, 1881-09-24

heroes and statesmen. The long roll OF the
family contains the names Of mea who perl
petuated the stern virtues Of tbeir iatners
hnd, through changes and migrations, trans
|mitted them unweakened 70 their later rep
tesentatives. Abram Garfield, the father o.
|the President, died when his son, born NO
|vember 10, 1881, was but eighteen months j
bid. The widow, with four helpless chill
|iren dependent upon her, neither yielded 'c
despair nor accepted any assistance whieh
might be construed as a charity Following
her magnificent gospel OF seli-help, she tooK
upon herself their future. How ia'thiui!
and grandly she fulfilled her trust is wis7
messed by the touching and tender reverence
shown by the son whom the nation exalted
ko lis place of chiefest honor. The young
Uames commenced his school life az
the age Of three years, thus evincing q
|pr coaty and taste for study which was
|presage of future greatness. For the neSI
twelve wears his life was that combination OF
study, reading and manual labor which, IN
our earlier history, was so frequently the
discipline through which a poor but inteiii |
gent and ambitious boy was obliged to pass
|to career OF honor and renOwn.
When rs years old he went to Cleveland,
bent ON shipping as hand before the mast
| He boarded vessel, found some drunken|
sailors, and a captain who looked drunken
beast was shocked, and turned away and
walked oii-partly disillusionized, not Who'll
By. He happened to meet cousin whom be
knew merely by sight, and who was running
], canal boat. The cousin asked him II hid
Hid not want to drive horses for him. The
offer was accepted, for it flashed on young
;artield's quick mind that he could make
the canal work primary school, the lake
the academy, and the ocean the college. Sd
began his canal-boat experience, which has
been sufficiently and in some cases extrava
,antly exploited. II came along naturally,
without accident or any merely wild notion
| Of adventure, ami James went through ~
rough and tumble, like the brave and lusty|
youth he was, for three months, when he got
paid $40 4 month and board. 1t was ended
by an attack of fever, through which he was
safely carried by the skillful and tender care
Of his mother. during his convalescence
She persuaded him to effort OF another kind.
An education fitting HIM for teacher would
open before him prospect OF equal indie
pendenee and greater Possibilities than the
sorest or the canal. With Sl7 to meet ex-
penses, young Garfield aud his two cousins
entered the academy at Chester. This
marks the real beginning Of his busy. hon.
orable, and useful life Here he met a
young girl, Lucretia Randolph, who in after
years became his wife Here he caught a
glimpse of the life which might open befor,
an educated man, and here were awakened
those aspirations which only strengthened
with increasing years. At the end of Il year
he undertook his first experience in teaching.
1t was TO Garfieid's forest yht and advi,e
that he afterwards owed many of his
successes. The battle Of Chicamauga was
Garfield's last military service of moment.
He wrote every one of the orders on that
lay but one-that one was the fatal order
10 Gen. Wood, which displaeins his brigade,
enabled Hood TO break through and turn
the Union flank. After week or two OF
further service he was sent TO Washington
As bearer of dispatches. He there learned
|of his promotion to a major generalship of
volunteers, flor gallant and meritorious SER
vice at the battle of Chicsmauga." Decem-
Der ), 1868, he resigned his commission to
accept the election to congress from the Ash
sabula districtof Ohio, believing that he could
be of greater service in the congressional
halls than in the battlefield. tGartield was
nominated without his knoS b'dge, and
when he accepted it he did so wiai the belief
that the war would last but few months
He was elected by a large majority. He,
however, continued his military service ul
to the day congress met. He has often ex
pressed regret that he did not fight the wal
TO the end.
During the troubled times following the
election of 1876, Garfield was the leader oi
the moderate element of the republican party
He sat on the electoral commission, and by
his impartial course there and elsewhere,
contributed largely to the peaceful solution
Of the difficulty Civil service reform ha,
always commanded his sympathy. and hi.
well-known uteeranees upon this subject en-
leared HIM to the masses who desire an hon
est efficient public service. As lawyer
his career, though britf, was brilliant, the
Michigan case alone being enough to insur.
him an envisble notoriety. But of all tn,
Subjects which he touched but 20 adorn, that
which lay nearest to his heas was the cause
CIuldliOH - lluC dut uOblc -AlutIlCdll
he realized that upon that are built the foun
iations of our state, and it was ever first il
his actions as well as in his thoughts. If b.
considered it 10 much In the light Of an uni
sersal p,nacea, it was a generous and pardon
able error. In all the world the struggling
aspiring, ignorant youth had no more sympa
Ghetto and helpful friend than President Gar
ield. In 1877 Garfield succeeded Blaine a.
eader of the house, and for two years show.
ed himself the coolest and abicst tactician IN
either party. He knew how 10 be a party
man without degenerating into partisan.
In 1879 he was elected to the United States
senate to succeed Mr.. Thurman, but before
the arrival of the date for taking his seat he
had been nominated aud elected president.
No one who remembers the supreme conn.
ience reposed in the leader of congress and
the storm of applause which spontaneously
sKayed the Chicago convention whenever he
addressed it, could doubt that he was the
great popular hero dear TO the very heart
If the people. Hewas nominated at Chica-
20, it is true. nominaily as a candidate, but
ao one Of all the list could have awakened
,mong the masses the enthusiastic affection
hat rallied around his name. Since the dsy
oa which he assumed his high Office, this
has steadily increased, and his adminisers-
hon promised measure of successes which all
the efforts of INSCRIPTIONS enemies could no,
lessen His has been noble, seif-sustained.
strangely consistent career. He has been
held up IS the type of the self.ma,le amer;l