Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1882-03-17
MR. Bl.AINE'S ORATlONUPON GAR.
FIELD.

avoided those difficulties than that {
Mr.. Blaine upon President Garfield.
would have been easy to deliver
chronological narrative Of the lat
Presidents life. 1t would have bee
no less easy for an adroit orator t
arouse partisan andpersonal animosis
and to make the occasion serve sci
ish ambition. But for Mr. Blaine t
say of Garfield at this time and in tha
presence not only what Is true, bu
what ought to be said, to say it strong
ly, truly, and simply, SO that the bes
friend of Garfield should feel that moth
ing has been slurred or evaded, and hi
bitterest opponent acknowledge, tina
there was no mistatement or in
nuedo, or unfair implication; and Il
saving it to eliminate entirely his per
sonality-this was, for the orator an,
for the occasion, the greatest triumph,
and this, as the last touching words G
his discourse tell soberly and tenderl
from his lips, every listener in that vas
and remarkable audience felt that h,
had achieved. The orator must speal
Of the rebellion, and there before hin
sat Wade Hampton and colleagu,
Butler, and all his "brigadiers." H,
must speak of Garheld's militar,
career eliminating on field tha, wa.
lost, and there was General Rose
Grams, who had commanded the army
He must speak of the last politica
campaign, and directly below him sal
Gariield's manly and honorable oppo'
nent. He must touch-for avoidance
would have been mere cowardice-the
burning point of the controversy from
whose passions flew the fatal
bullet, and his eyes looked straight
into those of the President. He mus,
must speak of the contemplated policy
of the Garfield administration sudden.
ly fustrated, and before him was the
new cabinet. These are illustrations
of the situation, and of this the orator
was master.
The Grafton was perfectly tranquil
and restrained in tone; serious. simple,
vivid, without rhetorical flights, well
balanced and moderate in expression.
1t was skillfully and lucidly arranged,
without the WEAKNESS of dates or per-
picking detail of incident. The salient
divisions of Garfield's life were massed
each by itself and the story moved
naturally and with increasing interest
to the end. There was no touch of
impassioned eloquence, in the sense of
appeal and abandonment to mere emo
ton, but every word was significant
and essential to the completeness of
the effect. Its tranquil simplicity was
the subtlest art There were passages
indeed, which were susceptible of par
ticular Interpretation and application,
such as the description of Henry Clay's
attitude toward John Tyler, and of
Garfeld's opinion that our continental
relations might be cultivated into
profitable friendship or abandon
ed to harmful indifference or last
ing enmity. But the statements were
general, and cannot be in them
selves challenged. To this compre-
hensire view, this graphic narrative,
this sober and chastened tone of the
address, the manner of the orator was
perfectly conformed. Throughout the !
hour and a half of the delivery he stood
luletly resting his hands upon the side
'fthe little desk, raising them only
'nce or twice, and in clear measured
,adcnces he read the discourse. His
manner, like the address, was free from
my excess or highly wrought feeling.
Mr.. Blaine spoke deliberately through
'ut- At times he must have been
leeply moved, but his voice was never
'roken and was grave and firm to the
nd. The passage in which the final
nd fatal controversy of Garfield's life
vas treated was spoken with a dignity
hat was pathertic from its nc BILE and
ender reserve. 1t was heard with alb
orbed attention.
There was no sound but the meas
red voice of the speaker and every
ace was turned to his. AS he said,
oberly but with deep feeling, "more
nan this need not be said. Less than
lis could not be said. Justice to the
ead-the highest obligation that de-
Olives upon the livlng-temands the
eclaration that in all the bearings of
lie subject, actual or possible, the
resident was content in his mind, !,
lstitied in his conscience, immovable ,
his conclusions'-the highest point
interest and feeling and truth in the
lscourse was reached, and as the !
rator turned to another topic. the 9
reat audience drew a long breath and
1t that what must be said had been
nd most fitly.
Indeed, the word in the resolution
the thanks of Congress that the ad-
ress was appropriate" if understood :
Its amplest significance, is the word ,
lost descriptive of this occasion. 1t !
eplcted Garfield in only colors
aturally warm, but brilliant only with /
lie truth. The impression which it {
aveS of his character and life is that I
hich careful study of them would un- !,
oubtedly give. Much more could
ave been said in detail, and the char t
cter might have been more variously {
But 1t was an Grafton, not q
book, and the thanks of every Amer {
an who is honorably proud OF Amer. a
a may well be Joined to those of Con-
.eSs for 50 sober md cin,nla and