Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-02-27


mlsrepoTt and the malignjty Cf misrepresentation.
In the beginning OF his Presidential life Gar
1elds experience did not yield him pleasure or
satisfaction The duties that engroSS so large a
portion OF the Presidents time distasteful u
him. and were unfavorably contrasted with his
legislative work Il have been dealing all these
| years with ideas" he impatiently exclaimed one
day, ''and here am dealing only with persons.
have been heretofore treating OF the fundamental
| principles OF government and here am consider
Ing all day whether A or shall be appointed t.
| this or that office" lie WAS earnestly seeking
some practca way OF correcting the evils arising
from the dtstr button OF Oyergrowu and unwia.d,y
| patronage-evilS always appreciated and oftnn
discussed by MIN. but whose magnitude hSd been
more dee ply impres 'el upon his min since hIS
| cesson 10 the Presidency. II I'd he lived, a COM
| prehenslye Improvement in the mode OF appoint
meht anl IN the tenure OF ofice would have Leen
| doubt perfected.
| But. while many OF the Executive duties were
not grateful to him. he WAS asSi,iuo,s ami Consf-
entouS IN their discharge. From the very outset
ne exhibited administrative talent OF h.h order.
! tie graSped the helm of o flee with the hand o. a
master. In this respect, ina Ell he Coast lntly
surprised many who were most intimately asSo-
ciated with him in the governms mt and SJecially
tnose VINO had feared ii.at he might he lacking in
the executive faculty Ills disposition OF business
| was orderly and rapid. His power ~ anall sis,
and his skill in classification. enabled him to Is
! patch vast mass OF detail with singular prompt
| ness and ease. HIS Cabinet meetings were admi-
rably con iuctad. His clear prescntato on cf OIL
cial subjects. his well-conSidcred suggestion Of
| topics on which discussion fnvite1. his quick
| decision when an had been heard. combined to
his natural ability ANA his facile adaptation TO a
new and enlarged field OF labor.
With perfect comprehension OF all the Inherit
| anceS OF the war, with a cool calculation OF the
! obstacles in his way, inpclled always by gcner-
! Gus enth,isisSn, triield conceived that much
| might be Gone by his admniStr ton towards re-
,t7:tng harmony between the different sections of
| the union &Is w.s anxious TO 90 Sonth aad SPEAK
! to the reopa. Is e,rly IS April he had inefectu-
ally ende.lyOre1 to arrlGge ior trip 10 Nashville
whittier he had been cordially iny ted. and he WAS
| again disappointed iew weeks ter 10 lind that
ne ne couil I'>. GO 70 South Seroiha TO attend The
| centennial CcrSb:3ton or the victory OF the Cow
| pens But for the autumn he definitely counted
| on being present at three memorahe assemblies
! in the South.-the celebration IT Yorktown. the
| opening OF the Cotton Exposition at Atlanta, and
| the meeting OF the Army of the Cumbcrllni at
Cnatt nooga- He was already Earning over ia his
mind his address Tor each occasion. ana the three
taken together, he said TO friend, gave him the
| exact scope ard verge which be needed. AT lorH
town n" would have before HIM the associations .f
! a hundred years that bound tie South ana the
North In the sacred memory OF a common danger
S"it the material interests ANA tle industrial de-
! veiopuent which appealed u the THRIFT and inde-
| rendence OF every household. and watch should
unite the Two So tons 10y the instinct III self-inter
! est and Self-detence. At ChgtttnO1ga lie would
revive memories OF the war Only u Show that AZ
ter al It's disaster ana I'll its suffering. the coun-
try was stronger and Greater the Uni IN rendered
; ini:SSoluble and TIE tuture through the agony
and blood OF one generation. madt brighter and
better for all.
Gariields ambition for the success of his admin
is:r-t.on was high. With strong tuition and con-
sarvttii:n in his natorH, IL was in no danger of
attempting rash eNper hutS or OF rcSorting 10 the
e,npiric ism or st te N tuS,lip. But he believed
that renewed ana closer attention saould be- given
to quest OnS affecting rue material Interests a nj
commercial prospects If rity millions Of people
IL believed that cur continental relations. eXten-
Sive and undeveops d "a they ara Involved r-pon-
! sibijty. ana could be cultivated into proltlble
friendship or bn abandoned TO .rnlul milfT"rcnce
or lasting enllity. He believed with equal coni-
delca that ~ esSantIl for ru ln3r 10 era OF
nst0nal progress gust be = -eiing OF contentnent
In every section OF the UGs9n and a generous
belief that the benefits and b1f!22S OF govern
ment would be common TO all. HimSem a CEN
SpISuous illustration o! what sblt ~ and ambition
may io unier republican institutions, he loved his
country with passion OF patriotic devotion. and
every waking thought WAS given to her advance
mnnt. lie was ali American in all his aspirations,
md he looked to the destiny and iLfiu, IA e O. the
C:eted States VITA the phi15oplic composure Of
Jefferson end the administrative confidence Of
John Adams.
