The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-02-28

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when it is remembered that he did not
write what he said, and yet spoke with
such logical consecutiyeness Of thought,
and such admirable precision Of phrase
as to defy the accident of misreport and
the maligniLy Of Misrepresentation.
In the beginning of his presidential
| life, Garfeld's experience did not yield
| him pleasure or satisfaction. The duties
that engrOss so large a portion OF the
Presidents time we're distasteful to him
and were unfavorsbly contrasted with
bis legislative work. Il have been de-
! laying sll these years with ideas. " he i'm
patiently exclaimed one day, land here
I'm dealing only with persons. I have
been heretofore treating of the sunda-
mental principles CT government, and
here l am considering all day whether
A, or B. shall be appointed to this or
that office" He was earnestly seeking
some practical way Of correcting the
evils arising from the distribution of
overRrown aud u" wieldy patronage. It
was always appreciated and often dis
cussed by him, but whose magnitude had
been more deeply impressed upon his
mind since his accession to the presi-
dency. Fad he lived, e. comprehensive
Improvement in the mode of appoint
ment and in the tenure Of Office
would have been proposed by him,
and with the aid OF Congress,
no doubt, perfected. But while
executive duties were not grateful to
him, he was assiduous shd Conscientious
in their discharge. From the very outset
be exhibited adm illustrative talent of
high order. He grasped the helm of
Office with the hand OF a master. In this
respect, indeed. be constantly surprised
many who were not most intimately as
ISOLATED with him in the government.
and especially those who feared he might
be lacking in exec tive faculty. His
dispatch Of buiiness was orderly and
rapid; his powe1 Of Analysing and his
skill in classification enabled him to dis
patch a vast mass Of detail with singular
promptneSs and ease His cabinet
meetings were admirably conducted;
his cle-r presentation of official sub
jects, his we'll considered suggestions of
topics on which discussion was invited,
his quick decision, when all had been
heard, combined to show thoroughness
of mental training as rare ss mis- natural
ability and his facile adaptation 10 a new
perfection of all the inheritance of the
war, with q cool calculation Of the OBJ
stscles in his way, impelled always by a
generous enthusiasm, Garfield conceived
that mu.h might be done by his sd-
mInistrstion towards restoring harmony
between the different sections Of the
Union. He was ,nxious TO see the south
and speak to the people. As early ~
April, be had Intellectually endeayored to
arrange for triple Nashville, where he
had been cordially invited, and again he
WAS disappointed q few " eeks after to
find ne could not go to South CaroliDS
10 attend the centennial communication
Of The victory Of Cowpen; but for the
autumn he definitely counted en-
| being present at three memor-
able assemblies in the south.
The celebration at Yorktown, the open
ing Of the cotton exposition at Atlanta
and the meeting of the army Of the
Cum Oerland at Chattanooga. He was
already turning over in his mind ais ad-
| dresses for each occasion, and the three
| taken together, he said TO a friend, gave
him The exsct scope and verge he needed.
At Yorktown he would have before him
the associations OF hundred years that
| bound the south and the north in the
.acred memory Of common danger sud
common victory; at Atlanta ne would
present the materiel interests and indus
trial development which Appealed to the
thrift aud independence Of every house
hold aRdiWhich should unite the tWo
sections by the instinct Of self interest
and self defense; ut Chattanooga he
would revive the memories Of the war,
OILY to show that after all lts disaster
and its suffering the country was stronger
and greater, the Union rendered indlS-
soluble, and the future through the
agony and blood Of one generation, made
brighter and better for all. Garfeld's
am bition for the success of his admins
tration was high. With strong caution
and conservatism In mis- nature, he was
in no danger of attempting rash expert
ments, or of resorting to the emplrlsm
of craftsmanship, but he believed that
renewed and close attention should be
given to questions affecting the material
interests and commercial prospects OF
fifty million of people. He believed that
our continental relations, extensive and
developed as they are, involved respon-
ability, and could be cultivated IN prof.
table friendship. or be abandoned 10
harmful Indifference or lasting enmity.
He believed with equal confidence that al
essential forerunner TO q new era of IA
tional progress must be q feeling OF con-
tentment in every secti9n Of the Union,
and a general belief that the benefits and
burdens of the government would
be common to all. Himself con
spicuous illustration of what ability
and ambition may be under republican,
| institutions. he loved his country, with
passion of patriotic devotion, and every
waking thought WAS given to her So
vancement. He was an American IN al
his aspirations, and he loved to view. the
destiny snd influence Of the Unitec
States With the philosophical composur'
of Jefferson. and the demonslratlYt
confidence of Joho Adams.
The political events which disturbed
the Presidents serenity for many weeks,
before that fateful day in July, form 81
important chapter IN his career, and II
his own judgement, Involved matters o
principle, which are vitality essential t.
the Constitutional administration OF tn
federal government. It would be out
place here and now TO speak the lsnguag
Of controversy, but the events referred
to, however they may continue to be
sources of contention with others, have
become, so fer as Garfield il concerned, a
much u N after of history, as his herolsn
st Chickinaugus, or his illustrious ser
vice in the Hou'e. Detail is not needle