Omaha daily bee., 1881-07-14
GOV. VIEWS.
interesting Facts Conoerninp the
President.

q representative of The Pioneer Pres
called upon him, for the purpose q
obtaining, if possible, some reminis
cences of the stricken chief magistrate
Gov. Ordway's long occupancy of tn
the position of sergeant.at-arms of tb
house of representatives at WASHING
ton, brought him in contact with al
men In public life, and stood in yer,
close relations with President Garfield
throughout the greater part of his con
gressional career. The interview wa.
as follows:
L noticed, governor, said The Pho
neer-Press man, in the special dispatcl
IN regard to the celebration at Pierre
that you spoke of your long %acquaint.
ance with President Garfield, and also
OF the similarity between the presi
dent and Mr.. Lincoln. Do you think
Lincoln and Garfield very much alike
L do indeed think, replied Gov. Ord.
way, that President Garfield resembles
Mr.. Lincoln in his manner of doalinp
with difficult questions, and those
who oppose his policy very much. 1t
was my fortune to report to Mr.. Lin
coin IN person as often as once a month
during the first two years of the war,
and to see him much ~oftener than that
l became an officer of the United
States house of representatives. Dur
ing all that time, although MI. Chase,
Henry Winter Davis, Ben. Wade and
MIR. Sumner frequently criticised Mr..
Lincoln severely, l never heard him
utter one unkind word in regard to
either of them, but on the contrary,
when those who stood by Mr.. Lincoln
the closest would bring these criticisms
to his attention he would always have
some humorous story to tell about
each of them, and insist they would
come around all right in the end. l
rememberthat towards the close of Mr..
Lincoln's first term Secretary Chase,
and some Of the gentlemen | have
named, had so influenced the republi-
can members of congress that many
of them
HAD CEASED TO VISIT THE WHITE HOUSE
and although Gen. Garfield had Just
come from the army into the house, as
a member, his good offices were freely
exerted to bring about a better UNDER
standing between the members and
President Lincoln, Notwithstanding
he knew very well that the estrange-
ment had been promoted to secure the
nomination of Mr.. Chase from his own
state of Ohio. l do not recollect a
single instance where trouble existed
between members of the house that
Gen. Garfield did not do all in his
power to secure an amicable and hon
Orable ~pacification. He seemed to
bring with him into congress the cool
judgment and great kindness of heart
with which "Pap" Thomas military
family had been imbued while he was
a member of it. l remember very
well how sensitive he was to the I'M
warranted, and, in many instances,
outrageous attacks made upon him
through the newspapers in regard to
the credit mobilier and other trumped
up charges. Yet he never INDUCED
i'll any personal bitterness towards the
authors of these accusations, but went
before his people with his plain,
straightforward statement, trusting to
their sense of justice for his vindica-
ton. And, during all the difficulties
and perplexlties which he has been
compelled to meet since assuming the
great office of president of the United
States, NJ word of personal unkind-
ness or bitterness seems to have fallen
from his lips towards those who have
so vehemently resisted the policy
which he had decided to pursue.
l was in Washington when Presi-
dent Lincoln was assassinated, and in
the absence of congress took charge of
the congressional escort on that
SAL N MOURNFUL JOURNEY,
. to deposit the remains at their final
resting place in Springfield, ILL.,, and
shall never forget the sad and touching
scenes as we passed along the route
from state to state and from city to
city where the whole people had
abandoned their ordinary pursuits and
came together to pay the last tribute
of respect to the remains of n who
had become a heal and dear friend to
all. During my journey for the week
I have been forcibly reminded, from
the very moment the news came that
Presidend. Garfield was shot, of the
wonderful hold which he had secured,
like MI. Lincoln, in the hearts of the
people. Party spirit has again been
hushed and at every railroad station
and postofice swarms of people have
been anxiously waiting for news.from
the president. In no single instance
have I heard anything but the warm
est sympathy for the president, and
a fixed Diet: mnation to hope against
hope and l. Fife would be spared to
administer the greas Office to which he
had been chosen.
Do you not think governor, that
the people of Dakota feel an unusual
sense of gratitude toward President
Garfield for his prompt action IN re-
spending to your appeal in their be-
half for aid during the recent floods IN
southeastern Dakotal Yes, l presume
they do, and / can assure you that
they ought to feel grateful, for when
Secretary Hand, ex-Gov. Edmunds,
Rev. Joseph Ward, Bartlett IrlPp
and Mayor Sadborn of Yankton tele-
graphed me at Washington saying
that from 5000 to 5000 people were
rendered houseless and were suffering
from cold and hunger, and that the
government must extend immediate
relief, President Garfield said, al
though this will have to be done out
side of law and can only continue un,
til private charity can intervene, 1t
shall be done as quickly as the tele-
graph can convey the order to the
commander of that department; and