, 1881-09-25

These ancestors Of Garfield both fol
lowed the plow. Neither had the advnn
tases OF education, but both knew the
value Of culture It's Ncw-Englandcrs seem tc
lhtllltlvely. Indeed, it is most natural they
should, for New England is the cradle of the
American educational system rs well rs the
cradle or American liberty. Harvard College
was founded in 10SG. Every New England
colonist WIS compelled by lnw not only ia
support the common school, but to send Ills
children to it; and Massachusetts was one ot
the first States to Incorporate in its Constttl-
ton (l'so) I'LL educational article. The New
Ellglalldcr realizeu that liberty could no
more exist without education than without
law. Patriotism went hand in hand with
culture i'll the theory aud practice Of
the New-Englander. lie sent his chill
dren to school to learn their a, b, G.;
protested against the injustice Of the
stamp act; threw the cnrgo Of obnoxious
ten into the sea; fought like Il hero ut
| Concord, Lexington. and Bunker Hill,
| III the first revolution, and wls among the
first to marci! to the defcnsc OF the Capital i'll
tho sucond revolution. Moral alld intellect
ual culture made tile New-EnglanAer
ashamed of human slavery us I'LL institution
Ut his country, and tie inauguratcd u war of
| determination against 1t. lie protested
against it III The halls Of Congress, and in tile
person Of Charles Sumner wis stricken to
earth. lie colonlzeu Kansas to make it free.
John Brown sprang from New England
stock. and in his stormy life and heroic
death cxenlpli!icd the principle of resistance
to wron!5 regardless OF consequences to self,
V,inf, Il
New-Enss ssadrr. For the principle OF
eunalty Of human rights lie stal1ed ull and
lost, as John Nanpdcn did two hundred
years before. But in losing they triumpled,
for not only were the principles Ut justice
and right for which they contcnded soon
firmly established, but death promoted them |
to an eternity Of fame.
This Is the character of the stock whence
Garfield spruilg; 4 stock whose roots pro-
luccd heroes aud martyrs III Germany, Eli
gland, anu France centuries ago; Il stock
whose Industry has caused the sterile soil Of
New England tn biossom It's the rose, whose
love of learning has made it the centre Ut
culture, whose love Of liberty has made it
the home Of patriots, and whost. Integrity
has made it the citadel Of American l1orar.
whether In peace or war.
Gurtleld's Lineage was noble indeed, but |
from none Of the hnrd conditions Of SUCCESS |
in life did it exempt him. lie was subjected |
to all the pains, penalties, and notifications I
Of obscurity and poverty. To prove his
worthlncss of descent from the prcaclers
AMI soldiers Of l.1G, lie must enter upon the
rugged way OF toll. BY tile advice and With !
the aid of his devoted mother he took the
first step. and after that the stars fought for
him III their courses. Cheercu by his mother
and helped l,umbly by his brother, he nla'le
great strides along the pathway OF learning. |
Tha way was often rugged the ascent steep,
but he had 4 great heart, the will Of 4 giant,
and no hill difficulty appalled, him. So
lie strobe onward and upward toward
niartyrdom and deathless fame. For
the country called him to the field, to its
lower Legislative hall, then to the upper half, I
and finally, and Quickly-for now the scene
moves rapidly to the great contamination Of !
a peoples pride, hope, and joy, Of Il peoples
cry of grief-to the first place, to the place
OF many towering ambition, but not of his.
On the eve Of his inauguration he said to his
college classnlat latcs-anl no nlan doubts Ills
word NOW:
i us HUNT EOIHGS IL 1HE unSHuEut. l never lAu |
the Presidential feyer-not even for Il auy: n3r |
have it tuuikllt. | bavG feeling, Uf cllt,on |
in view of the position ,ln called upon To till. | |
would thank God were Today free hinge In tic
House in the senate. But it is not he. and
will 70 forward to meet the r'st,ns:hflitfo: ard
1schar..u the duties tlIut !clurc ne with lil
The tirulness allts ability can command.
And he did. 20 forward. with what ability
md what tirlnness the country IS aware. In
four months he won the confidence and af-
lection Of the whole people. In tnur months
le justified tile high expectations TT lis 1llost
friends and si!cnced the muir
uurs of his enemies. In fonr months nc
proved that for Ills years Of toll the gods ,
la1 indeed given vast fund Of wisdom
moderation with courage, gent1cness with |
irlnness. III four months hc demonstrated
,eforc all the world the wortlliucss of his ,
lesccnt from the lIuguenots Of France and !;
lie Puritans Of England. Tlllts standing ut I
he very apex OF human glory, the grave I
'pencd to receive all that WIS mortal of the
'eope's idol. =.