Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-09-30
A PLUcKY PERSONAL EXPLANATION.

General Garfield, early in the session,
introduced q resolution ordering 10000
extra copies OF General Rosecrans' off,
cisl reports published. and he stood
calamity up for his old commander
when it was proposed to pass him in
silence and to thank General Thomas
for gallant services at Chickamauga.
Narrating the campaign, but modestly
emitting any reference to his own par.
ticipation in it, he said:
"And who is this Gen. Rosecransf
The history Of the country tolls you,
and your children know it by heart. 1t
is he who fought battles and Won victo.
ries in Western Virginia under the
shadow OF anothers' name. When the
poetic pretender claimed the honor and
received the reward as Vlrgi's stanza
praise OF Cesar, the great Mantuan
wrote on the walls of the imperial pal
ace
Hos ego vesiculos feel. tulit alter honores.'
So might the hero OF Rich Mountain
say: Il won this battles, but another
has won the laurels.'
"From Western Virginia he went to
Mississippi, and there won the battles
OF Iuka and Corinth, which have aided
materially to exslt the fame OF that gen.
eral upon whom this House has been in
such haste to confer the rank OF Lieu
tenant General of the army OF the
United States, but who was not upon
either OF these battlefelds."
When the Jenckes bankrupt bill came
before the House Gen. Garfield objected
to it, because in his opinion it did net
provide that the estates OF rebels in arm 9
should not escape the operations of the
law ;he also showed that money was being
raised to SECURE the enactment OF the
bill, and Mr.. Spalding, Of the Cleveland
district, was prompted by Mr.. Jenckes
to ''sit down on him." But Gen. Gar.
field was not to be silenced easily, and
quite a scene ensued. The next day
Gen. Garfield rose to personal expla.
nation, and said:
81 made no personal reference what.
ever; assailed no gentleman | called
no mans honor in question. My COL
league from the Cleveland district Mr..
Spalding) rose and asked il had read
the bill. answered him, | believe, in
courteous language and mInner, that
| had read il; and immediatel on my
statement to that effect he said in
his place In the House, and 1t has
gone on the record, that he did not be-
iieve had read it; in other words, that
he believed that had lied, in the pres
ence OF my peers in this House. | felt.
under such circumstances, that it would
not be becoming my self respect, nor
the respect | owe to the House, to con.
tinue a colloquy with any gentleman
who had thus impeached my veracity,
and said 30.
at pains me very much that gentle
man OF venerable age. who was in full
maturity OF life when was child, and
whom | have respected since my ch L.
hood, should have taken occasion here
in this place TO use language
40 uncaled for, 80 ungenerous,
30 unjust TO me, and disgraceful
to himself. have borne with the i'll
nature and bad blood OF that gentleman,
as many others in this House have out
OF respect to his years; but no immuni-
ty from age shall shield him he any man
from nv denunciation who is 30 lacking
in the properties OF this place as to be
guilty of such parliamentary and per-
sonal indecency as tho House has wit
messed on his part. had hoped that
before this time he would have &C.
knowledged to me the improperly and
unjust: OF his conduct, and
apologized for the insult. But he has
not seen fit to take that course. l leave
him to hir own reflections, and his con
due. to the judgment Of the House."
This little episode convinced the
House that General Garfield WAS not TO
be snubbed or insulted with impunity,
and before the close OF the first COL
gress he had come forward into the
ranks Of the select few who control the
proceedings OF the House, the rest OF
the Representatives merely voting aye
or MOI He could not compare with
some OF his colleagues in oratory or the
graces OF the forum, but he was never
weakened, as some OF them were, with
vanity and lack OF sincerity. There
we're more astute lawyers, keener satir-
lists, more subtle politicians and abler
rhetoricians in the House than James
A. Garfield, but no Representative car
ried more conviction in his words than
he did.
General Garfield used to take pleasure
in conyersing with the "old staRers. in
the reporters gallery about the leading
statesmen OF the past. In his opinion,
often expressed, the men OF sound judp-
ment, like Washington, bad made q
more enduring impress upon the char
acter and history Of our institutions than
the brilliant men. Hamilton, he said,
was master OF brilliant style, clear and
bold IN conception and decisive in exc
cution; Jefferson was profoundly
imbued with philosophic spirit;
but whether in the camp or in the
Cabinet, the quality that roee above all
the other great gifts Of the period was
the comprehensive and unerring judg.
ment OF Washington. He used to eI.
press his regret that there were no
especial mining schools for statesman,
ship, as for the other great professions,
and cite John Quincy Adams az the
only American youth ever trained with
special reference to the political service
Of hiscpuntry Entering the great field
of statesmanship, General Garfield en-.
deavored to qualify himself for its high
est honors, and he succeeded.