Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-10-01
LEXINGTON IN MOURNING.
At the Baptist Church, Mon.
day Evening.

Speech of Hon. Henry C.. Wallace,
at the Baptist Church, Hon.
day Evening.
Ladies and Gentlemen .-........
We are assembled on this solemn oc-
casion not SO much In obedience to
official orders and proclamations as in
compliance with the demands Of the
great American heart, TO mingle our
sorrows and tears with the sorrows and
tears of the great American people on
account OF the sore and sad calamity |
which. in the providence OF God, has
befallen our government and people in
the death OF the president and chief
officer OF this great REPUBLIC. The death
OF the ruler OF great people, Is at any
time. q momentous event; but when
death comes to u ruler as in the case Of
our late president, as the result OF a
wicked and detestabie act ot assassina-
ton at the hands OF a depraved, semi
crazed and. disappointed partisan and
Office seeker. followed by weeks and
months of pain and suffering, caused by
the mortal wound, from which the Illus
trious patient is daily languishing and
dying, watched by the millions OF his
constituents. who, in GREATNESS anxiety
discuss each varied symptom, need
prayers and hopes and tears as the
strength OF the strong man aud the tire
OF lite weaken and wave till the gloom
and shadow of death thickens around
the mighty scene, and DER the hearts OF
the people, as Lille goes out and the great
man dies, then, then, is the death OF q
ruler inexpressibly momentous and
awfully solemn. tas7i u r.-,se 4.,
James Abram Garfield, late president
of the United States. whose death we
mourn to-day, was no ordinary man.
Born in the state of Ohio, on the l9th
day OF November, 1881, OF humble. but
honest parentage, early IN Ate,
he was LETT 'iatherless, and his
widowed mother, rich in moral prin-
ciples, but poor in worldly goods, having
the charge of four children OF tender
age on her hands; young james. as
much to. aid his honored mother, as to
sscnre an independent support tor him
sell, Iimpelled by, the ambitions and in-
sspirations Of bright intellect and Wig
orous, body. went forth into the wide
and busy world to make his fortune,
maybe, his mark. He first went to
Cleveland, q chiet city and lake har-
Dor of his native state, with the view OF
gratifying his adventurous nature by
engaging In q sea-iaring life on vessels
.aa7igsting the great lakes OF the north /;
but fortunately. the moral principle and
precepts that had been SO happily in
culcated into his young mind and heart
by his dotlng mother, revolted at the
idea Of an association with the vice and
immortality he soon saw characterized d;
too many engaged in that fascinating
calling, when he turned away in disgust
to seek some more congenial, though it
might be, less remuneratIve employ
ment. Ending, unexpectedly, relative
engaged in the business OF running a
canal-boat, he accepted offered employ
ment as q driver on the tow path, from
which he derived his first wages, though
at the cost of serious spell OF sickness
through which he was nursed by his de-
voted mother. Under the impulse oi
| expaading intellect, feeling that he was
/ capable t.of, IL net intended Tor some
more intellectual, employment, he enter
I ed Geauga Academy and bent all bis
| euergies't to the acquisition oil an educa-
ton. $50 rapid was his progress. that
from scholar, he soon became teacher al
Hiram Academy, and from teacher he
advanced to the protessorship, and
finally tho presidency OF the college.
While engaged in teaching he is said to
have become member OF and preacher
among the "DiscipIes," and to have been
elected to the state senate. For while
| dividing his time between preaching
and teaching, when the tocsin of war
was sounded in the land, being, in COM
mon with most persons OF his section.
devoted to the Union, he espoused its
cause, entered the army, and was rapid
ly advanced from colonel TO brigadier,
and then to maj2r general. in all Of
which positions he distinguished him
self as brave and gallant soldier. His
ability both as citizen aud soldier had
become so conspicuous, even at that
time, that he was nominated as candi'
date for congress from the Ashtabula
district in his native state OF Ohio, with
out his knowledge, and III due time
elected, while he was at the front, in the
army as. acting chief of staff OF Major
Gen. Rosecrans. Entering congress soon
| after, he was not long in impressing
that body and the reading public with
the extent and varied character Of his
learning, combined with the power and
elouuence that qualified him TOR the
| leadership IN politics and in the pro.
ceedings Of the lower house OF congress-
to which he afterwards attained. While
enjoying the full tide OF his fame and
we'll earned reputation as statesman
in the lower house of congress, he was.
in January, 1880, elected by the legisla.
ture of Ohio, to a seat in the United
States senate, as successor to that pro-
found jurist and illustrious statesman
Judge Allen e. Thurman, of that state
and before the arrival OF the time fol
taking his seat as senator, he was npmi.
/ mated and elected to The high anG
responsible office of president OF the
United States OF Amerlca-the highes
office within the gilt of the people oi
the country, and the acme OF the ambi
ton OF the American politician anC
statesman. On the 4th OF March, 1881
he WAS. at the capital OF the republic
4 amid proluse public demonstrations o
approval, inaugurated as president o
the United States oil America; and sc
lecting as cabinet advisors and heads 9
departments of government, men OF rec
ognized patriotism and ability. hat
commenced and was prosecuting lint
of administrative policy III govern
mental affairs, which augured well tol
the peace, harmony and we'll being o
the whole country, north and south, a:
i. we'll as Tor our relations with torelgl
countries, when, suddenly, on the 2n,
day OF July, 1881, in open day and il
the capitol city OF our republic, he wa
cruelty and wantonly stricken down b.
J, the assassin's bullet, while in compan,
with his chiet secretary, in the iull dis
charge of his high functions, and on th
eve OF entering train tor brief cessa
ton from exhaustlng labors, by hasten
|. ing to the side OF his sick and suffering
wife.
Thus rising steadily and siully
from poverty and an humble station il
/. life. through all the gradatious OF homo
up to the highest official position in thi
tree, enlightened and christian republic
| James A. Garfield was a true type G
! American citizenship, and striking i.
lustration OF what our Institutions ar
capable OF dong in the formation ali,
development of the highest and mobiles
qualities of man. And the lite an
: career of this great man should eve
stand out IN bold relief, as an eXampl
to the boys and young men OF our coun
try, as to what can oe aCcsmpilshc
under the freedom and genius OF GU
y institutions by application, Industry
: energy and perseverance, even Ia Il brie
, lifetime, cut short as in the case OF GU
late president at fifty years. scarce be