New-York tribune., 1882-02-28


skill which comes only from parliamentary expert
ence. Into this assembage of men Garhcld en-
tered without special preparation. ana, u might
almost be said unexpectedly. The question OF TAX
ING command of n division OF troops under NeneraI
Thomas or taking his seat in Congress was kept
open till the last moment. so late inucch' tha' Vo
resignation of his military commission ana MS aP
pearance in the House were almost con'empora
neous. lie wore the uniform of MaJor-"ehera
of the United States Army on Saturday ana vi
Monday in civilians dress. he answered 10 ihe Toll
call as Representative III Congress from tiie o'aDo
of Ohio.
He was especially fortunate in the constituency
which elected him. Descended almost en'lrely lI"ih
New-Eng land stock the men Of the Ashtabnla Dls-
trict were intensely radical on all questions relating
TO human rights. Well educated. thrifty thor-
oughly intelligent in affairs. acutely discerning oi
character, not quick TO besfow confidence ana SLOW
to withdraw if they were at once The most heIpiul
and most cxactng of supporters. Their tenacious
trust in men in whom they have once cohr,r.u y
illustrated bv the unparalleled fact that LLsna
Whittlescy Joshua X. Gidlinqs and James A. Jar
field represented the district for tity-iour years
There is no test of mans ability in any depart
mcnt of public life more severe man service III ,r
House Of Representatives: therc ~ no Piicc W. i
so little Difference is paid to reputation previously
ac0uircd or TO emnence won outsidc; no piiCH
where so little considcIa ion is shown ior ne Itl-
in tho House he Gains by sheer force OF ms own
character and if he loses and falls back he mus ea
pcct no mercv and will receive no svmp thy. ~ :
field in which the survival of the strongest ls Inc
recognized rule and where no prctcnc> can decelVe
and no glamor can misl"ad. he real man Is
discovered. his worth is mpartalY Wr'gh..d; MS
rank is iTreyersibly decrecd. with poslbly
single exception Garfield the youngest mem
Der in the ionse when he entered, and was Ont
seven years from his college graduation, bu! no
had not hecn in his seat sixty days eoTe his abllt
was recognized and his plaC" concc''ed. lie stepped
70 the front with the confidence oi one who be-
longed there. The House was crowded Win strong
III en- Of both parties; nineteen OF them nave since
been transferred to the Senate. and many OF them
have served with distinction i'll the gnbcrnaioilal
chairs Of their respective States and on foreign MIS-
sOns Of great consequence hut among mem all none
grew so rapidly, none so firmly as Garfield AS is
said by lreVcyan of his Parliamentary nero, 6ar-
field succredcd "becanse all the world In concert
could not have kept him in the background; ana be-
cause when once in the front he played ms pari
with prompt intTepidiy and a commanding ease
that were but the outward symptoms o1 TN, I'm. In.
mcnse reserves of energy on which 1t was IN his
power TO draw" Indeed the apparently reserved
force which Garfield possessed one of his great
characteristicS He never did well but that 1t
seemed he conld easily have done better. He never
expended so much strength bui thal he seemed 10
be holding additional power at call. This Is one OF
the happeSt and raTrst distinctions OF an e1ecllVe
dcbater and often countS for as much IN pcrSuadlng
embly as the eloquent and elaborate afGu-
mcnt.
ORATOR AND DEBATER.
his services in the House of Representatives. 1IIs
military life. illustrated by honorable performance,
and rich in promise was he himself felt, prema-
turcly terminated and necessarily incomplete.
Speculaton as to what he might have done in a
field where the great prizes are so few cannot he
profitable II sufficient 10 say that n soldier he
did his duty bravcy: he did it intclligently; he
won an euvabIe fame. and he retired from the ser
vice without blot or breath against bin. As q law
yer. though admirably equipped for the profession
he can scarcely be said to have entered on lis prac
tice The few efforts he made at the bar were dis
tingushed by the same high order OF talent which
he exhibited on every field where he was put To the
test. and if a man may be accepted rs . competent
Judge OF his own capacities and adaptations thcl aw
was the profession to which Garfield should have
devoted himself. But fate ordained otherwise. and
his reputation il history viii rest LARGELY upon his
service in the House of Representatives.. That ser
vice was exceptionally long lie was nine tunes
consecutivrly chosen to the House. an honor en-
ioyed by not more than six other Representatives, of
the more than five thousand who have been elected
from the organization Of the Government to this
hour
Asa parliamentary orator rs dehatcr on m is
s1lc srrorclv ioiucd where the position had been
chosen and me Gronnd laid ont Gartrd rnust be as
signed a very high rank. More. perhaps, than any
man with whom he was associated IN public life
/ N
questions and he came tocvery discussion in which
he took part with elaborate and complete pT'para-
ton lie was steady and iudclatigahlc worker
Those who imagine that talent genius can
supply the place or achieve the results OF Labor viii
find no encouragement IN Garhclds life. In pre-
IiminaTy work hc apt, rapid and SkllluL lie
possessed in high degree the power of readily ah-
sOrbIug ideas and facts. and like Dr. Johnson, had
the art of getting from book all tn was o' value
IN II by reading apparently SO quick ara cuINofA
thai il seemed like mere glance at the table ot
contents lie was prominently fair and candid
man IN debate, took no petty advantage stopped 10
no unworthy methods, avoided personal illusions.
rarely appealed to prejudice, did not seek Iuamo
passion. lie had quicker eye Tor the tong point
of his adversary than for his weak point and on
his side he so maTshalcd his wcighty arguments
as to make ms hearers forget any possible Lack IN
the complete strength of his position. He had a
habit of stating his opponents sIGe with such
amplitude and fairness. and such lihcrallty of con-
cesslon that his followers often complained that he
was giving his away. But never IN his pro
lOnged participation in the proceedings Of the
House did he give his case away. or fail in the
Judgment of competent and impartial listeners to
gain the mastery.
GREAT PARLIAMENTARY LEADERS.
These characteristics which marked Garfield a
great debater did not, however make him great
parliamentary leader. A parliamentary leader, as
that term is understood wherever free representative
government exists is necessarily and very strictly
the organ of his party. An ardent American defined
the instructive warmth OF patriotism when he
offered the toast Our country, always right, but,
right or wrong our country" The parliamentary
leader who has body of followers that viii do and
dare and die for the cause is who believes his
party always right but right wrong is for his
party. No more important eXacting duty de
wolves upon him than the selection of the field and
the time Cor the contest. He must know not merely
how to strike, but where to strike and when to
strike. He often skilfuy avoids the strength of
his opponents position and scatters fusion in his
ranks by attacking exposed point when really
the righteousness of the cause and the strength of
logical intrenchmcnt against him lie conquers
often both against the right and the heavy battal-
ions as when young Charles Fox, in the days of his
Tnrylnn carIicd the IInnse Of Cmmmnns nnainst