Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-11-07

oppression in any form. His course in
the Ohio senate was always consistent
with his convictions of right and his
sturdy integrity and intelligent states
manship early marked as a man of noble
sentiment, strong friendship, broad COM
prehension and firm patriotism, giving
good promise of higher position and
greater power. Even then he was a
leading mind among men of much long
er experience.
They were times that tried mems souls
and showed what stuff they were made
Of. Stout hearts were anxious, and
bravemen came to the front and stood
firm for the right and law against trea-
son and rebellion, while the timid trem-
bled with fear and talked of cowardly
compromise with confident traitors. In
the midst of the fear and confusion Gar
field stood firm as rock against the tide
of rebellion. On Lincoln's call for sew
enty- five thousand men, Garfield sprang
to his feet in the Ohio senate and moved
taUenty thousand men and three millions
of money as the state quota, and the
senate at once confirmed his motion.
That motion of Garfield, sustained by
the Ohio senate, sent thrill of patriot
ism and hope through the loyal North,
and was the inspiration of similar action
in other states. Appointed colonel of
the AID Ohio regiment, he returned to
his home and reported to his widowed
mother, who said, as thousands Of moth
ers said in those times, $50, my son,
your life belongs to your country" And
from that hour his life was given to his
country.
AS military man Garfield had the
capacity Of great generalship. His mil
itary campaign in eastern Kentucky,
driving cut the noted Gen. Humphrey
Marshall, was both brief and brilliant.
1t is real, and reads like thrilling ro-
nance. In this campaign he showed
clear grit and lofty heroism with the
qualities that always win all that is
within the possibilities of man in the
given circumstances. His keen vision
and breadth of comprehension his fer
tility of resource, ready perception and
practical adaptation of the best means
for gaining given end; his ardent 10y
atty and inspiring enthusiasm and un'
daunted courage, with tender solicitude
for the safety and comfort of his men
yet enforcing the most perfect order and
prompt obedience, with an unyielding
persistency of purpose-these are the es
sential elements of a military prince
that prevails, and the materials of {
great man. His complete success il
this campaign promptly procured hin
his promotion to igadier-generalship
Had he followed military work till th'
close of the war he would have beer
found ranking high as leading genera
if not standing at the head of all our he
roes.
Garfeld's congressional career wa
that of prince and great man. Th'
18th Ohio district, known as Ashtabula
of the Western Reserve" so long anC
honorably represented by Joshua R
Giddings, and composed of constituen
cy noted for its political intelligence
moral Integrity and intense loyalty
honored itself and the whole country b.
choosing Garfield as the successor 0
Thurman in the national congress.
Abraham Lincoln advised and urge
him to accept the nomination, saying
"It is your duty to enter congress.
Dec. 5th. 1868, he entered the 98tl
congress, being then the youngest mem
Der in that body. He was reelecte'
nine times, serving his tenth term whe
elected to the national senate. Hi
course in congress was that of consci
entious. comprehensive, progressive, 10y
al statesman, rather than of scheminj
politician or ambitious party leader
His great practical intelligence and un
tiring industry investigating question
of political economy and national law
and constantly increasing his rich store
of the most useful information his ur
swerving integrity and intense love c
country his respect for honorable pc
litical adversaries and his open contemI
for moral cowardice and all meanness i
persons or politics; his impartial jude
ments, ready response, aggressive ideas
eloquent words and manly ways-a
these qualities gained him the full col
idence of friends and the respect of foe
gave him great personal and political il
fuence and made him princely leadt
of the loyal party in congress contendin
for the constitutional rights of every ci
izen of the entire country. He alway
had the courage of his settled convi'
tions of duty and of right. He was su
fciently conservative for the puplic saf
ty, yet an earnest radical on question
of moral principle and needed reform.
Many of his impromptu as we'll &
prepared speeches in congress and on tt
campaign platform, in culture, strengt
of thought, breadth of statesmanshi