Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-03-07

| more deeply impressed upon bis mind since his nc
prehensive Improvement the mode Of appointment
and In the tenure OF Office would have been pro
posed by HIN, and with the aid of Congress N
| doubt perfected.
But, while many of the Executive duties wer
not grateful to him. he was assiduous and consci
/ cntious In their discharge. From the very outse
he exhibited Administrative talent OF high order
| lie grasped the helm OF Office with the hand OF
master. In this respect indeed he constantly sur
! prised many who were most intimately associate
with him In the government aud especially thos'
4 who had feared that he might be lacking In thG
executive faculty. His disposition OF business wa,
orderly and rapid His power of analysis. aud hi'
skill In classification, enabled him to dispatch q
vast mass Of detail with singular promrtncss ant
case. His Cabinet meetings were admirably con
Quoted. His clear presentation OF Official subjects
his well-considered suggestion Of topics on which
discussion WAS invited, his quick decision when al
| had been heard, combined to show thoruughdess
OF mental training rs rare rs his natural ability
and HE factle adaptation to new and enlarged
| Held of labor.
With perfect comprehension OF all the inheri
| tances of the war. with q cool calculation of the
obstacles In his way, impelled always by gener-
Gus enthusiasm. Garfield conceived that much
might be done by his administration towards re
storing harmony between the different sections OF
the Union. He was anxious 10 60 South and speak
to the people. As early as April he had inetee'
tually en,icayored 10 arrange for trip 10 Nash
Vile. whittier he had been cordially Invited, aud he
was again disappointed few weeks later To find
that he could not 20 TO south Carolina 10 attend
Sowpens- But for the autumn he definitely count
Cd on being present at three memorable assemblies
In the South. the celebration at iorktown,the open
ing OF the Cotton Exposition nj Atlanta, and the
meeting OF the Army of the Cumberland nj Chat.
tsnooga. lie was already turning over in his mlnd
his address for each occasion, and the three taken
together, he said 10 a friend. gave him the exact
scope and verge which he needed At Yorktown
he would have before him the associations OF y
hundred years that bound the south aud the North
Ia the sacred memory OF a common danger and n
common victory. Al Atlanta he would present the
material Interests anil the Industrial development
which appealed 20 the Thrift and independence of
every household, and which should unite tile two
sections by the instinct Of selfintercst and -eifdc
fcnsc. At Chattanooga he would revive the mem
Dries OF the only 10 show that after all It's dis
Aster aud all It's suffering the country was stronger
aud greater. the Union rendered indiss0igble. and
the future. through the agony and blood OF ono
generation, made brighter and better Tor all.
Garaelds ambition FOR the success Of his admins
tralion was high. With strong caution an conser
yatsm In his nature, he was In no danger Of at
tempting rash experiments or OF rcsorting 10 The
cmpiricism OF statcsmanship; but he believed
thai renewed and closer attention should be given
To- questions affecting the material Interests and
commercial prospects OF h:ty millions OF people.
He believed that our continental relations, eNtcn'
sve and undcyelOpc,l a. they are. involved respon'
sIbilIty, and could lie cultivated into profitable
friendship or be abandoned TO harmful Indifference
or lasting cnmlty. lie believed with equal conf.
dcncc tina; an essential forerunner 10 new era oi
national progress must b. feeling OF conientment
In every section OF the Union, and generous be.
lief that the benefits and burdens 81 government
would he common 20 all. Himself \ conspicuous
illustration OF what ability and ambition may 10
under republican institutions he loved his country
with passion OF patriotic devotion, and every
waking thought was given to her advancement.
lie was an American In all his aspirations. and he
Looked 20 the destiny and influence OF the United
states with the phiOsOphic composure OF Jefferson
and the dcmonstratiyc confidence OF john Adams.
