The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1881-09-28
THE MORRIST0FE GAZETTE
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. %. 1881.
DEATR or THE PRESIDENT.

died at Long Branch Monday night
September 10, at 1875 o'clock. Il
no words that we can use, nor Eor
rowful emblems that may be expos
ed can the great grief Of the Amer
lean people be portrayed. Fo
more than eleven long, weary, pain
full weeks have the people of tn
United States sat sorrowing unde
the shadow of the impending calam
ity threatened by the bullet of thu
accursed assassin, Guitean, who
without provOcation, without excuse
without reason, struck down th'
President of the Nation. His as
sassination is a terrible event in it
history, but we have an abiding faitl
that the good sense and patriotism
of the American people can be safe
ly relied upon to take care of the
Republic If sympathy and the
prayers of men, women and chill
dren could have turned aside this
seeming National afiliction, then had
James a. Garfield, our martyred
President, boen spared. Such was
not to be. Shortsightod as we are,
we cannot understand that Provi-
dence that strikes down, at such an
hour, so great and good and indis-
pensable a man. But Providence
makes no blundors, mistakes or &C
cidents. With his kind, noble heart,
devoid of malice to living man, with
his broad catholIcity of spirit, that
covered even those who differed
from him, the death of our Chief
Magistrate, just at time when all
people of all sections were learning
to appreciate bis nOblenoss and his
worth, is striking Providence
and a just one, as the thoughtful,
rejecting reader will soc exomplif-
cations of on all sides. In the dark
ened sky Of the present, a united
people see the rainbow of promise,
and from the North and the South,
the East and the West, while envel-
Oped in the gloom cast around them
by the death of their chief ruler, re-
member the patriotic words of the
departed statesman, God reigns
and the Government at Washington
still lives"
As a man President Garfield was
exalted by the distinction of being
the chief ruler of great and hap
ply people From the hour when as
an humble wOodchopper by the
Northern lakes, a driver of horses /
for a canal boat, a'student st a cOun-
try school, teacher where he had /
been taught, modest yet honOred
college graduate, q brave officer in !
his country's cause when that cOun
try was in danger of dismember- :
ment, a legislator in his own State I
and finally at the National Capital, :
whence he finally rose to the hon .
bred distinction of Chief Magistrate
IF a country extending across a con a
inent and numbering fifty millions
IF people, what man has ever en-
Dyed more wonderful rise from =
,bscurity, or what genius has hewn u
his way to greatness with a more he G
ole effort, or nobler or more de- Ii
resolution ? At the age of y
Orty-nine James A. Garfield had n
linked his nameto the prOudest place "
.mong the civilized nations Of tho :,
arth. And who dare say he did o,
ot deserve the distinction? Had q,
e been born ofkings he might have, OF
V the accident of birth, secured n
rincely honors, but being only an til
-merican lad of indomitable cOuF- IN
ge he reached his lofty place by eV
is own achievements, and from the ~
NAL boy became President before
G was fifty years old. In no other ~ ~
)untry but ours is this possible. de
-aving become the President by an "a a.
ldeniable choice of the whole peo- Ju
c, he gave promise of an admins ss'
alive ability that is rare among gu
ose who reach that office. He had CO.
cured the confidence of all sections .tin
I'd all parties that he would govern an
q country, not as factional Pres aw
ent, but as the President of the Inc
hole people. His fame will rest csI
{ upon a contamination of these he
pes, but upon what he had done vi Nj,
create that confidence. What hes
Idier or civilian has left so bright ~,
example to the American youth TIL
successful struggle from the obscu- 70 to-
y of poverty to the top rung OF tro
:, a. - -, I51o ~. net
"iu hOhOr iauder W def
lat hero Of modern or anciont ate
mes has gone down to the grave on, Ohe
tn honors more untarnished, with cab
personal fame more unstained, Ill
more universally and sincerely Pre-
nented and mOurneG by hfs peo- in c
J, than James A. Garfield, the IT
entieth President of the United An'
-. ewes
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