Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-03-01

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within or from without. But after most anxious
deliberation and the coolest survey OF all the cir
he solemnly believed that the true
prerogatives OF the executive were involved in the
Issue which had been raised, and that he would
be unfaithful TO his supreme obligation II he
failed TO maintain in all their yigor, the consttu
tional rights and dignites OF his great office. lie
believed this In all the convictions OF conscience
when in sound and vigorous health, and he be-
lieved 1t In his suffering and prostitution in the
last conscious thought which his wearied mind
bestowed on the transtory struggles OF lie.
More than this need not be said. Less than this
could not be said. Justice 10 the dead, the high
est obligation that devoves upon the living, de
mands the declaration that in all the bearings OF
the subject, actual or possible, the president was
content In his mind, justified in his conscience,
immovabe In bis conclusions.
THE RELIGIOUS ELEMENT IN HIS CHARACTER.
The religious element in Garfeld's character
was deep and earnest. In his. early youth he
espoused the faith Of the Disciples, sect Of that
great Baptist Communion, which In different &C.
clesiastical establishments is so numerous and 80
influential throughout all parts Of the United
States. But the broadening tendency Of his mind
and his active spirit Of inquiry were early appar-
ent and carried him beyond the dogmas Of sect
and the restraints of association. In selecting a
college in which to continue his education, he re-
jected Bethany, though presided over by Alex
ander Campbell, the greatest preacher OF his |
church. His reasons were characteristic; first
that Bethany leaned too heavily toward slavery;
and, second, that being himself Disciple and the
son OF Disciple parents, he had little acquaint-
ance with people of other beliefs and he thought |
II would make him more liberal, quoting his |
words, both In his religious and general views, |
to go into new circle and be under new influ- |
ences.
The liberal tendency which he anticipated as |
the result Of wider culture fully realized. He
was emancipated from mere sectarian belief and |
with eager interest pushed his investigation In |
the direction Of modern progressive thought He |
followed with quickening step in the paths of ex-
ploraton and speculation so fearessly trodden by
Darwin, by Huxley, by Tyndsll, and by other iv- |
ing scientists of the radical advanced type. His |
own church, binding Its disciples by no formu- |
lated creed, but accepting the Old and New Testa-
ments rs the Word Of God with unbiased liberal |
ity Of private Interpretation, favored II It did not
stimulate, the spirit OF investigation. Its men,
bers profess with sincerity, and profess only, to
be Of one mind and one faith with those who i'm
mediately followed the Master, and who were
first called Christians at Antioch.
But however high Garfield reasoned Of " fixed
fate, free will, foreknowledge absolute" his was
never separated from the Church Of the Disciples
in his affections and In his associations For him
II held the ark of the covenant. To him IL was
the gate Of heaven. The world of religious be-
lief is full OF solecisms and contradictions. A
philosophic observer declares that men by the
thousands will die in defence of creed whose
doctrines they do not comprehend and whose to-
nets they habitually violate 1t Is equally true
that men by the thousand will cling to church or
CARNATIONS with instructive and undying fidelity
when their belief in maturer years is radically
different from that which inspired them as neo-
phytes.
But after this range Of speculation and this
latitude OF doubt, Garfield came back always with
freshness and delight to the simpler instincts OF
religious faith which, earliest implanted, longest
survive. Not many weeks before his assassination
walking on the banks Of the Potomac with a
friend, and conversng on those topics of personal
religion, concerning which noble natures have
unconquerable reserve, he said that he found the
Lords prayer and the simple petitions learned 10
infancy infinitely restful to him, not merely in
their stated repetition, but in their casual and
frequent recall as he went about the daily duties
of life. Certain texts Of Scripture had very
strong hold on his memory and his heart. He
heard, while In Edinburgh some years ago, an
| eminent Scotch preacher who prefaced his sermon
with reading the eighth chapter OF the Epstle TO
the Romans, which book had been the subject OF
careful study with Garfield during all his religious
| life. lie was greatly impressed by the eocution
| OF the preacher and declared that Il had impaired
a new and deeper meaning to the majestic utter
ances Of Saint Paul. lie referred often in after
years to that memorable service, and dwelt with
exaltation of feeling upon the radiant promise and
| the assured hope with which the great apostle OF
| the Genties persuaded that neither death,
nor lfe nor angels nor municipalities, nor powers,
nor things present. nor things to come nor height,
| nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able
to separate us from the love OF God, which Is In
Christ Jesus our Lord"
The browning characteristic Of General Garfield y
religious opinions as, indeed, Of all his opinions,
| Tolerance was his nature. He respected In Others
| the qualities which he possessed hmsef-sncerity
| Of conviction and frankness of expression. With
him the enquiry not so much what man be-
| lieves, but does he believe 1t 4? The lines Of his
| friendship and his confidence encrced men Of
every creed, and men Of no creed, and to the end
Of his life, on his ever frightening list Of friends
we're TO be found the names of a pions Catholic
priest and Of an honest-minded and generous
hearted free-thnker
| THE ASSASSINATION
On the morning OF Saturday, July O. the presi-
dent was a contented and happy man-not In an
| ordinary degree, but joyfully, almost boyishly
| happy. On his way to the railroad station to
which he drove slowly, in conscious enjoyment of
the beautiful morning, with an unwonted sense of
| leisure and a keen anticipation Of pleasure, his
talk was all in the grateful and gratuatory vein.
