The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-03-03


SO late indeed, tnat the resignation OF his mil
Itary comm'sslo aud his appearance III the
House were almost contemporaneous. He
wore the uniform OF n Major General OF the
United States army on Saturday, and on Mon
dav in civilians dross no answered to the roll
call as a Representative In Congress from the
State of Ohio.
He was especially fortunate in the constitu-
ency which elected him. Desceuded almost en-
tirely from New England stock, the men OF the
Ashtabula district were intensely radical on all
questions relating to human rights, we'll edu-
ca cd, thrifty. thoroughly intelligent IN affairs,
acutely discerning OF character, not quick to
bestow confidence and slow to withdraw At, they
were at once tho most helpful and most exact
in of supporters. Their tenacious trust in
men in whom they have once conided l. illus
trated by the unparalleled fact that Elisha
WlIttesev, Joshua II. G.ddings and James A.
Garfield represented the district for fify-fonr
years. There il no test OF mans ability in
anv department of public LIE more severe than
service ia the House OF Representatives there
ia no place where NO little Difference IL paid to
reputation previously acquired, or to eminenoe
wol outside no place where 80 little considers
ton Ii SHOWN for the feelings or failures OF be-
ginners. What II man gains in the House he
gains by sheer force of his own character, and,
if no loses and falls back, ho must expect no
mercy and will receive no sympathy. Ii IL q
field in which the survival Of the strongest is
survive and no glamour can misead. The
real man is discovered his worth is impartially
weighed, his rank Is irrevocably decided.
With possibly single exception, Gar
ii Id was The youngest member in the
House when he entered, and was but seven
years from his college graduation; but he had
not been in his seat sIXty days before bis ability
was recognized and his place conceded. He
stepped TO the front with the confidence Of one
who belonged there the House was crowded
with strong men OF both parties; nineteen OF
them have since been transferred to the SEN
ate, and many of them have served with dis
tilct on IN the GubernatOrial chairs of their
respective States and on foreign missions of
great consequence. But, among all, none grew
so rapid V, none 40 firmly, AZ Garfield. As ia
said by Teyelan of his parliamentary hero Gar
field succeeded because all the world in concert
could not have kept him in the background,
and because, when once in the front, he
played his part with a prompt intrepidity and
n commanding ease that were but the outward
symptoms of the immense reserves or energy
on which it was in his power to draw. Indeed,
the apparently reserved force which Garfield
possessed WAS one OF his great characteristics.
He never did so well but that it seemed he
could easily have done better. He never ex-
pended much strength but that he seemed
to be holding additional power at call. This Is
one OF the happest and rarest distinctions OF
an effective leader and often counts for as
much i'll persuadinS an assembly as eloquent
aud elaborate argument.
His military lie, Illustrated by honorable per-
Torrance and rich Ill promise, was, rs he INN
self felt. prematurely terminated and neces-
sarily incomplete. Speculation AZ 10 what he
might have done in a field where the great
priZos are so few cannot be profitable. 1t Is
sufficient to say that soldier he did his duty
bravely he did it intelIigently, he won an en-
viabe fame and he retired from the service
without blot or breath against him. As law
yer, though admirably equipped for the pro-
fession. he can scarcely be said to have entered
on its practice.
The few efforts made at the bar wore dis
tingu.s shed by the same high order of talent
which he exhibited on every field whore he was
put 10 the test, and, il a man may be accepted
az a competent judge of his own capacities and
adaptations, the law was the profession TO
which Carried should have devoted himself.
But fate ordained otherwise. and his reputation
III history will rest largely upon his services III
the House of Representatives. That service
was exceptionally long. He was nine times
consecutIvely Congressman to the House, an
honor enjoyed by not more than six other
representatives of the more than 1000 who
have been elected from the organization of the
Government to this hour.
As a parliamentary orator, as debater on
an Issue squarely joined, where the position
had been chosen and the ground laid out, Gar
perhaps than any man with whom he was as
ISOLATED in public life. He gave careful and
systematic study TO public questions, and he
came to every discussion III which he took
part with elaborate and complete preparations.
He was u steady and lndeiatigable worker.
Those who imagine that talent or genius can
supply the place or achieve the results OF labor
viii ind no encouragement In Garhelds lille. In
preliminary work he was apt, rapid and skill
ful. He possessed In high degree the power
of readily absorbing ideas and facts, and, like
DIR. Johnson, had the art of getting from u
book all that way of value III 1t by a reading
apparently so quick and cursory that it seemed
Ike mere glance at the table Of contents.
He was prominently a fair and candid
man; in debate he took no petty adj
vantage, stopped to no unworthy meth
DDS, avoided personal allus. on, rarely APP
pealed to prejudice, did not seek to
infame passion. He had q quicker eve for the
strong point of his adversary than for his weak
point, AMI on his own side he so marshaled MS
welghty arguments as to make Lis hearers for
got any ross BILE lack III the complete strength
OF his position. He had a habit of stating his
opponents side with such amplitude Of fairness
and such l.Jerality OF concession that his 'ol-
lowers often complain d that he was giving his
case away. But never IN his prolonged partici-
patton in the proceedings in the House did he
give his case away or fall III the judgment OF
competent and impartial listeners, to gain the
mastery. These characteristics which marked
Garfield "a great dsDater did not, however,
make HIM great parliamentary leader. A par
iiamcntary leader. as that term Is understood
wherever free representative government OK
ISIS is necessarily and very strictly the organ
of his party. An ardent American defined the
instructive warmth of patriotism when he Of
fered the toast "Our country, always right;
but, rigbt or wrong, our country"
The parliamentary leader who has body OF
followers that will do, and dare. and die for
the cause Ia one who believes his party always
right, but, right or wrong, il for his party No
more important or exactipg duty devolved
upon him than the selection OF the fed and
the time for contest He must know not
merely how TO strike, but where to strike and
when to strike. He often sklllfully avoids the
strength of his opponents position and scat
tiers confusion in his ranks by attacking an ex-
posed point, when really the righteousness Of
the cause and the strength of the logical in
trenchment are against HIM. He conquers Of
ten both against the right and the heavy bat
talions. as when young Charles Fox III the
days OF his Toryis,n, carried the House of Com
mons against justice, against immemorial
rights, against his own con 'icdons-if indeed,
at that period Fox had congictions-and in the
interests of q corrupt adm 'stration, in obedi-
ence TO tyrannical sovereign. drove Wilkes
from the seat to which the electors of Middle