The political events which disturbed The Pre.i
dents serenity for many weeks before that fateful
tlay IN july, from important chapter In his ca
rucr. and. In his own jndg ment Involved CUES
tons ~ principle and ~ right which are vially cs-
Genital TO the constitutional administration 81 the
Federal Government II would bc out OF place here
ami now 10 speak the language OF controversy
but the events referred 10, however They may con
tinuc to be soure OF contention win others, nave
become. far As Garfield Is concerned. as much
n matter OF history a MS hcroism Mt Chickamaugn
or his illustri0us service In the House Detail Is
not nCciful. and personal antagonism shall not lie
rckindlcd by any worNl uttered today. The mo
lives ~ those opposing him are not % hc here al
Vcrsvly interpreted nor their course har-hly
characterized. but Of the dead President this u
90 bc said. and said because his own speech = for
ever silcnccd and he can be no more heard except
through the fidelity and The love ~ surviving
friends Prom the beginning 90 the end OF the con
troyersy he so much dcplorcd. the President was
never for one moment artuatcd by any motive ~
gain 10 himself or OF loss 10 others Least OF all
men did he harbor revenge, rarely did he even
show resentment and malice was not IN his IA
turc. lie was coDgcnially employed only IN the
exchange OF good Offices and the doing 81 kindly
There was no, an hour. from the beginning Of
the trouble tlll the fatal shot entered his boiy
when the President would not gladly, for
the sake OF restoring harmony, have re
traced any step he had taken " such rCtraCius had
merely involved consequences personal a. himself
The pride OF consistency, or any supposed sense
of humiliation that might result from guaranteeing
his position, had not feathers weight with him.
NJ man was ever less subject 10 such Influences
from within or from without. But after most anN
loas dcbcration and the coolest survey OF al the
circumstances, he solemnly believed that the true
prcrogaiycs OF the Executive were Involved IN the
issue which hal been raised, and that he would d.
unfaithful 10 his supreme obligation II ne failed 10
maintain, In all their yigor, the rights
and iignilles OF hts great Office. He believed this
In an The convictions OF conscience when In sound
aud vigorous health. and he believed II In his sui
fering aud prostraOn In the last conscious Thought
whioi his wcarted mind bestoWed ON t'e u''isitor!
struggles Of life.
More than thi. need not be said. Is. Than this
could not be said. Justice TO the dead tie highest
obligation that devolves upon the living, demands
the declaration that In all the bearing OF the sub
iect actual or possible, the President Wa con
ten, In hi. mind justified In his conscience, immov'
able in his conclusions.
IN. religious element In Garfelds character was
deep and earnest. In bis early youth he espOused
the faith OF the Disciples sec; Of that great Baptist
Comrnunion which in different ecclesiastical esiAb-
IA 80 numerous aud 30 influential through
the United states. But the broadening tendency 81
his mind and his active spiri, OF inquiry were early
apparent and carried him beyond the dCgmas OF sect
and the restraints OF association. In selecting col.
4. re in which 10 continue his education he rejected
Bethany, though presided over by Alexander I amp
bell, the creates, preacher OF his church hIs rea
son. were characteristic first, that Bethany leaned
too heavily toward slavery; and, second, mat being
himself Disciple, and the son OF Disciple parents
he had little acquaintance with people OF Other De-
sfs and he thought Il would make him more LIBERAL
quoting his own words, both In his religious and
general views, TO 90 into new circle and he under
new influences.
The liberal tendency which he anticipated as the
result OF wider culture fully realized. lie was
enancpated from mere sectarian behcf, AMI Win
eager interest pushed his inyesugatons IN tht III
rection OF modern progressive thought He iOi-
lowed with auckening step In the paths ot eNpior
alton and speculation SO fearlessly irohden 10y
Darwin. by Huxley, by 1yndall. and by other nv
ing scientists Of the radical and advanced type.
HI. own church, binding Its disciples by no form
ulated creed. but accepting the Old and New les
taments a. the word OF GOd with unbiased hDerahty
OF private Interpretation, favored, II II did not
stimulate the spirit OF investigation. IT. member.
profess with sincerity, and profess only " Oe OF
one mind AMI one faith with those VINO lmme'ii'
ately followed the master, and who were first
called Christians at Antioch.
But however high Garfield reasoned Of " fixed
fate, free will, foreknowledge absolute, he was
never separated from the Church OF the Disciples
In his affections and In his associations. For him
Il held the ark OF the covenant To him II was the
gate of Heaven. The world OF religious Deliei Is
full OF solecisms and contradictions. y philo,
sophie observer declares that men by the thousand
will die IN defense OF creed whose doctrines they
do not comprehend and whose tenets they habitu-
ally Nioiatc. ~ II cius'i'! w ei.'t ~ =! -
thousand viii cling TO church organizations WIN
ins,iprtiye and undying fidelity when their belief
i'm ,naturer wears Is radically different from that
which inspired them as neOphytes.
But after this range of speculation. and this TAU
tude of doubt, Garfield came back always win
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 friend
and conversing on these topics Of personal religion,
concerning which noble natures have an uncon-
auerable reserve, he said that he found the Lords
PRAYER and the simple petitions learned In infancy
Infinitely restful TO him, not merely in their repeu'
ton but I'm their casual and frequent recall as he
went about the daily duties of life. Certain texts
and his heart He heard, while In Edinburgh some
preaclpr who