Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-02-27

service without blot or breath against him.
AS a lawyer, though admirably equipped
for the profession. he can scarcely be said
to have entered on its practice. The few
efforts he made at the bar were distin
guished by the same high order of talent
which he exhibited on every field where he
was put to the test, and il 4 man may be
accepted as competent judge of his own
capacities and adaptations. the law was
the profession to which Garfield SHOULD
have devoted himself But fate ordained
otherwise, and his reputation in history
will rest largely upon his service in the
House of Representatives.. That service
was exceptionally long. iic was nine
times consecutively chosen to the Honse,
an honor enjoyed by not more than six
other representatives OF the more than five
thousand who have been elected from the
organization Of the government to this
hour.
As a parliamentary orator, as Il dcbatvr
on an issue squarely joined, where the po
sition had been chosen and the ground
laid out, Garfield must be assigned :. ve:y
high rank. More, perhaps, than any man
with whom he was associated i'll public
life, he gave careful and systematic study
to public questions and he came to every
discussion in which he took part, with
elaborate and complete preparation. lie
was steady and indefatigable worker.
Those who imagine that talent or genius
can supply the place or achieve the results
of labor will Gnd no encouragement in
Gar!ield's life. In preliminary work he
was apt, rapid and skilful. He posscssec!
in high degree the power of readily alb
-. loo. ,l tI-n lr Inhn N
son had the art of getting from q book ali
that was of value in it by a reading appar
emily so quick and cursory that it seemed
like mere glance at the table Of contents.
He WAS pre-emireutly fair and candid man
in debate, took no petty advantage, stoop-
ed to no unworthy methods. avoided per-
sonsl illusions. rarely appealed to preiu-
dice, did not seek to infi.mc passion He
had quicker eye for the stronE, point of
his adversary than for his weak. and on
| his own side he so marshaled his weishty
, arguments as to make his hearers forget
any possible lack in the complete strength
| of, his position. IIe had a habit of stating
his opponents side with such ampltuia
of fairness and such llberaIity Of cDnces-
sion that his followers often complained
that he was giving his case away. Bu:
| never in his prolonged participation in the
proceedings of tho House did he give his
case away, or fail in tho judgment of cuEi-
petent and impartial listeners to gain the
mastery.
These characteristics, which marked
Garfield as great debater, did not, how
ever, make him great parliamentary
leader. \ parliamentary leader, as that
term is understood wherever free repre-
sentative government exists, is necessarily
and very strictly the organ Of his party.
An ardent American defined the instinc
tive warmth of patriotism when he offered
the toast, "Our country, always right,
but right Or wrong, our country. iha
parliamentary leader who has :. body OF
followers that will do and dare and die toi
the cause, is ore who believes his party
always right, hut right or wrong, is fo'
his party. No more important or exactire
duty devolves upon him than the selection
of the field and the time for contest. ii.
must know not merely how 70 strike
but where to strike and when t.
strike. He often skiIlfully avoid
the strength Of his opponent 20
sitiOn and scatterS confusion in his rank
by attacking an expose: point when really
tho righteousness of the cause and th'
strength of logical intrenchment arc aGaiils.
him. lie conquers often both against tL
right and the heavy battalions as whcl
young Charles Fox, in the days of hi
toryism, carried the House Of Common:
against justice, against its immemor!a
rights, against his own convictions, il, III
decd, at that period Fox had convictions
} and. in the interest oi Il corrupt almini!
tration, in obedience to a tyrannical soy
J crcign, drove Wilkes from the scat t
which the electors Of Alrli!leecX ili
chosen him and Installed Luttrell i'll def
;,nce, not merely Of law but Of public dc
cency. For an achievement of that kim
L. Garfield was 4ualifed-disqualiied b.
the texture Of his mind, by the honesty @
his heart, by his conscience, and by ever
instinct and aspiration of his nature.
Mr.. Blaine then instituted a para!ii
l. between the three great parliamentar.
leaders the country had had-Clay. Do"2
las and Stevens, OF whom he pronounce
) Clay the greatest
: From these three great men Cai.iel
differed radically, differed in the quality 6
5 his mind, in temperament, in the form an
phase Of ambition. He could not do Whi
, they did, but he could do what they c0ui
not, and in the breadth of his congress
sicnal work he left that which will !onge
exert potential influence among men al
which, measured by the scvereSt tcs
, Of posthumOus criticism, will secure
more enduring and more cnviablc fam;
"Whcn war legislation, measures Of II
i construction, protection of human right.
5 amendments to the constitution, maintei
/ ance Of public credit, steps toward spcci
resumption, true theories Of revenue ma
S be reviewed, unsurrOunded by p;ejudit
C and disconnected from partislnism, tE
4 speeches Of Garfield will be estimated {
} their true value. and will be found
D comprise vast magazine of fact and q
D sument. Of clear analysis and sound 60.
, clusion."
. Passing TO a consideration of his nom
l nation and canvass for the presidency, NJ
: Ela;uc referred to the dctraction which h
had suffered, and said that under it i
/. never lost his self-p0:sess!Cn, did no u
1 wise act and spoke 10 i'll considered wore
5 "In few instances the iron entered h
9 soul and he died with the injury info
. gotten If not unforgivcn.' The orator II
5 terred to the engrossipg and often distast
J full duties which met him in the pre-
,lency of his dispatch Of business, Il
: c!earness and promptncss, ard his dcsii
Q to go South and meet the people
! He definitely counted Oh being present
t three memorable assemblies in the Souti
5 the celebration at Yorktown, tho Openin
8 of the cotton exposition at Atlanta, az
t the meeting Of the Army of tho Cum5e'
l land 1T Chattanooga. He was alrea1
j turning over il his mind his address fc
1 each occasion, and the three taken /.
g gether, he said to friend, gave him ii
| exact scope and verge which he ncede'
At YOrktoyn ha Uould have before hiI