representatives to which he had
been elected while at the front. He took this
step on the advice of his commanding officer
and in the expectation that the war would
soon be brought to close. In Congress he
was placed on the Army Committee where his
experience was invaluable. He remained in
Congress for seventeen years and became the
recognized leader of his party in the lower
house. In 1880 he was elected to the u. s.
Senate to succeed Hon. a. G. Thurman, one of
the most prominent members of the Democra-
tic party, In June of the same year he was
delegate at tho Chicago Convention, and
placed in nomination for the Presidency of the
tary of the Treasury. After long and stub
born contest between the supporters Of the
two principal candidates-Grant and Blaine
Garfield, though he demonstrated against it,
received the nomination from tho Convention.
lie was elected over his opponent, Gen. w. s.
Hancock, by a large majority, aud on the 4th
OF March last was inaugurated President.
With the exception Of General Grant ho was
the youngest President on taking the oath Of
office, and IL tho fourth that has not lived to
complete his term, the others being Harrison,
Taylor and Lincoln.
The life Of President Garfield affords les
son that all might study with profit. 1t shows
what can be accomplished by untiring industry
and honesty Of purpose. He was always at
his post ready to do his whole duty and was
rewarded with the highest honor that was in
the power of his country to bsstow. He on
tered upon tho duties Of Chief Magistrate
bearing tho confidence, esteem and good will
Of every section of the Union, and much good
was expected to result from his learning, ex-
perienco and good judgment. During the
opening months of his administration his
popularity increased among the people, and
Just when the nation was looking forward to
season of continued peace and prosperity,
he was cut down by the ruthless hand of an
assassin. For period Of nearly three months
he was lying at deaths door, experiencing
untold suffering, but patiently and fl mly con-
tending against the inevitable, anxious to re-
cover that he might attend to the many duties
that no knew to be requiring his attention
But it was willed otherwise And to-day
the wise and trusted ruler, tho just and good
man, the afectionate son, the fond husband
and kind father is sleeping his last sleep inI
his own native Ohio
He has left his country in mourning g-notl
for the loss ofa President alone. but becausol
there is not another Garfield d-and the tears oil
the world mingle in sympathy with those oh
his own people. From every land 10 sent the|
same heartfelt expression of condolences II
the monarch and tho peasant, the president
aud the ctisen. joining IN kind words of regret!
ssd comfort. Aud Hawaii nei, though from,
her isolsted position long in receiving the sad
iaislligsncs, extsuds to the heart brokepj
mother, the sorroving wife, the orphaned
children, the bereaved nation and his succcs