The political events which disturbed the Presi-
dents serenity for many weeks before that fate1Ul
day In july. form an Important cha pter III lis
career, and. in his own judgment. involved qucS-
tionS of principle and or right which are vitally
essential TO tie constitutional administration OF
the Federal Government. Ii would be out OF place
here and now to speak the language OF contro-
verSy; but the events referred To, however they
may continue 10 be source OF contention with
others, have become so far as Garfield is con-
cerned, as much matter Of history his heroiSm
ct Chtckamausa or his illustrious service in the
House. Detl1l is not need uI. and personal antag-
onism shall not be rekiniei by any word uttered
U9-iay. The motives ot those opposing him
not TO be here adversely interpreted nor their
course haIshly charact. rized. Bat or the dead
President this is TO lie saii, and said because his
own speech is forever silenced and he can be no
more heard except through the fidelity ana the
love OF surviving Ir1en'!S: From the ginning to
the end OF the controversy he so much dcplored
the President was never Tor one moment actuated
by any motive OF gain 70 himself or Of loss to
others. Least OF all Iaen di1 he harbor revenge,
rarely did he even show resentment, ana malice
was not in his nature. lie was congcnialiy EN-
ploycd only IN tie exchange Of good offices and the
doing OF kindly deeds.
IN horr fran, ha ba1, ppSpr or
the trouble till the fatl shot entered his body,
when the President would rot gladly, for the s. ke
OF restoring harmony. have rttra e1 any step he
had taken Ii such Ntracing bad merely Involved
consequences personal TO himself. The pride of
consistency. or any supposed sense OF humiliation
that Efyhf result from SurrenderinT his position,
mad not feathers weight with him. No man WAS
ever less subject ID Sucn influences from within
from without But after most anX Gus dclibera-
ton and the coolest survey OF all the clrcust tnces
he soiemnly believed that the true rrerogatves of
the Executive were involved In the issue which had
been raised, ana that he would bc untaithfu to his
supreme obligation Ii he He'd to maint lin, in
ali their vgor the constitutional rights and digni-
ties of his great Office. He believed this in all the
convictions OF conscience when In sound and Wig
OrouS health. and he believed it in lis suffering
ana Prostration in the last conscious Thought
which his wearied mind bestowed on the uanSi-
tory struggles OF life.
More than this need not be said. Less than this
could not be said. Justice to the dead thu nigh
est obligation that deyoIveS upon the living, ue-
lnandS the declaration that in al the bearings of
the subject, actual or possible the President was
immOvable in his conclusions.
The religious element in Gi!field's character
was deep and earnest In his early youth he eS-
poused the faith OF the Disciples, a sect OF the
that great Baptist Communion, which In different
ecclesiastical establishments is numerous and
50 1nnuentual throughout all parts OF the United
States But the broadening tendency OF his mind
and his active spirit of inquiry were early appa-
rent and carried him beyond the dogmas OF sect
and the restraint OF association. In selecting a
college in which to continue his education he re-
jected Bethany, though presided over by Alexan-
der Campbell, the great preacher OF his church.
His reasons were characteristic; first, that Beth
any leaned too heavily towards slavery; and,
second, that being himself Disciple and the son
OF Disciple parents, he had little acquaintance
With people OF other beliefs and he thought IL
would make him more liberal, quoting his own
words, both In his religious and general views, to
go into new circle and be under new influencesL
The liberal tendency which he anticipated as the
result OF wider culture was fully realized. He was
emanc1pated from mere sectarian belief, and with
eager interest pushed his Investigations In the
direction OF modern progressive thought. He fol-
lowed with quickeDng step in the paths OF explor-
alton and speculation so fearleSSly trodden by
Darwin, by Huxley, by Tyndall, and by other
living scientists OF the radical and advanced type.
His own church, binding its disciples by no for
mulated creed, but accepting the Old and New
TestamentS as the word OF God with unbiased lib
erty OF private interpretation favored II 1t did not
stimulate, the spirit OF investigation Its members
nd nniv tn fao or