Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-02-28

sacred memory or common danger ana
common victory. At Atlanta he would present
the material interests and the industrial devel-
opment which appealed to the thrift and inde-
pendence of every household, and which should
unite the two sections by the instinct Of self
interest and self-defense. at Chattanooga he
would revive memories of the war, only to show
that after all its disaster and all its suffering,
the country was stronger and greater, the
Union rendered indissoluble, and the future,
through the agony and blood Of one generation,
made brighter and better for all.
Garfelds ambition for the success OF his
administration was high. With strong caution
and conservatism in his nature, he was in no
danger of attempting rash experiments or
of resorting to the empiricism of states
manship. But be belived that renewed
and closer attention should be gwen
ests and commercial prospects of fifty millions
Of people He believed that our continental
relations extensive and undeveloped as they
are. involved responsibility, and could be cult
waited into profitable friendship or be aban-
doned to harmful indifference or lasting
enmity. He believed with equal confidence
tn at an essential fOrerunner to new era Of
national progress must be feeling of content
ment in eve " section of the Union, aud gen
erOus belief that the benefits and burdens of
govern ment would be common to all. Himself
a conspiC CuoGs illustration of what ability and
ambition may do under republican institutions,
be loved his country with passion of patriotic
devotion, and every waking thought was given
to her advancement He was an American in
and influence of the United Stares with the
philosophic composure of Jefferson and the
demonstrative confidence of John Adams.
The political events which disturbed the
Presidents serenity for many weeks before
that fateful daG in July form an important
chapter in his career, and, lin his own judg
ment, involved questioTs of principle and right
which are vitality essential to the constitutional
administration of the Federal Government 1t
would be out of place here and now to speak
the language OF controversy: but the events
referred to, however they may continue to be
the source of contention with others, have be-
come, so far as Garf Id is concerned, as much
matter Of hist Iry as his heroiSm at Chicka-
mauga or his iIustriouS service in the
House Detail is not needful, and personal
antegOniSm shall not be rekndled by any word
uttered to-day. The motives of those opposing
him are not to be here adversely interpreted
nor their course harshly characterized But
of the dead President this is to be said and
said because his own speech is forever silenced
and he can be no more heard except through
the fidelity and the love of surviving friends.
From the beginning to the end of the contro-
versy he SO much deplored, the President was
never for one moment actuated by any motive
o gain to himself or of loss to others Least
of all men cid he harbor revenge rarely did
he even show resentment, and malice was not
in his nature. He was corgenialV employed
only in The exchange of good offices and the
doing of kindly desds.
The religious element in Garfield's character
was deep ana earnest In his early youth he
espoused the faith of the Disciples, sect of
that great Baptist Communion, which in diff
rent ecclesiastical establishments is so
numerous an so influential throughout all
parts or the United States. But the broaden
ing ten5ency of his mind and his active spirit
Of inquiry were early apparent and carried
him beyond the dOgmas of sect and the re-
straintS OF association. In selecting college
IN which to continue his education he rejected
Bethany, though presided over bV Alexande-
Campbell, the greatest preacher of his
church His reasons were characteristics
first, that Bethany leaned too heavily toward
slavery; and, second, that being himself a Dis
cip'e and the son of Dis .iple parents he had
little acquaintance with people of other bell is
and he thought it would make him more
liberal, quoting his own words, both in his reli-
gious and gen raj views, to go into a new circle
and be under new fuences.
But after this range of speculationY and this
latitude of doubt, Garfield came back always
with freshness and delight to the simpler in
stincts OF religious faith, which, earliest i'm
planted. longest survive. Not many weeks be-
fore his assassination, walking on the banks of
the Potomac with q friend. and cOnversng on
those topics of personal religion con ernng
which noble natures have an uncomfortable
reserve. he said that he found the Lords Pray
er and the simple petitions learned in infancy
infinitely restful to HIM, not merely in their
stated repetition, but in their casual and fire.
quent recall as he went about the daily duties
of life Certain texts of Scriptures hal a
very strong hold on his memory and his heart.
