The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1882-03-04

in high degree, the power of readily absorbing
ideas and facts and, like DIR. Johnson, had the art
of getting from book all that was of value in it
by reading apparently SO quick and cursOry that
it seemed like mere glance at the table OF con-
tents.
He was pre- eminently fair and candid man in
debate, took petty advantage, stopped to no UNI
worthy methods, avoided personal illusions, rarely
appealed to prejudice did not seek to lnfiane
passion. He had quicker eye for the strong point
of his adversary than for his weak point, and on
his side he marshaed his Welghty argu-
ments as to make his hearers forget any possible
lack in the complete strength OF his position He
had habit of stating his opponents ste with such
amplitude of fairness and such hberallty OF conceS-
sion that his followers often complained that he
was giving his case away But never In his pro
longed participation in the proceedings of the
House, did he give his case away, or fail IN the
judgment of competent and impartial listeners to
gain the mastery.
These characteristics, which marked Garfield as
a great debater, did not, however, make him a
great parliamentary leader. A parliamentary
leader as that term is understood wherever free
representative government exists is necessarily and
very strictly the organ OF his party. An ardent
American defined the instructive warmth OF patriot
ism, when he offered the toast, "Our country,
always right, but right or wrong, our country"
The parliamentary leader who has BODY OF follow
that will do and dare and die Tor the cause is
who believes his party always right, but right
wrong, is for his party. No more important or
eXacting duty devOves upon him than the selection
of the field and the time for contest. He must
know not merely how to strike, but where to strike
and when to strike. He often sklltully avoids the
strength of his opponents position and scatters
confusion in his ranks by attacking an exposed
point, when really the righteousness of the cause
and the strength Of logical intrenchment are
against him. He conquers, often, both against the
right and the heavy battalons; as when young
Charles Fox in the days of his toryisn, carried the
House of Commons against justice, against its
immemorial rights, against his own convictions, IT.
indeed at that period Fox had convictions, and In
the interest of corrupt administration in Obedi-
ence to a tyrranica sovereign, drove Wilkes from
the seat to which the electors ct Mlddlesex had
chosen him and installed Luttrell in defiance, not
merely of law but of public decency. For an
achievement of that kind Garfield was disqualified
disqualified by the texture Of his mind, by the
honesty of his heart by his conscience and by
every instinct and aspiration of his nature.
Referring to his nomination to the Presidency,
Mr.. Blaine said:
Garfeld's nomination to the Presidency, while
not predicted or anticipated was not surprise to
the country. His prominence in Congress, his solid
qualities, his wide reputation, strengthened by his
theH recent election as Senator from Ohio kept him
in the public eye as a man occupying the very
highest rank among those entitled to be called
statesmen.
And in reference to his candidacy:
AS a candidate Garfield steadily grew in popular
favor. He was met with q storm of detraction at
the very hour of his nomination, and it continued
with increasing volume and momentum until the
close of his victorious campaign:
" No might nor greatness in mortality
Can censure scape black-wounding calumny
The whtest virtue strikes. What king so strong
Can tie the gail up in the slanderous tongue
Under 1t all he was calm and strong and conf
dent; never lost his self possession did unwise
act, spoke no hasty or ill-considered word. In
deed, nothing in his whole life is more remarkable
more creditable than his bearing through those
five full months of vituperation-a prolonged agony
nj iris n q q
cruel draft upon the powers of moral endurance.
The great mass of these I'M Just imputations passed
unnoticed, and with the general debris of the cam
paign fell int oblivion. But in few instances
the iron entered his soul, and he died with the in
jury unforgotten if not unforgiven.
One aspect Of Garfiels's candidacy unpreci-
dented. Never before in the history of partisan
contests in this country had successful Presi-
Dental candidate spoken freely on passing events
and current issues. To attempt anything of the
kind seemed novel, rash and even desperate. The
older class of voters recalled the unfortunate Ala
bama letter, in which Mr.. Clay was supposed to
have signed his political death warrant. They
membered also the hot-tempered efusion by which
General Scott lost a large share of his popularity
before his nomination and the unfortunate speeches
which rapidly consumed the remainder. The
younger voters had seen Mr.. Greeley in series of
vigorous and original addresses preparing the path
way for his own defeat
Unmindful of these warnings, unheeding the ad
vice of friends Garfield spoke to large crowds as he
journeyed to and from New York in August, to a
great multitude in that city, to delegations and
Populations of every kind that called at Mentor
during the summer and autumn. With innumer-
able critics, watchful and eager to catch phrase
that might be turned into odium or ridicule, or
sentence that might be distorted to his own or his
party's injury, Garfield did not trip or halt in any
one of his seventy speeches This seems all the
more remarkable when it is remembered that he
did not write what he said, and yet spoke with
such logical consecutivenesS of thought and such
admirable precision of phrase to defy the acct
dent of misreport and the malignity of msrepre-
sentatlOn.
OF Garfield as President, Mr.. Blaine said
In the beginning of his Presidential life Garfield's
experience did not yield him pleasure or satisac-
tion The duties that engrOss so large portion of
were unfavorably contrasted with his legislative
work Il have been dealing all these years with
ideas ne impatiently exclaimed one day. :" and
here [ am dealing only with persons. l have been
heretofore treating of the fundamental principles of
government, and here | am considering all day
whether or B shall be appointed to this or that
office" He was earnestly seeking some practical
way Of correcting the evils arising from the dlstri
button of OvergrOwn and unwieldy patronage
evils always appreciated and often discussed by
him, but whose magnitude had been more deeply
impressed upon his mind since his accession to the
Presidency. Had he lived, comprehensive i'm
provement in the mode of appointment and in the
tenure of office would have been proposed by him.
and with the aid of Congress no doubt perfected.
Further
Garfeld's ambition for the success of his admins
tration was high. With strong caution and cOnser-
vatism in his nature, he was in no danger of at
tempting rash experiments of resOrting to the EN-
pricism Of craftsmanship. But he believed that
AVID alo CHI 70