St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-03-11

| Is years of age he was able to teach school.
| and thenceforWard his ambition was to obtain
| a college education. To this end he bent ali
his efforts, working in the harvest field at
| the carpenters bench, and in the winter sea-
son teaching the common schools of the
neigAborhood. While thus laboriously occu.
pied he found time to prosecute his studies,
and was 80 successful that mt p years of age
he was able to enter the junior elias. at Will
liams College, then under the presidency OF
the venerable and honored Mark Hopkins,
wha in the fullness of his powers survives the
eminent pupil to whom he was OF inestima-
Bile service. The history OF Garf1eld's life to
this period presents no novel features. He
had undoubtedly shown perseverance, self
reliance, self sacrifice and ambition, qualities
which, be it said for the honor of our country,
are everywhere to be found among the young
men of America But from his graduation at
Williams onward to the hour of his tragical
death Gar1ield'S career was eminent and ex-
cational period, receiving his diploma when
"a years of age. he seemed at one bound to
spring into conspicuous and brilliant success
Within six years he was successfully Presl-
dent of a College, State Senator of Ohio, Ma
jor- General of the Army of the United States
and Representative Elect to the National
Congress. A combination of honors so varied,
SO elevated, within period so brief ana to q
man so Young is. without precedent or parallel
in the history of tho country.
Garfields army life was begun with no 9th.
er military knowledge than such as he had
hastily gained from books in the few months
preceding his march to the field. He knew
just enough of military science, as he ex.
pressed it himself: to measure the extent OF
his ignorance. Major General Buell., com
handing the Department of the Ohio, an ex-
perienced and able soldier OF the regular
army, published an order of thanks and con
graduation on the brilliant result OF the Big
Sandy campaign, which would have turned
the head of less cool and sensible man than
Garfield. Buell. declared that his services had
called into action the highest qualities OF a
soldier and President Lincoln supplemented
these words of praise by the more substantial
reward of a bngadier- generals commission,
to bear date from the day of his decisive vic
tory over Marshall. The subsequent military
career of Garfield fully sustained its brilliant
beginning. With his new commission he was
assigned to the command OF q brigade in the
Army of the Ohio, and took part in the second
and decisive days fight in the great battle of
Shiloh The remainderof the year 1862 was
not especially eventful to Garfield as 1T was
not to the armies with which he was serving.
His practical sense was called into exercise i'll
completing the task assigned him by General
Buell. of constructing bridges and re. estab-
fishing lines of railroad communication for
the army his occupation in this useful but not
brilliant field was varied by service on court
martials OF Importance, in which department
of duty he won a valuable reputation, at
tracing the notice and securing the approval
of the able and eminent Judge Advocate
General of The army.
Early in 1868 Garfield was assigned to the
highly important and responsible post of
Chief of Staff to Gen. ROsecrans, then at the
head of the Army of the Cumberland. Per
hapS in great military campaign no SuDOr.
dinate officer requires sounder Judgment and
quicker knowledge of men than the chief OF
staff to the commanding general. An indis
Greet man in such a position can SOW more
discord, breed more jealousy and disseminate
more strife than any other officer in the en-
tire organization. When Gen. Garfield as
sumed his new duties he found various
troubles already well developed and serious
ly affecting the value and efficiency OF the
Army of the Cumberland. The energy, the
impartiality and the tact with which he
sought to allay these dissensons and to dis
charge the duties of his new and trying posi-
ing proofs OF his great versatility. HIS militia
ry duties closed on the memorable field of
Chickamauga, a field which, however disas-
trous to tine Union arms, gave to him the oc-
casion of winning imperishable laurelss The
very rare diStictiOn was accorded to him OF a
great promotion for his bravery on a field
that was lost. President Lincoln appointed
him Major General In the army of the United
States for gallant and meritorious coduct in
the battle of Chickamauga The Army of the
Cumberland was reorganiZed under the com.
mand of Gen. Thomas who promptly offered
Garfield one of its divisions. He was extreme
ly DESTROYS to accept the position, but was
embarrassed by the tact that he had a year
before been elected to Congress, and the time
when he must take his seat was drawing near.
He preferred to remain in the military service
and had within his own breast the largest
confidence OF success in the wider field which
his new rank opened up to him. Balancing
the arguments on the one side and the other,
anxious to determine what was for the best,
DESTROYS above all things to do his patriotic
duty, he was considerably influenced by the
advice of President Lincoln and Secretary
Stanton. both of whom assured him that he
would at that time be of especial value in the
House of Representatives. He resigned his
commission of Major General on the 5th day
of December, 1868, and took his seat in the
House OF Representatives on the It'll. He had
served two years and four months in the ar
my, and had just completed his 32d year.
a Thirty, al phflo lon ia nj
ly entitled in history to the designation of
the War Congress. 1t was elected while war
was fragrant, and every member was chosen
upon the issues involved in the continuance
of the struggle. The Thirty seventh Congress
had, indeed, legislated to large extent on
war measures, but it was chosen before any
one believed that secession of the States
would be actually attempted. The magnitude
of the. work which fell upon its successor was
unprec edented both in respect to the vast
sums of money raised for the support of the
binary powers OF legislation which it was
forced to exercise. Only twenty -four States
were represented, and 1872 members We're up
on its roll. Among these were many distin-
guished party leaders on both sides, veterans
in the public service. with established reputa-
tions for ability, and with that skill which
into this assemblage of men Garfield entered
without special preparation, and it might al
most be said, unexpectedly. The question of
taking command of a division of troops I'M
der Gen. Thomas or taking his seat in Con-
gress was kept open till the last moment. so
late, indeed, that the resignation of his mill
tary commission and his appearance in the
House were almost cotemporaneous. He
wore the uniform of Major-General of the
United States army on Saturday, and on Mon
day in civilians dress he answered to the
roll call as Representative in Congress from
the State of Ohio. There is no
test of mans ability in any department of
public life more severe than service in the
House of Representatives. There is no place
where so little Difference is paid to reputation
previously acquired or to eminence when
outside. No place where SO little cnnsidera-
ton Is shown for the feelings at the failure of
beginners. What man gains In the House
he gains by sheer force Of Els own character,
and If he loses and falls back, he must expect
no mercy and will receive no sympathy. 1t is
a field In which the survival of the strongest
is the rule, and where no pretense can de-
serve and no glamor misead, The real man
is discovered. His worth is impartially
weighed; his rank is irreversibly decided
With possibly single exception, Garfield
was the youngest member in the House when
he entered, and was bnt seven years from his