The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-10-01
Walker Blaine on Garfield.

The following remarks Of Mr.. Walker
Blaine at the Augusta meeting on
Monday last indicate that the gift of
winged words is hereditary in the Blaine fam
lily. The address is so elegant and finished
production that it warrants republication even
at this late day. He spoke as follows:
Sixteen years ago, when the ''lilacs first in
the doorway bloomed," and the faint flush of
early spring warmed SUMMER hills than these
when the land had but just ceased to be vexed
by the tramp of armies, and the sweet air of
Heaven poisoned by the smoke of battle; when
the dawn of peace was breaking through a war
emblackened sky; died. by MURDER the Pres-
dent of the United States. Sixteen years Of
unbroken peace have succeeded, ,and now in the
full glory of early autumn when the harvests
have been gathered and the fields have yield
cd up their increase, when prosperity gladdens
every household, and busy industry finds work
for every willing hand, second time has fall
en- by the towards bullet, the appointed head
of the government.
Had the prayers of fifty millions of people
availed, then had Garfield not died; had the
deepest desire of his fellow countrymen been
fulfilled, then had he lived; but, to-day, as sad
bells toll from every steeple, and on every
staff the nations flag is lowered in humble
sadness, we know that, for this world the voice
of the orator is for all time stiled the sword of
the soldier forever sheathed, the pen of the
statesman forever broken. No more shall
hourly bulletin depress or cheer, no more shall
rumor bring Joy or sorrow; the stiffness of
death has fallen on the feebly beating but ever
courageous heart, and we, who watched beside
that bed, now mourn, while all that is mortal
of this great man is hidden BY the earth which
he so grandly trod.
During eighty weary days and nights of sum-
mer heat, in every household in this land one
has lain sick; tn tagging minutes have snail
like crept,when at times We thought he gained,
"a AaQtinn houra hav naesad With liObtpino'Q
speed when we knew that he failed. And now
after all the long and painful suspense, after
days of sorrow and days of despair, he is dead.
Is there no recompense for this apparent
wrong? Shall sorrows bitter fruit bring forth
no fruit of good?
To-day it may seem so, and yet think,
that they who come after u.s. as they read the
lines on history's page, wherein, in blackest
letters, is written nations grief, will read be-
tween the lines words of hope and cheer and
consolation. From that leaf will they learn
that this sovereign, chosen by his sovereigns,
worn with pain aud wasting with mortal ill
ness, manfully and fearlessly long battled for
his life; that with light heart and smiling face
he saw, with courage and with calmness, the
approach of mans tercest Zoe and that never
once did pain or torture wiring repining or
complaint from heart or lips. Let our chill
dren's children who read that page learn that
the vote of free hand, which made him Pres
ident, was seconded and sancti6ed by the vote
being such; let them know as we know, that in
the sacredness of sorrow and tenderness of
tears, party faction and sectional difference
were forgotten, that North and South, East
and West WED, with one another in affection
and patriotism, and that in the more
than hundred years of the country's
history, never were the differing and
different States so closely drawn together.
Let those lines teach posterity that, on this
day, was buried gallant gentleman, who,
spite OF Fortunes early frown, lived to wear In
manhood's full maturity the highest donors OF
the State, with honor unsullied, with loyalty
unstained, with devotion to principle unques-
toned Let the future learn that in him his
countrymen admired an intrepid soldier, ap-
plauded sage statesman, loved a brave man,
and that his pure life and noble death lent new
glory to the title of American citizen.
To-day, by the shore of the great lake which
borders the State wherein he was born and
lived, and whose people he so long served, is
made the hero's grave. The deeds Of him who
sleeps there are summed up and ended. The
story of his life, with that Of the great men
who have lived among us, will be recorded in
the Bible of Patriotism, and in that sacred vol
ume shall ever be inscribed, as inspiration for
people, the life of our second martyr, whose
"blood shall be the seed of the church"
And new, o God of Heaven, as to-day we
return to thee our fairest son, grant in thy wis
dom that the broad chasm which has divided
this country be contracted to the limits OF that
narrow and noble tomb; that the blood which
has been shed may forever quench the last
ashes of sectional prejudice; that the gulf
which has been, be for all time filled by this
our grandest sacrificed Grant that never less
than eight and thirty stars may receive and re-
fleet lustre. as our flag floats above that grave,
and that the memory of him who there is bur-
led, may for all time be the proud treasure OF
free and united nationl