The National tribune., 1882-03-18
Let us Have Peace.

J
recovered from the blow dealt by the mis-
creant Gulteau, and il Is in 40 mood to
listen to abuse of the man whom the people
! honored by election to the Presidency. The
spectacle presented by the assassin, resting
IN easy luyuriance in the District jail, sur
rounded by crowd of gaping curiosity
hunters, his table piled with money con-
! tributed by the great American ass whose
name is legion in exchange for his hideous
| photograph is revolving enough, without be-
! ing compelled TO listen 10 the foul epithets
| with which Garfeld's enemies choose to as
sail his memory. One writer called him
thief" and coward" and nephew OF
! Ben Butler shocks the sensbilties OF ali
decent people by approving it Some OF the
same class of writers, rushing to the defense
! of Garfield. pour out the vals of their wrath
upon Rcsecrans. Mr.. Silanks, of the Chi
! cago Tribune, is sample of this class. In
column artiale he heaps all the venom with
/ which his nature is filed, and discharges 1t
! at the head of General Rosecrans. He calls
| him confederate, and accuses him of drunk
enness There is scarcely statement, even
| of fact, that is not distorted by malice. 1t
! is not from men of this character that the
, philosophy of history is to be learned. The
! very swiftness of these witnesses proves that
! the propelling force was not furnished by the
recent publication of the Garfield letters.
! The propelling force in the case OF Mr.. Shanks
may possibly he found in the fact that Gen
! eral Rosecrans ordered him outside his lines
! Immediately upon receipt of copy OF his
/ dispatch to the New York Herald from Chat
tanooga announcing the defeat and dis
! graceful rout " of the Army Of the Cumber-
/ and. The reckless disregard of truth III his
/ article in the Chicago Tribune is on par
! with that dispatch, which caused his expul-
/ fame he had done his best to tarnish. The
/ author of the diatribe against Garfield pub
!
political hack, who, having been honored by
! his native State with a seat in the National
! Republican Convention at Chicago, chose
Mr.. Sherman az his candidate, and when the
storm came which strewe3 the shore with the
wrecks of the Grant and the Blaine and the
Sherman, and left the Garfield breasting the
waves alone, this map, like others, prob
ably, who had shouted themselves hoarse for
their favorites, hated Garfield from that mo-
ment. "Men's bad deeds live after them !;
| their good deeds are oft buried with their
bones" The halo of glory cast upon the
memory Of the dead President BY honest
sympathy for him, in the sudden and tragic
close of a career which had deied the fierce
light that beats against n candidate for the
Presidency, combined with admiration for
his courage and patience during the long
summer days when life's taper seemed at
times to almost vanish in the darkness
which finally enve'oped it, frightened by
to settle permanently about his name,
when suddenly we are reminded that
ne was simply AMI purely human. AT
the time that he wrote the letter to
Hon. Salmon P Chase, the latter was
sixty years Of age and Garfield was thirty
two. His life had been spent in the at
mosphere Of books and he knew but little
of the world outside of his library. 4
friendship had grown up between the Old
man and the yonng one born OF their mutual
tastes and political bias. When Garfield
entered the army as colonel of a regiment
what more natural than that lie should keep
up a correspondence with his old friend, who
! ny a lucky chance was one of The most
powerful members of Mr.. Lincojn's Cabinet,
and who had it in his power TO reward any
service that he might perform with promo
ton. The star OF brigsdier graced his
shoulder at period in the war when oil
| brigade cOLniAdnucrS VINO udu DFedSleu tlS
leaden hail at Shiloh, Perryville, and Stone
River still wore their eagles No iealousv
was aroused by this seeming injustice. Like
many other brigadier- generals he was re-
garded as a lucky man whose political
friends had power TO exh bit their apprecia-
ton OF his services. General Garfield re-
ported for duty TO General Rosecrans ut Muir
freasboro He might have been assigned to
a brigade. but the death of Colonel Garesche
at Stone River had lett the position Of chiei
of staff vacant, and Rosecrans was casting
about aKlong his old friends in tie Regular
Army for an officer to eli his place. Gar
field was told to remain at headquarters a
few DAYS until he was assigned 10 duty
His gentlemanly bearing temperate habits
and fine education pointed him out az emf
nentIy fitted for chief Of staff, and III due
time he was appointed to that position.
A strong friendship at once sprang up be-
tween Garfield ami the Commanding General
The latter, rm-hearted, outspoken, some
what brusque, and of undoubted courage