lie felt that after four months OF trial his admin
istration was strong in its grasp OF affairs strong
| In popular favor and destined to grow stronger;
that grave difficulties confronting him at his in
| auguration had been safely passed; that trouble
| lay behind him and not before him; that he was
| soon to meet the wife whom he loved, now recov-
| ering from an illness which had but lately dis
| quoted and at times almost unnerved him; that
| he was going to his Alma Mater to renew the
| most cherished associations of his young man
hood, and to exchange greetings with those whose
deepening interest had followed every step OF his
| upward progress from the day he entered upon
his college course until he had attained heloftiest
| elevation in the gift Of his countrymen
| Surely II happiness ever come from the
honors or triumphs OF this world on that quiet
July morning James A. Garfield may well have
| been a happy man. No foreboding of evil haunted
him. no slightest premonition of danger clouded
| his sky. His terrible fate was upon him in an
| instant One moment he stood erect strong. con-
ident in the years stretching peacefully out before
| him. The next he lay wounded, bleeding, help
less doomed to weary weeks of torture to silence,
| and the grave.
Great in life he was surprisingly great in death
| For no cause, in the very frenzy OF wantonness
and xuta ra1n h..t .ar nl hn.I II
| was thrust from the full tide OF this worlds in
teres from its hopes its aspirations its victories
into the visible presence of death-and he did not
quail. Not alone for the one short moment in
which, stunned and dazed, he could give up life,
| hardly aware Of it, REIMBURSEMENT, but through
days of deadly languor, through weeks OF agony,
| that was not less agony because silently borne,
| with clear sight and calm courage he looked into
| his open grave. What blight and ruin met his
anguished eyes, whose lips may tell--what bril-
liant, broken plans, what bafled, high ambitions,
what sundering Of strong, warm, manhoods
| friendships, what bitter rendng Of sweet house
| hold ties! Behind him proud, expectant nation
| great host OF sustaining friends, cherished
| and happy mother, wearing the full, rich honors
OF her early toll and tears the wife Of his YOUTH
| whose whole life lay in his; the little boys not
| yet emerged from childhoOd's day of froic; the
fair young daughter the sturdy sons just spring
ing into closest companionship, claiming every
day and every day rewarding fathers love and
care; and In his heart the eager rejoicing power
| to meet all demand Before him, desolstion and
| great darknessl And his soul was not shaken
His countrymen were thrilled with instant, pro-
| found and universal sympathy. Masterful In his
| mortal Weakness he became the center OF a ma
| tons love, enshrned In the prayers OF a world
| But all the love and all the sympathy could not
share with him his suffering. lie trod the wine
press alone. With unfaltering front he faced
death. With unfailing tenderness he took leave
of life. Above the demoniac hiss of the assassin
| bullet he heard the voice OF God With supple
| resignation he bowed to the divine decree.
| THE KND
As the end drew near, his early craving for the
sea returned The stately mansion Of power had
been to him the wearisome hospital OF pain, and
he begged to be taken from its prison walls, from
its oppressive, sitting air, from its homelessness
and its hopelessness. Gently, silently, the love
OF great people bore the pale sufferer TO the
longed- for healing Of the sea, 10 live or die as
God should will, within sight OF Its heaying bill
lows within sound OF its manifold voices With
wan, fevered face tenderly lifted TO the cooling
breeze he looked out wistfully upon the ocean s
changing wonders; on It's far sails whitening In
the morning light; on its restless waves, rolling
shoreward to break and die beneath tine MONDAY
sun on the red clouds OF the evening, arching
low TO the horizon; on the serene and shining
ing eyes read mystic meaning which only the
rapt and parting soul may know. Let US believe
that In the silence OF the receding world he heard
the great waves breaking on further shore, and
felt already upon his wasted brow the breath OF
the eternal morning
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