Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-09-30

The great sacrifice Is finished. The mar
tyrdom of james A. Garfield is complete.
Before the sunset gun Of this sorrowful day
shall have sent its last sob of revorbeTating
grief around the world, all that is mortal Of
the noble, pure, heroic, most Christian and
most catholic man, our late Chief Magistrate,
will rest in the quiet tomb. From the rest
less waves of the Atlantic to the placid waters
Of the northern lakes q weeping nation has
borne him along q pathway overshadowed
with the drapery of woe and strewed with
the flowers of hope. With every hour since
the faithful wife let go the hand which could
no longer return the pressure Of love, the
tide Of sympathy and grief has steadily risen.
Sections of our land which twenty years ago
were arrayed against each other in deadly
strife, and which even one year ago had
scarcely begun TO lay aside their bitterness,
now embrace each other in love beside
the bier of this great and good man. His
death occurred on the anniversary Of the
battle of Chickamauga, a battle to which
he urged his commander, against the
judgment of the majority of the officers Of
the army. n battle which he by his wonderful
prudence and courage, even after it threat
ened to be disastrous by reason of blunder-
ing order, turned-as Garfield himself dem
onstrated afterwards on the floor of Con-
gress, when defending the reputation of Gen.
Rosecrans-into one of the most fortunate
battles of the war The army of the Cum
berland, holding its reunion at Chattanooga
on the anniversary of this battle, learned the
sad news of the Presidents death. The oc-
casOn, which WAS 10 have been only festive,
is turned to one of mourning. But with that
mourning comes also the JOY of profounder,
more far-reaehing reunion, made possible un-
der the shadow of great and common grief.
Then together In column marched the veter-
aus OF the Army of the Cumberland and a
division of the army of the late confederaoy
to the place of meeting. There they stood
together under the stars and stripes, no Ion
ger to any man the symbol OF a divided ma
ton, while the band played the Star-Spangled
Banner, federal and confederate cheering as
the old flag went up; then, with uncovered
heads and the hush of death, paying the
homage of loyal and loving hearts to the
memory of him who had just passed from
earth, while rs the flag was being lowered 10
half-m the bands played the sacred hymn,
Nearer, My God to Thee" Together, too
they made provision for the erection Of a
monument TO the memory of General Gar
field. But in this very reunion of South and
North in mutual confidence and love wrought
by the power of a sympathy which had been
generated as the two sections had watched
for so long, weary days by the bedside of
their honored Chief Magistrate, they raise a
more enduring monument than any OF mar
BILE or bronze. Such is the feeling Of the
whole nation. Ex-confederate soldiers walk
at this hour in the funeral train at Cleveland
Citizens of Charleston, S. c., adopt resolu-
tons in which they give expression to the
universal sentiment OF the hour. Those
whom national affection has Joined together
let no political differences put asunder."
The historian Motley closes his review of
the life and character of William of Orange
by saying that as long as he lived he was the
guiding star OF whole brave nation, and
when he died the little children cried in the
streets" We may apply these words TO the
death of Gen. Garfield. The children in the
streets, the whole brave nation, nay, the
whole world weeps for him who had come to
be the guiding star of a nations hope. We
had come 10 feel that no other man could lead
us. We prayed that his life might be spared
We thought of his physical life-the life he
would live as a man among men and in his
office as chief magistrate. God has heard
our prayer but with Divine wisdom. He has
| thought of what ii was possible for that life
to become to the nation when ii should be
sanctihed by suffering, the whole nation suf-
fering with him. He, in His infinite wisdom
and goodness, has heard our prayer by conse-
Grating his life upon the altar of sacrifice TO
high and noble principle, and by making it, in
the burning light of the nations love, the
! guiding star in the years to come Of the ma
TONS hope. Thus by the power of immortal
memory shall he serve the nation better than
in the flesh, if only the nation be true to the
principles to which his life was devoted aud
for which he gave it.
Studying the career Of President Garfield,
it has seemed to me that all eulogy of him
may find its expression in two brief state
ments. The first is this Throughout life he
was true TO the best instincts Of a noble ma
ture. God had richly endowed him with all
the elements of such nRture-strength pa
thence, courage, truthfulness clearness and
breadth of thought. What he judged TO be
right he resolutely and faithfully did. Presi'
dent Hopkins says that he twas not sent TO
college. He came" He went to college of
his own will, and for purpose formed in his
own mind. He went that he might obtain
the training necessary 10 fit him 10 serve God
and his fellow men az he desired TO serve Him
and them. The same oeRrness of purpose
and conscientious devotion 10 the thing In
hand characterize his whole life. II is the
testimony of one who knew him when a
young man that "his conscience went ahead
of him into his work, and you could always
trust him to do any job-hoeing, raking. hew
ing, planning, teaching, or any other thing
for he would suffer much more in his own