River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-09-29

tincton OF party, without distinction Of interest
as | have received here tonight; and youwill al
low me- IN moment or two to speak Of the
memories this chamber awakens. Twenty years
ago this week | first came into this chamber and
entered upon the duties OF a public life in which
/ have been every hour since that time in some
capacity or other. left This chamber eighteen
years ago, and believe | have never entered il
since that time. 1t was here in this chamber
that word was first brought Of the
FIRING ON FORT SUMTER.
| remember distinctly a gentleman from Lam as
ter the late Senator straightforward Schleigh
who died not very long agoi | remember dis
tinctly as he came down this aisle, with all the
look of anxiety and agony IN his face. informing
me that guns had opened upon Sumpter. Ii re-
meinb' . that, Il week after that time, on motion
of leading democratic senator, who occupied a
seat not far from that position tpointing to the
democratic side of the chamber that we surren-
dered this chamber to several companies OF sol
diers who had come to Columbus to tender their
services to the inperilled government. They
slept on this carpet and ON these sofas, and quar-
tered fer two or three nights in this chamber
while waiting for other quarters outside the capi-
tel. Here, where we had been fighting our Polit-
ical battles with sharp and severe partisanShip,
there disappeared almost as il by magic, all party
lines and from both sides of the chamber men
went out to take their place on the field Of battle
and / can see now, as | look over the various
seats where men afterward became distinguished
in the service, in high rauk, and nobly served
their constituencies and honored themselves. We
now come 10 this place while SO many are gon9,
but we meet here tonight, with war so tar back
in the distance that it is almost half forgotten
memory. We meet here tonight, with
A NATION REDEEMED.
We meet here tonight under the flag that We
fought for. We meet with glorious, great
and glorious republic, made greater and more
glorious BY the sacrifices through which the eoun-
try has passed; and coming here, as do tonight,
brings the two ends OF twenty years together,
with all the visions of the terrible and glorious,
the touching and cheerful, that have oecu ed dur
ing that time. ! come here, moreover, fell
low citizens 20 thank the general assembly Tor the
great act Of confidence and compliment to me-
do net undervalue the great ofiee that you have
rendered me yesterday and to-day. But say
without think, any mental reservation, that
the manner in which il was rendered me, is far
higher 10 me, far more admirable, than the thing
itself. That il has been the voluntary gift Of the
general assembly of Ohio, without solicitude,
rendered to me because of their confidence, is rs
touching and high a tribute as one can possibly
receive from his fellow citizens, and, in the name
of all my friends, for myself, l give you my
thanks. | recognize the Importance OF the place
10 which you have elected me, and | should he
base if | did not also recognize the great man
whom you have elected me to succeed say
for him that Ohio has had few larger minded,
broader minded men in the record OF her history
than that Of A. G. Thurman. tApplause.l Diff
terlng widely from him, as 1 have done, in poll
ties, yet do | recognize ham as man high in
character and great in intellect, and take this
occasion W refer to what | have never before re-
ferred to in public; that many years ago
IN THE STORM or PARTY FIGHTING,
when the air was filled with all sorts &c missiles
aimed at the character and reputation Of public
men, when it was even for his party interest to
join in the general elamor against me and my MS
soeiates, Sen Thurman said in public, in the cam
paign, on the stump where we are as likely tu say
unkind things at any place in the world against
each other, most generous and earnest word OF
defense and kindness for me which shall never for
get SO long as live EApplause.l say, MOI cover,
that the flowers that bloom over the garden wall
Of party politics are the sweetest and most fra
grant that bloom in the gardens &c Tins world
| [applausel and wher@we can fairly pluck them
and enjoy their fragrance it is manly and delight
| full to do so. And now, gentlemen of the general
! assembly, without distinction of party, / recog
nize this truth and compliment made TO me to-
! night. Whatever my own course in the future,
q large share of the inspiration of my future
1 public life will be drawn from this occasion and
| these SUI roundings and l shall feel anew the
sense of obligation that owe to the state Of
| Ohio. Let me venture TO point single sentence
| in regard TO this work Dllring the twenty
years that have been in public life, almost egh-
teen of it in the congress of the United States,
have tried to do one thing. Whether was mis-
to
FOLLOW MY CONVICTIONS.
| at whatever personal cost TO myself. | hare re
presented for many years a district in congress
| whose appreciation / greatly desired, but-al-
though ii may seem perhaps little egotistical to
| say It'll desire still more the appreciation of one
| person, and his name was Garfield. daughter
and appause.) lie is the only man that am
compelled to sleep with. Qaughter) and eat
| with and If / couldn't have had his appreciation
! | should have had bad companionship (renewed
| laughter and applause), and in this large con-
sttuency which has called me tn represent their
views can only do what is true to my best self,
applying the same rule, and if | should
| be so unfortunate as to lose the conf
dence of this large constituency | must DO what
every other fair-minded man has to do-carry his
political life in his hands, and take the eonse-
quences. But must follow out what seems 70
| me to be the only safe rule Of my life, and with
that view of the case, and with that much Of ref
erence, | leave the subject
Fellow citizens members of the general assem-
bly-repubcans and democrats although par
ty man as / ain, thank you both for what you
| have done, and for this cordial and manly
greeting, / bid you good night QLong continued
applause.)
Congress adjourned in March, and
Gen. Garfield served until then as a
member of the house-Senator Thur
mans time not being out until the end
of that session. But Gen. Garfield was
not destined to occupy seat in the
senate. Before the meeting of congress
again, the republican national convon.
ton met at Chicagl and on June Sth,
1880, after long contest between other
candidates, Gen. Garfield was nominal
ed for the Office of president. He re-
ceived on the Seth ballot 500 votes, to
SOC for Grant, AZ for Blsine, for Sher-
man and five for Washburn. The dem
ocrats nominated Gen. Winfield Scott
Hancock, and the canvass was one of
the most holly contested il the history
of the country. The popular vote
stood, according to the best informa,
ton, Garfield, 4,441, 1S4; Hancock
4,425, 121; Weaver (Greenba cker), 302,-
S54; scattering, 1906 Garfield re.
ceived 217 electoral votes and Hancock
152. Gen. Garfield was declared elect
ed, and on the 4th of March, 1881, he
was sworn into Office as president OF
the United States he having some
time previously resigned his position
both as member of congress and United
States senator elect. On the End Of
July, while at the Baltimore & Potomac
depot in Washington, waiting to take
a train to Long Branch to see his sick
wife, he received the fatal ball from
| the pistol Of the assassin.