Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-02-28

Well educated. thrifty, thoroughly intelligent
in affairs, acutelv discerning of character.
not quick to bestow confidence. and slow to
Withdraw it, they were al once the most help.
ful and most exacting of supporters. Their
tenacious trust in men in whom they have
once eonfided is illustrated by the unparellel-
I'd fact that Elisha Whittlesey, Joshua Il.
Giddings, and James A. Garfield represented
the district for fiity-four wears.
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 won outside; no place where so
little consideration is shown for the feelings
or the failures of beginners. What man
gains in the House he gains by sheer force Of
his own character, and if he loses and falls
back he must expect no mercy, and will re-
ceiv~ no sympathy. 1t is a field in which the
survival of the strongest is the recognized
rule, and where no pretense can deceive and
no glamour can mislead The real man is
discovered, his worth is impartially weighed,
his rank is irreversibly decreed,
With possibly n single exception, Garfield
was the youngest member in the House when
he entered and was but seven wears from his
college graduation. But he had not been in
his seat sixty days before his ability was re-
cognized 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 Sem
ate, and many of them have served with dis
tinction in the gubernatorial chairs of their
respective States, and on foreign missions of
great consequence; but among them all none
grew so rapidly, none firmly as Garfield.
hero. Garfield succeeded because all the
world in concert could not have kept him in
the back ground. and because when once in
the front he played his part with prompt in
trepidity and commanding ease that were
but the outward symptoms of the immense
reserves of energy. on which it was in his
power to draw" Indeed. the apparently re-
served 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 expended so
much strength but that he seemed to be hold
ing additional power at call. This is one of
the happiest and rarest distinctions of an ef-
fective debater. and often counts for as much
in persuading an assembly As the eloquent
and elaborate argument.
The great measure of Garfield's fame was
filed by his service in the House of Repre-
i'' 'i'''"'S my i'ius'"'e" ny
"o''i'oie Pel'o'"'anee; anu rich Ill PROMISE
""s' as "e "i''se'i iei', Pre"a'ureN ter-
minated and necessarily incomplete. Spec
ulation as to what he might have done in a
field where the great prizes are so few can
not be profitable. 1t is sufficient to say that
as soldier he did his duty bravelv; he did
it inteliigently; he won an enviable fame
and he retired from the service without blot
VI "S'c' "ii'' "" "yei' '"ous"
"''i'i'""'H eI"iPl,r" 10, '"e Pro'essioh' ne
Ia" scafceiy pe s'iu 10 nave entered on ts
P'"'''o'' i.e 'eN t""'fs ne "ia"e at .he
oai w.. ni,',"suisne" r T 'ne same hien
ali II ~ Nv " M IVY. y"
,.' . r. W Wv 80 ""
s ',' ~. my 'onP' !"use
VI HIS own c'Pac'ies anu anap'a'Iohs' tne
law was the profession 10 which Garheid
shouiu nave uevo'eu ni,nseh. But tate
,.;t. .. M II . " .s '"u Ms eputa'ion ~
~. III "ii "'is uPo" III, scr ''oe III
wy. a,na,,.;>ai,i' ~ 49, .n", .;. .ee
va 'p'''"",'' 'o"s 'I was "i"e 'i'''es
''s '"'ee" W '"e 'iouse' an ho"of
enyoScu ., not '"o'e 'ia" siN other hepre-
sen, stn'4'a.es VI 'ne NOR .na,, I'VE thousand
of ,ha ,roror.,,a, y. ~ ,;'n i r"' 'N"''o"
A.. nar,;a,nan,ar, W. '',T 49, aoh.
-. p i "'.'.,.
y" ' J''"eu "e'V Wv p'si
''''' "'u "" '"','" anu '''e E'"""" 'aiu
o"', "',. '"u>, pe assigneu very hlgh
rahk. wore perhaps 'nan any man win
whom ne was ass"cia'eu III Puolc NE, ne
eaNe carei" anu sNs'e''ia'ic stuu' 10 Puohc
I"eI'o1 ""u 'e AM eteis 'lscassion
:" ~ "iN' ~ ~'oon P'''' '' ''''o' "'o anu com
p'e'e ptepa'a'i"n' ne was steauy ana
inoeiatigaoie ""rKet' lhose VINO imagine
that talent or genius can supply the place or
achie'e Tue results Oh iaoor VIII nnd no
encou'"sen'en' III "arheiu hie' IN pre-
.i','"'tY III, "orN ne was apt rap" anu skill
'u'' ne ~ my" uegIee tne
P""er oi Ieadl's absorbing lueas ana iacts,
anu IKE Dr- johnson, had the art OF get
ilns fro" the hook ALI that was OF value IN
II 10y reading apparently so quick and
cnrsorv mat 1t seemed IKE a mere glance at
'he 'a"ie vi cUh'en,s. lie was pre-eml-
"eh'i! 70" s"u eah"'" "iah IN deoate, TOOK
nv pe'N au'Sn'age' s'ooPeh 10 no unworthy
methods, avoided PERSONAL aliusions, rarely
appealed to prejudice, did not seek to infiame
passion. lie had quicker eye for the
strong point OF his adversary than for his
weak point ana on MS own SIDE he so mar
shaied MS welghty arguments AS to make
ms hearers forget any possible lack IN the
conipie'e streheth OF MS POSITION lie had
a hapl' on statih2 us opponents side with
such Amplitude OF harness ana such hber-
silfy OF concession that ms followers often
complained that he was giving his