Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1881-10-01
NORTHERN TRIBUNE.
SATURDAY OCTO Der 1, 1881.
The People. Love for Garfield.

we take the following address, showing
the impression made upon a foreigner,
during an extended trip through this
country, by the manifestations of love
by the people for their suffering Presi-
dent.
The following brief address was given
on the above subject by the Rev. Stuart
j. Reid. who has just returned from
visit to America, in the Fulshaw Con-
gregational School, on Wednesday eve
ning:-"Sixteen years ago last April,
when President Lincoln fell victim to
the bullet of an assassin, great crowd
was surging round the Stock Exchange
in Wall-street, New York, full of fierce
indignation, not only against the mis-
creant who had fired the fatal shot, but
also against the conductors Of one of the
public journals of the city, who had dar-
ed to write at that moment some bitter
words about the murdered emancipation
of the slaves. A minute later an excit-
ed mob would have been hurrying on to
wreak its vengence on the Office of the
newspaper in question, and a riot seemed
inevitable. At that moment a man
stepped out of the Exchange, waving
wildly over his head paper, and beck
Oning to the people to listen. Another
telegram from Washington he cried,
and in moment the crowd turned and
fiOcked to the steps on which the speaker
stood. Then in clear distinct voice
that rang through the multitude and
thrilled many hearts, the man who had
caused this sudden diversion spoke
again: Fellow citizens Clouds and
darkness are around about God His
pavilion is dark waters and thick clouds
of the skies Justice and judgement
are the habitation of His throne Mercy
and truth shall go before His face !
Fellow citizens! God reigns, and the
Government of Washington still lives!'
The speaker was James A. Garfield
that poor, wounded President of to-day
and the crowd, it is said, awed by his
words, melted slowly away, and gave up
the proposed attack on the journal that
had maligned Abraham Lincoln. 1
spent several Sundays on American soil.
The first at Quebec, the second at Mont
real, the third at Winnipeg, the fourth
at the falls of Niagara, the fifth at Otta-
wa, the sixth at Saratoga, and the
seventh at Boston. Two of those Sun
days were already passed, and the third
was rapidly approaching when the dark
and terrible tidings, the attack on Pres
ident Garfield, rang from end to end of
the American continent, and startled in
to sudden sorrow forty millions of peO-
pie. l shall never forget that Saturday,
the End of July, 1881. L was travelling
all the morning through the rich past
ures of Minnesota, and was signing for
the termination of journey which had
already extended without break for
60. tfrtf 20 nd II
for Manitoba, and had left Montreal on
Tuesday evening, and had been travel
ing ever since in q train crowded with
passengers, and with the thermometer
90dg. in the shade. Towards afternoon
we crossed the Canadian frontier, and
then we stopped at the little town of
Emerson Called, 1 believe, after r. W.,
and while there the fatal tidings were
flashed along the solitary wire that fol-
lowed the railway into the far North
west, that Garfield was shot, and was
bleeding to DEATH" The effect of that
brief telegram was electric. The people
had been lying about the car in the most
listless and apathetic fashiOn-half dead,
in fact, with the fatigue of the journey
and the fierceness of the heat. Some
questioned the truth of the account, and
all would liked to have done so. There
was but one feeling-that of bitter re-
greet and helpless sorrow; and fervently
did every one wish that at least the bad
news had been exaggerated. Next day
was Sunday, and we spent it at Winni-
peg, the distant capital of Manitoba. At
the hotel, tired out as was, that Satur-
day night, | found the minister of the
Independent Church awaiting me. He
insisted that should preach next morn
ing. pleaded, in piteOus tones, my ex-
ceeding WEAKNESS; but it was no use,
and so, at length, gave in, and crept off
to bed, telling him, If he wanted me to
preach next morning, he must come
round and get me up, or / should prob
ably sleep on till noon. He duly came
and l duly preached. There was no
further news about the President. We
did not know whether he was alive or
dead, therefore nothing was said by me
on the subject. When we came out of
the chapel the people ran to read the
telegram posted up at the entrance of
the chief hotel; "The President stills
lives; but the Drs. fear to-day will try
him." You will be surprised when I tell
you that | was talking yesterday with
the preacher whom first heard allude
to the awful event. Mr.. Bray, once min
lister of Cavendish, was my travelling COM
panion to Winnipeg, and he preached
there that evening. He was in Man.
chester yesterday, and had the pleasure
of meeting him again. He spoke of tho
news, and the people who listened were
touched deeply. Garfield had begun his
work 80 bravely, and it had seemed as If
the heart OF the nation was behind him
as he stepped out on the marble steps of
the capitol on the day of his Inaugural
tiOn. People recalled how, with sud-
den impulse, he had turned around to
his old mother and kissed her, amidst
the glistening eyes Of sympathizing
thousands. More than any President OF