The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1881-09-28
JAMES A. GARFIELD.
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Garfield, who had emigrated from New lofk,
lived on a small farm, and II was as much as he
could do 10 support his family which, after the
birth of Sames contested of his wife and four
children. Before James was two years old his
father died. Tho family life before had been
close and hard enough; now IL became closer
and harder. Bit the widow was woman OF
unusual energy, faith and courage. She said
the children should not be separated but kept
together, and that the home should be MAIN
tAinod as when its head was living. The battle
was hard one, but she won it., and not until
James reached his seventeenth year did he
leave home Much earlier than that, however,
he learned the carpenters trade, and thereby
assisted in supporting the family. Mesnwhile
he was able to pick up the rudiments of an edu-
cation by attending the district school q few
months in each year, even after he had begun
to work at his@trade. In his seventeenth year
he obtained employmentasa as q driver on tho tow
path of the Ohio canal, and soon rose to the
rank of q boatman, the ambition of his life
being TO become sailor on the lakes. few
months on the canal, with the hardship and
exposure incident to such life, brought on an
attack of fever and ague in the fall of 1913, and
young Garfield was laid up in sick bed for
three months.
When he had recovered, he postponed his
contemplated venture on the lakes and, in
March, 1S49, he entered Geaugs academy, q
high school in an adjoining county. His
mother had saved a small sum Of money, which
she gave to him when he started for this
school After that he never had dollar that
he did not earn. But his means were too linn
tied to permit him to pay the regular board
bills at the academy, and so he took with him
from home few cooking utensils, and renting
a room in an old farmhouse near by. prepared
his own meals. He soon found employment
with carpenters of the village, and by working
mornings, evenings and Saturdays earned
enough TO pay his way. The summer vacation
II. u
the fall term opened he had money enough laid
up to pay his tuition and give him start again.
The close of this fall term found him competent
to teach district school for the winter the
avails of which were sufficient to pay his ex-
penses for the spring and fall terms at the
academy. He continued in this way for several
years, teaching term each winter, and attend
ing the academy through the spring and fall,
keeping up with his class during his absence by
private study.
by the summer OF 1854 young Garfield, then
twenty-three years old, had prosecuted his
studies as far as the academies of his native
region eould carry him. He resolved to go to
college, calculating that he could complete the
ordinary course of study in two years. From
his school teaching and carpenter work he had
saved about half enough to pay expenses. To
obtain the rest of the money he procured a life
insurance policy, which he assigned gentle
man who loaned him what funds he needed,
knowing that if he lived he would pay it, and If
he died the policy would secure it. In the fall
of 1854, young Garfield was admitted to the
junior class of Williams college, Massachu-
sets. He at once took high rank as a student,
and at the end of his two years course bore of
the metaphysical honor of his class.
On his return to his Western home, Mr.. Gar
field was made teacher of Latin and Greek in
the Hiram Eclectic Institute. SO high posi- +
ton did he take, and so popular did he be-
come, that in the next year, 1857, he was made
President of the institute. lis position
at the head of popular seminary, Ito
gether with his talents as o speaker, caused /
him to be called upon for frequent public ad- {
dresses, both from the platform and the pulpit
The Christian denomination to which he be-
longed had no such regard for the preroga-
tives of the clergy as would prevent them from
receiving moral and religious instruction on
the Sabbath from layman of such intelligence
and oratorical powers as young Garfield. The
latter had no intention, however, of entering
the ministry, but while acting as president of
Hiram institute he studied law, and already
began to take part in political affairs.
In 1853, at the age of twenty-eight, he was
elected to the State senate from the district
embracing Portage and Summit counties. He
took leading position iii that body at once,
being an effective debater and thoroughly
familiar with public affairs. When Ohio began
TO raise her first troops for the Union army,
there were no arms in the State for their
equipment, and Mr. Garfield was sent as an
agent of the State to Illinois, where he OBJ
tanned 5000 muskets, which were at once
shipped to Columbus On his return he was
appointed lieutenant colonel of the Forty
second regiment of Ohio volunteers, and was
promoted to the colonelcy of the regiment soon
after its organization was completed. In
January, 1862, he was promoted to the rank of
brigadier-general, his commission bearing the
date of the battle of Middle Greek.
The military services of General Garfield
we're recognized by the war department in his
promotion to the rank OF major-general of vol
unteers "for gallant and meritorious conduct
in Che battle of Chickamauga."
In 1862, while absent i'll the field, General
Garfield had been elected to represent the old
Giddings district of Ohio in the lower House Of
Congress. He resigned mis- commission in the
army on December 5th, 1868, to take his seat in
Congress. He thus wei.t into the house directly
from the army, along with Sehenck, Farms
worth and two or three other general officers
who consented to run for Congress in 1862, be-
cause they thought the war would certainly be
over before they would be called upon to take
their seats in 1868. General Garfield remained
a member of the House ever since 1868 by sue
cessive reflections, and at the time of his
nomination to tho presidency was in his ninth
term.
General Garfield took a leading position in
the House at the very outset Of his Congress
sional career, and by degrees increased his
influence until he came at last to be recognized
as the leader Of the Republican side of that
body. He was placed on the committee on
military affairs at the start. In 1865 at the be-
ginning of his second term, hewas transferred
70 the committee on ways and means, but in
1867 was again placed on the military affairs
committee, and made its chairman. In 1863
he was placed at the head of the committee on
banking and currency, and in 1871 was pro-
NOTED to the chairmanship of the committee
IN appropriations, as the successor in that po-
Fition to Henry L. Dawes, having failed to re-
oeIve from Speaker Blaine the chairmanship Of
tho way and means. In this position he re-
manned at the head of the appropriations COM
mittee four years, when the Republican ma
jority in the House vanished and General Gar
ield was thrown ont of his craftsmanship aud
made the second Of the Republican members
Of the committee on ways and means. In this
position he remained four years, and in 1879
was placed by Speaker Randall at the head Of
the Republican membership of that committee.
Under the Democratic rule he also served as
member OF the committee on rules, Il recog-
milton of his rare knowledge of parliamentary
law.