He heard while in Edinburgh some years
ago, an eminent Scotch preacher who prefaced
his sermon with reading he eighth chapter Of
the Eplstle to the Romans, which bnok had
been the subject of careful study with Garfield
during all his religious life. He was greatly
impressed by the elocution of the preacher
ana declared that it had impaired new and
deeper meaning to the majestic utterances of
Saint Paul He referred otten in after ears
to that memorable service, and 1wet with
eXaltation of feeling upon the radiant promise
aud assured hope with which the great apostle
of the Genties was persuaded that neither
nor T1rin npiVN VNol
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to
come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other
creature shall be able to separate US from the
love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord"
The crowning characteristic of General Gar
fields religious opinions, as, indeed, of all his
opinions, was his liberality. In all things he
had charity. Tolerance was of his nature He
respected in others the qualities which he
possessed himself-sincerity of conviction and
franknesS OF expression. With him the in
quiry was not so much what man believes,
out does he believe it? The lines of his friend
ship and his confidence encircled men of every
creed, and men Of no creed. and to the end Of
his life on his ever-lengthening list of friends,
were to be found the names of a piouS Catho-
lie priest and of an honest minded and gen.
erous hearts free-thinker.
On the morning of Saturday, July I'd, the
President was cOntented and happy man
not in an ordinary degree, but joyfully, almost
boyshly happy. On his way to the railroad
station, to which he drove slowly, in conscious
enjoy yneRt of the beautiful morning, with an
unwOnted sen e of leisure and a keen anticipa-
ton of pleasure his talk was all in the grateful
and gratulatory vein. He felt that after four
months OF trial his administration was st ong
in its gasp of affairs, strong in popular favor,
and destined to grow stronger; that grave diff
cuties confronting him at his Inauguration
had been safely passed; that trouble lay be-
hind him and not before him; that he was soon
to meet the wife whom he loved. now recover
ing from an illGess which had but lately disQui-
eted and st times almost unnerved him; that
he was going to his Alma Mater to relew the
most cherished associations Of his young man.
hood, and to exchange greetings with those
whose deepening interest mad followed every
step OF bis upward progress from the day he
entered upon his co lege course until he had
attained the loftiest elevation in the gift Of his
countrymen
Surely if happiness can ever come from
the honors or triumphs of this world on
that quiet July morning Jan es A. Garfield may
well nave been happy man. No foreboding
of evil haunted him; no slightest premonition
of d-nger clouded his sky. His terrible fate
was upon him in an instant. One moment he
stood erect, strong, confident in the years
stretching peacefully out before him. The
next he lay wounded BILE eeding, helpless, DOOM
ed to weary weeks Of torture, to silence, and
the grave.
Great IN life, he was surprisingly great in
death. For no cause, in the very frenZv of wan
t)nneSS and wickedne,s, by the red hand of
mu rder he was thrust from the full tide of this
worlds interest, from its hopes its aspirations,
its victories, into the visible presence of death
and he did not quail. Not alone for the one
short moment in which, stunned and dazed, he
could give up life hardly aware of its relin-
quishment, but through days of deadly Ian
guor, through weeks or agony. that was not
less agony because silently borne, with clear
sight and calm cOursge, he looked into his
open grave What blight and ruin met his
anguished eyes, whose lips may tell what
brilliant, broken plans, what baffied, high am
bitiOns, what sundering or strong, warm, man.
hoods friendships, what bitter rending of
sweet household tiesl Behind him proud,
expectant nation, q great host of sustain
ing friends, cherished and happy
wearing the full, rich honors Of
her early toll and tears; the wife of his youth
whose whole life lay in his; the little boys not
yet EN- erged from childhcod's day of frolc;
the fair, young auehter; the sturdy sons just
into closest cOmpanionshIp, claiming
every day ana every day rewarding a fathers
love and care; and in his heart the eager, re-
ioicing power to meet all den and. Before
MIN, desolation and great darkness And his
soul was not shaken. His countrymen we're
thrilled with instant, profound and universal
sympathy. Masterful in his mortal weakness,
he became the centre Of a nations love, en-
shrined in the prayers of a world. But all the
we and ali the sympathy could not share with
him his suffering. He trod the wine press
alcne With unfaltering front he faced death
With unfailing tenderness he took leave of life,
Above the demoniac hiss of tine assassins bull
let he heard the voice of God. With simple
he bowed to the Divine decree.
AS the end drew near, his early craving for
the sea returned The stately mansion of
power had been to him the wearisome hospital
Of pain. and he begged to be taken from it's
prison walls. from its oppressive, sitting air,
from its hOmslessness and its hopelessnesS |
Gently silently, the love of great people bore |
the pale sufferer to the longed-f for healirg of
the sea, to live or to die. as God should will,
within sight Of its heaving billows, within |
sound of its manifold voices. With wan,
fevered face tendery lifted to the cooling |
a looked