Arizona weekly citizen., 1882-03-05
Blaiae's Eulogy.


 Blaiae's Eulogy.
 The foll,wing is a brief outline of Blaine's Euogy: After an eloquent re-
 ference to the tragical end of Garfield, he traced ajlength his history. showing
 his descentircm Puritan and HuguenOt
 stock, the struggles of his early life and
 successes q his more mature years. He
 reviewed lis career as a teacher, a
 military ofcer, and a legislator. In
 depicting hs career as a Congressman
 the SpeakG gave him commanding
 position as a debater and man of in-
 tellectual pwer, while denying him the
 abilities of great parliamentary leader,
 the whole tend of his character was
 opposed to subordination of every
 consideration tO party purpose--the
 characteristics of a party leader. He
 had left. bvever, greater and more
 enduring monument in his speeches on
 reconstructpn, the question of constitu- tional amendments, finance and all the
 great questions of his day constitute a
 vast magazine of fact and argument of
 clear analyss and sound conclusion. At
 the beginning of his Presidential life, tt
 was not agreeable to him. He said: "I
 have been daling with ideas all my life;
 now am deling with persons. l have heretofore bon giving my attention to sEs tii-..--lehTA. principles of govern ment; now I am considering all day whether A or B shall be appointed to toffice." Nevertheless he devoted him self assiduously tc the duties of hIs office and showed unexpected administrative ability. He was honestly seeking to correct the evils of the civil service system and had he lived a com prehensive change would have been pro posed by him and probably, with the as- sistance of Congress, been carried into effect. He earnestly desired to recon cile sectional differences and it was his intention to have visited the South and seek to bring about increased harmony of feeling. From the beginning to the end of the controversy with political leaders in which he was engaged during his brief tenlre of office, he was never actuated by any desire of gain to him. self. Least of all did he harbor revenge and he rarely showed resentment. There was not an hour from the beginning of that struggle to the time tine fatal shot was fired that to restore harmony he would not have retraced any step if retracing had involved consequences personal to himself Reviewing the im- mediate circumstance of the assassina- | tion in that quiet July morning, the 1 speaker said James A. Garfield may well have been happy man. No fore boding of evil haunted him, and not the l slightest premonitiOn of danger clouded ! his star. His terrible fate was upon him | in an instant. One moment he stood l erect, strong, confident in the years stretching peacefully out before | him; the next wounded. bleeding, help | less, doomed to weary weeks of torture, ! to silence and the grave. Great in life ! he was surpsssingly great in death"
 Last Monday morning admission | to the Capitol Bas refused to all except | members of the Houses of Congress and | their employees, but at that hour the ! doors were thrown open to holders of l tickets to the memorial service and soon | the galleries were filled to the utmost | capacity. A large majority of specta- tors out of respect to the occasion, | had for the most part discarded bright | color and black was the prevailing hue. There were no signs of mourning in the place, full length portrait of the late President hung back nf the chair of the presiding officer, being itself undraped. Members of the house were nearly all in attendance, all being arrayed in black. In the lobby back of the Speakers desk, the Marine band was stationed and at from 10 O clock until noon dis coursed solemn music. At ll:90 Gene rals Sherman, Sheridan, Hancock, How ard and Meigs, and Admirals Ammon, Rodgers and Rogers, entered and were seats to tho left of the Speakers desk, and few moments later members of the Diplomatic Corps in full regalia, were ushered in, headed by the Hawaiian as Dean of the Corps. Their brilliant costumes only served to throw into stronger relief the dark attire of the members of Congress. The whole body sat immediately in behind them. The Supreme Court of the District, headed by Marshal Perry, were the next arrivals, Dr. Bliss was also in attendance. Mrs. Blaine occupied front seat in the gallery reserved for friends of the President. At F o'clock the House was called to order by Speaker Kiefer and prayer was offered by the chaplain. The Speaker then said "This day has been dedicated by action of the two Houses of Congress to in commemoration Of the life and death of James 4. Garfield, late President of the Unitei States. This House is now assembled and ready to perform it's part" The resolution setting apart to-day for the memorial services was then read by Clerk McPherson. At l2:l0 the Senate was announced and Ill arose as the Senators, headed by the officers of that body, entered and took seats, these were followed by the Chef Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, dressed in their cos tunes of office, again the assembled multitude arose as the President of the United States and his Cabinet were They were accompanied )y Senator Sherman and Representative Mckinney, Chairman of the Committee ,f arrangements The President took ront seat on the right of the presiding ,fficer's chair.
 At I2:3o Blaine was announced. The ceremonies then opened by short pray IT by Chaplain Power of the House, after which President Davis presented Blaine. }laine then arose and standing at the Jerks desk, immediately in front of two ,residing officers, proceeded with i'm