Arizona weekly citizen., 1881-10-02

doubly bound to them by the strongest ties of coniugal and fatherly aifec- ton. Theirs was q model American christian home. O, God, Thou alone understandest the bitterness of their sorrow and the agony of their weep ing. Wilt Thou hear the prayers of the nation and of the civilized world this day in their behalf Surely such cry for help never before entered into the ear of the Great Ruler of the universe as this sad day ascends from this whole country to the Divine Throne, for help for the family who mOurns its dead. Bless the noble, patient wife who bore with such Christian fOrtitude the sufferings of her stricken husband. Bless the children who so lovingly watched by the bedside of pain. Bless the aged mother whose careful hands trained her noble son i'll the nurture and admoli- tion of the Lord, and so well fitted him for the high position he was called to fill. Thou who hast promised to be a husband to the widow and father to the fatherless come very near to that beautiful home over which the angel of death has spread his wings and thereby covered with so dense a shadow of de- spair. And now bless, We pray Thee, ! the new President who succeeds to the office of ruler of this people, made va cant by the calamity that has fallen up- on us Give him wisdom and grace for the responsibilities of his high station, and may he lead us in the way of pros | perity and happiness and peace
 Give our rulers prudence and our | Senators wisdom, and hasten the time
 when righteousness shall cover the Ns- ! ton as a garment and all our people
 shall learn salvation; when the assasSin's s
 work shall no more be conceived and life, liberty and happiness shall be Sc cure to all, because Immanuel reigns throughout the world and the nations shall learn war no more.
 Grant this, O, Lord, for thine own
 names sake. Amen
 Judge F. Nj. Smith was then intro | duced by the Chairman, and proceeded
 to deliver the following oration;
 JUDGE r. NJ. SMITHS GRAFTON. MR. CHAIRMAN, LADIES AND GENTLE MEN: This Is no common occasion. We have not assembled here for the purpose | of rejoicing over any grand achievement of the American people-nOt here tO 1 celebrate a victory of the armed forces | of our country. It is a most solemn Oc-
 currence that has brought us together
 one that has wrapped our nation in the
 deepest gloom, and filled our hearts with
 the saddest of human sorrow. It Is this
 that has directed our footsteps hither.
 There is no manifestation of joy in this | gathering. We are here with bowed
 heads and hearts yelling with grief at
 the great loss We have sustained. Our
 Chief Magistrate, the peoples honOred
 and loved President, lies dead, and to-
 day there Is mourning throughout the land that one so great and so good has
 passed from this life. It IS therefore
 becoming in us to give few moments of reflection to this sad event, and to
 the life of him who is now vOiceless.
 James A Garfield was no ordinary
 man. Of the people and from the hum
 blest walks of life, he was the architect
 of his own advancement. He was a ma
 tive of the State of Ohio, born at Or
 ange, CuyahOga county, November 18th
 1881. In his earliest youth he gave evi.
 Cence of the great mental powers which Le possessed in after life, manlfesting
 the industry, perseverance and earnest
 ness of purpose which in maturer year: -were his prominent characteristics
 With him there were Eo idle hours; cdcI
 moment was made tO add something il
 the gain of knowledge, and all througl
 the days of his boyhoOd, the setting
 and rising of the sun marked his on
 ward march.
 His academic course was one of rapid
 progress, and at an early age, before ht
 attained his majority, he entered Vii
 liams College, and at the end of two
 years graduated with the highest hOnors
 Thus concluding his collegiate educa
 tion, he returned to his native State anC
 soon after entered Hiram Institute al
 Professor of Languages. In less thaI
 two years he became President of tha Institute. and occupied that position } with honor and destinctiOn for som, some three years.
 , The commencement of his pOlitica , life was in the year 1859. Then but ? ; years of age he was elected tO the Sen } ate of Ohio, and his course in that leg
 islative body was marked by ability ready and logical Tn debate, and O
 sound practical judgment, he soon ad
 vanced to the leadership of his party At this time he commenced the study O law, and at the end of two years wa admitted to the bar of the Suprem Court of Ohio. His whole life thus ia 1 was of honorable ambition, and he de D termined to master the situation n matter where he might be placed or tn duty that might be cast upon him. ] He was not content to march by sloV step. Nature had fitted him to leaC an1 no matter where placed his was tn : prominent fgure-Others were guide l, by his knowledge and wisdom. The lat
 war between the extremes of our no' | common country called him from civ I life to that of the soldier, and in 1862 h B entered the army of the republi, !, Though brief his military career, hi 1, distinguished ability lifted him froI
 rank to rank, until at the time of his r,
 tirement from the tented field there wa rendered to him the rank of Major Ger
 eral for meritorious services rendere
 upon the field of battle.
 Q Garfield retired from military life thi . he might be of greater service to hi f country.
 Though brave, he was not a man ( war in any of the elements of his D; t ture. The kindlier emotions of his heal f were directed to tine walks and works ( T peace. His native state earnestly aske ;. his retirement from the army that u might have the exercise of hls grei ,- ability in the councils of the natiol '- Those were dark days to our believe country, and we needed men of h
 learning, patriotism and integrity Tn tl v halls of Congress as much as We r n duired them at wars front. In 1863 M | Garfield was elected to the House
 Representatives of the United Stat,
 from the Nineteenth District of il State of Ohio. Who can forget the Sd l. and uncertain condition of the republ '' during that term of Congress? TT
 bravest heart was filled with fear, il k firmest and most determined patTio e were in deep despair, darkness of nigl Il everywhere prevailed, and few SO bOl e as to predict what the light of day woul l. bring forth.
 e It was at that time, during that dal n and dismal period, that the clarion not l. of James A. Garfield rang out over u n land.
 ia It was his vOice-the words of wisdo n that went forth from his hps-th n aroused the nation to newness of lif D. James A. Garfield believed in the ire ic dom of body and mind, and was u .e most earnest advocate of human libert If James \. Garfield loved the republ c and its institutions. and pleaded the r perpetuity in all the fervor of his mob n mind.
 d There was no sectional hate i'll h F heart-his was the broad, deep and col " prehensive love of cOuntry-a love n .d divisible, but embracing the whole. 1 Id believed in the unity of the nation, al " boldly and fearlessly advocated its p, ,e manency. It was through natures Ii at his, by means of such ability, patriots w and love of country that the repub 1r was saved. and that to-day we are st united. prosperous and happy peep ,v God give more such men to our count le must be the prayer of every one belle