Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-03-09
adaptation to new and enlarged field of Ia

of the obstacles in his way impelled always
that much might be done by his administra-
ton toward restoring harmony between the
different sections of the Union. He was anx
ious to go South and speak to the people AS
early as April he had Intellectually endeavor-
cd to arrange for a trip to Nashville, whittier
again disappointed a few weeks later, to find
that he could not go to South Carolina, to
victory of the Cowpens. But for the autumn
he definitely counted on being present at
three memorable assemblies in the South
the celebration at Yorktown, the opening of
the cotton exposition at Atlanta, and the
meeting of the Army of the Cumberland at
over in his mind his addresses for each
occasion, and the three taken together
be said to friend gave him the exact scope
and verge which he needed. At Yorktown
! he would have before him the associations of
100 years that bound the South and North in
, a common victory. At Atlanta he would pre-.
| Sent the material interest and the industrial
development, which appealed to the thrift
and independence of every househould, and
which should unite the two sections by the
instinct of seif-interest and self defense. At
Chattanooga he would revive the memories
of the war only to show that, after all it's dis
aster and all its suffering, the country was
dissoluble and the future, through the agony
and blood OF one generation, made brighter
! and better for all.
GarfieId's ambition for the success of his
! Administration was high. With strong eau
| ton and conservatism in his nature, he was
in no danger of attempting rash experiments
| or of resorting to the empircsm of statesman
| ship. but he believed that renewed and closer
| attention should be given to questions affect
ing the material 81 Interests and com
| He believed that our continental relations ex-
| ten@ive and undeveloped as they are, in
| vOlved responsibility, ANA could be cultivated
| into profitable friendship Or be abandoned to
harmful Indifference or lasting enmity. He
! believed with equal confidence, that an eS-
sentlal torerunner to a new era OF national
progress must be Il feeling of cOntentiuant in
every section OF the Union, and generous
ernm mt would be common to all Himself
| conspicuous illustration of what ability and
ambition may do under Republican institu
tiOns, he loved his country with a passion
of patriotic devotion, and every waking
| Thought was given to her advancement He
was an American in all his aspirations and he
looked to the destiny and intuence of the
United states with the philosophic composure
of Jetferso1 and the demon strative confidence
OF John Adams. The political events which
disturbed the Presidents serenity for many
important chapter in his career, and in his
own Judgment involved questions of principle
and OF right which are vitality essential to
the constitutional administration OF the Fed
eral Government.
1t would be out of place here and now to
speak the language of the controversy, but
the events referred to, however they may
continue 10 be source of contention with
others. have become. SO far as Garfield is con
herOlsm at Chickamauga, or his iilustriOuS
service III the House. De all is not needtul,
ana personal ANITA TonlSn Stldil not De re-
kindled by any word uttered to-day. The
motives of those opposing him are not to be
here adversely interpreted nor their cause
harshly characterized, but OF the dead Presi-
dent this Is to be said, and said because his
own speech is forever silenced and ,he can be
no more heard except through the fidelity
and the love Of surviving friends. From the
beginning to the end of the controversy he so
much deplored, the President was never for
one moment actuated by any motive of gain
to himself or of loss to others. Least OF all
men did he harDor revenge. rarely did he
his nature. H. was con"eNia!lv employed
only i'll the eScuan 20 o. good Offices ali lhe
from the beginning Of the trouble till the fatal
shot entered his body, when the President
would not gladly, for the sake of restoring
harmony, have retraced any step he had
taken if such retracing had merely involved
consequence IS personal to himself. The pride
OF consistency or any supposed sense OF hu
initiation that might result from surrender
ing his position had not Il feathers weight
with him. No man was ever less subject to
such influences from within or from without,
but alter most anxious delIberatlon ana the
coolest survey OF al the circum stances, he
solemnlv believed that the true preroGative5
OF the Executive were involved in the issue
which had been raised, and that he would
if he failed to maintain. in all their
vigor the constitutional rights and
dignities OF his great office. lie believed this
in all the convictions of conscience when in
sound and vigorous health, and he believed
in his suffering and pro >tTation in the last
conscious thought which his wearied mind
bestowed on the transitory struggles of life.
More than thi- need not be said, less than this
could not be said. Justice to the dead, the
highest obligation that devolves upon the
living, demand the declaration that in all the
bearings of the subject actual or possible. the
President was content in his mind, justified
in his conscience, lmmovable IN his conclu-
sionS.
The religious element in his character was
deep and earnest. In his early youth he eS-
pou-ed the faith of the Disciples, a sect of |
that great Baptist communion, which i'll diff
f4rcnG ecclesiastical establishments is SO nu
merous and influential throughout all
parts of the United States; but the broaien
ing tendency of his mind and his active spirit
of inquiry we're early apparent, and carried
him beyond the dOgInas OF sect and the re-
straints of association. In selecting college
i'll which to continue his education, he reject
ed Sc !l:.rv Tough presided over by Alexan- |
t!e:. Campbell, the greatest preacher of his
first, that Bethany leaned too heavily toward |
slarery: and second, that being himself IL
Disciple and the son of Disciple parents. he
had little acquaintance with people of other
beliefs, and he thought it would make him /
more liberal, quoting his own words. both in
reii4iou5 and general views, to 90 into a new
circle and be under new influences. The lib |
eral tendency which he anticipated as the re
suit of wider culture was fully realized. He
was emancipated from mere sectarian belief, |
and with eager interest pushed his investiga-
thought He followed with quickening step
il the paths of exploration and speculation
SO tearlcssly trodden by Darwin, by Huxley, |
the raIica! and advanced type. His own
church, binding its disciples by no formulated
cr6G.l out accepting inc ga anu New 1cSJa-
ments as the word Of God with unbiased lib |
crafty of private interpretation favored if it |
did not stimulate, the spirit of investigation |
It's members profess with sincerity and pro- /
fess truly to be of one mind and one faith with |
III Use VINO Immediately followed the Master
and were first called Christians at Antioch |
But however high Garfield reasoned of "free |
fate, free will. fOreknOwledge aDSOiute,' he !
was never separated from the Church of the !
Disciples i'll his affections and in his aspira- |
tons Tor him it held the ark OF thc cove- |
nant. To him it was the gate OF Heaven.
The browning characteristic of Gen. Gar !
fields reig ious opinions, and indeed OF all his /
opinions. was his iberaEty. In all things he |
ha / charity. Tolerance was of his nature. |
He respected in others the qualities which he |
pos Icssed himself, sincerity OF conviction and |
iranIIuess OF expression. With him the in |
qury was not so much what a man believes, |
but does lie believe It? The lines Of hi |
friendship and his confidence encircled men |
o. every creed, and men of no creed, and, to I
the end of his life, on his ever lengthening |
list of friends were to be found the names of
a piOus Catholic priest and of an n ,nest- |
minded and generous hearted free thinker |
ON the morning of Saturday, July ,. the Pres