Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-03-09
A Scrap From Blaine's Eulogy.
JAMES A. GARFIELD AS PRESIDENT.

JAMES A. GARFIELD AS PRESIDENT.
In the beginning of his presidential
life Garfelds experience did not yield
him pleasure or satisfaction. The du
ties that engross so large portion OF the
presidentss time we're dstasteiul to
him, and were unfavorably contrasted
with his legislative work. 81 have been
dealing all these years with ideas be
impatiently exclaimed one day, "and
here am dealing only with persons. !
haye been heretofore treating of the
fundamental principles of government.
and here am considering all day
whether A or B shall be appointed TO
this or that office" He was earnestly
seeking some practical way of correct.
ing the evils arising from the distribu
tion of overgrown and unwieldly pat
ronage-evils always appreciated and
often discussed by him, but whose mag
nitude has been more deeply impressed
upon his mind since his accession to the
presidency. Had he lived, a compre.
hensive improvement in the mode OF
appointment and in the tenure OF office
would have been proposed by him, and
with the aid of congress no doubt per
fected.
But, while many Of the executive du
ties were not grateful to him, he was as
siduous and conscientious in their dis
charge. From the very outset he ex
hibited administrative talent of a high
order. He grasped the helm Of office
with the hand of q master. In this re.
spect, indeed, he constantly surprised
many who were most intimately associ.
ated with him in the government, and
especially those who had feared that he
might be lacking in the executive fac
ulty. His disposition of business was
orderly and rapid. His power Of analy.
sis and his skill in classification, enabled
him to dispatch vast mass of detail
with singular promptncs5 and ease. His
cabinet meetings were admirably cor
Quoted. His clear presentation OF oih.
cial subjects. his we'll considered sug.
gestion of topics on which discussion
was invited. his quick decision when
all had been heard, continued to show
a thoroughness OF mental training as
rare "a his natural ability and his facile
adaptation to a new and enlarged field
OF labor.
White perfect comprehension Of all
the inherItances o. the war, with cool
calculation Of the obstacles in his way,
impelled always by a general enthusI-
asm, Garfield conceived that much
might be done by his administration
towards restoring harmony between the
different sections of the Union. He
was anxious to go South and speak to
the people. As early as April he had
Intellectually en1eavored to arrange for
a trip to Nashville, whittier he had been
cordially invited, and he was again dis
appointed few weeks later to find that
he could not 90 to- South Carolina to at.
tend the celebration OF the victory of
the Cowpens. But for the autumn he
definitely counted on being present At
three memorable assemblies in the
South, the celebration at yorktown, the
opening of the cotton exposition at At.
lanta, and the meeting of the Army Of
the Cumberland at Chattanooga. He
was already turning over in his mind
his address for each occasion, and the
three taken together. he said to a friend.
gave him the exact scope and verge
which he needed. At Yorktown he
would have before him the associations
of q hundred years that bound the
South and the North in the sacred mem.
ory of a common danger and a common
victory. At Atlanta he would pre-
sent the material interests and the
industrial development which appeared
TO the thrift and Independence OF every
household, and which should unite the
two sections by the instinct Of selfin.
terest and self defence. 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 render
ed indissoluble, and the future, through
the agony and blood OF one generation,
made brighter and better for all.
q Garfield's ambition for the success Of
his administration was high. With
strong caution and conservatism in his
nature, he was in no danger OF attempt.
ing rash experiments or Of resorting to
the empiricism OF statesmanship. But
be believed that renewed and closer
attention be given to questions affecting
the material interests and commercial
prospects Of fifty millions OF people.
lie believed that our continental rela-
tions, extensive and undeveloped aa
they are involved responsibility, and
could be cultivated into profitable
friendship or be abandoned to harmful
indifference or lasting enmiiy. He be.
lieved with equal confidence that an es.
sential iorerunner to new era OF ma