The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1882-03-09

)LE NUMBER ll74.
mon victory at Atlanta he would present the
material interests and the induslriAl develop.
ment which appealed ~ the thrift and indie
penlence OF every household, and which should
mite the two sections by the instinct OF self
interest and sell defence. AT CHATTANOOGA, h0
wonld revive memories of tho war only 10 show
that, after oil its disasters and oil IT. su6ernGs,
tho country VAS stronger and greater, tho
Union rendered indisso!nDe, and the future,
ton, made brighter and better for I'll. Gar
fields ambition Tor the success Of his admins
tration was high. With strong caution and
conservatism In his nature, he was 10 no dan.
ger Of attempting rash experiments or u ~
sorting 70 the empiricism Of ststesmanship,
tontion should 10 given 10 questions
affecting the material interests and
commercial prosperity Of 60,O00,0OO Of
people He believed that our continental rela-
tions, extensive and undevelopod ~ they are
involved responsibility, aud could be cultivated
In profitable friendship. " 10 abandoned 10
harmful indifference OF lasting enmity. he bo-
leved with equal confidence that an essential
f0rerunner 70 . new era OF national progress
must be feeling OF c0ntentment In every Sec
ton Of the Union, and general belief that tho
benefitA AMI burdens Of yovernlncmt would ~
common 10 ail. Himself c61spirunm iffrs.
trAtion OF what ability and ambition NAV do
under republican institutions. no loved his
country with passion Of patriotic devotion,
and every waking thought wRs given 10 her al.
yancemcnt. He WAS an American III NIL his AS
pirations, and he looked to the destiny and in
nncnce of the United States with tie pLilo-
so!,hical compOsure of Jefferson and tie dem
Ossak Atsvn of gsshO AalanNA
The political events which disturbed the Pfes.
ident's serenity for many wceks before TINT
fatefnl day in July form an important chapter
In his career, and In hisOwn judgment involved
matters Of principle and Of right which arc VI
tally essential g tho constitutional admnlslrs,
ton Of the Federal Government. i would
be ont OF place here and now to speak
the language Of controversy, but the events
referred To. however they may continue
TO DO the source OF contention with others.
have become. 90 far as GARFIELD u concerned,
Chickamauga o. Ills iIlustriohs service III the
House. Detail IL not needed, full and personal.
AntagOnism shall not be lckindled by any word
uttered to-day.
The motives OF those opposing him are not TO
b. here adversely interpreted nor their course
harshly characterized, but 0s the dead President
this 10 to bc said, aud said because his owu
speech h forever silenced. aud hc can Lc NO
more heard except through tho fidelity aud the
love Of surviving frends From the beginning
10 the end uf the controversy he 70 much de-
plored tho President was never for one mo
ment actuated BY motives of gain 10 himself
or loss 10 others. Least Of Ill did he hAEb0r
revenge; rarely did he ever show resentment !;
and malice was not in his nature. He was
congeniAlly employed 0nly in tho exchange Of
good offices aud the doing Of kindly deeds.
There was not m hour from the beginning Of
the trouble until the fatal shot entered his
body when the President would not gladly, for
the sake Of restoring harmony, have retraced
any step he had taken, II such retracing had
merely involved consequences personal 10 him.
sclf. The pride Of consistency, Or any sup
posed sense Of humiliation that might result
from snrrendeFing his position, had not .
feathers weight with him No man Was less
subject 10 such influences from within or with
out but after mort anxions dcl,heration aud
the coolest survey of ell circumstances Le SOL
emnly believed that the true pr,rogAtiyes Of
the Executive were involved Ia the issue which
had been raised, and that he wonld be unfaith-
fui TO his supreme obligation II he failed 20
maintain in all their vigor tho constitutional
rights aud dignitlcs OF the great Office. He be-
lieyed this IN Oh tho convictions of conscience
| when in sound aud vigorous health, and he To-
lieved il in his suffering and pros.ration, in the
| last conscious thought which his wearied mind
| bestowed on transtory struggles Of life. More
than this need not b said less than this could
| mot lie said.
Justice 10 the dead. the highest obligation
laration that III al the bearings VI tho subject.
actual or possit.le. the President was content il
| his mind, justified In his conscience, immovaOls
| In his conclusions.
The religious element In 0arfell's charactel
| was deep and rarnest In his youth he es-
poussd the faith u the Disciples, sect Of that
/ great Baptist communion which, ia tifierrn,
L IL
| and 10 influential through All parts VI tbs
United States but the broadening. tsnteacy Vi
his mind and HIS active snlrt OF inquiry were cary
/ apparent, and carried him beyond the dognai
| Of sect aud the restraints Of association. Ii
| selecting college In which 10 continue his cda
over BY Alexander Campbell. the sr,ates,
preacher Of his church His reasons were char
acteristical: First, that Bethany lcsnei to<
heavily toward slavery and, second, th /. lie
/ ing himself Disciple and tho son II Disciple
| parents, he had little Acquaintsncc with pcopl,
of other beliefs, aud hs thought 4
lis own Words both in his rc6giou,
and general vicws to go int.
new circle and b. under new influences. TI,
liberal tendency which ho anticipated As III,
result Of wider culture was fully realized. H
was emancipated from Mere sectarian irlief
and with eager interest pasEed his inNestlga
\ uOu IN t0e utGVEGOu VI ulONucGu PGUStVeeiN
thought. Ho followed with q1ickening steps i
the paths Ut exploration sud speculation I
fearlsssly trodden by Dsrxin, by Huxley. b
| Tyn0All and BY other living scientists VI g.
radical and advanced typo. HIS own ehNryl
binding its disciples BY no formulated cresd
but accepting the Old aud New Testament =
tho word VI 6od, with unbiased liberty .
private Interpretation. favored il IL did no
stimulate The spirit of lnvcstiea eation. Its mem
bers profess with sinccrlty. and profess oni. I
he Of one mind aud one faith With those Mh
followed the Master and Mho were hrst ,Alle
Christians II Antioch. but however h.ga Gar
field reasoned VI "dxed fate. tree will. fore
knowledge absolute" he wAs never ser
arated from tho Church of III
Disciples in his affections aud in his assoc,a
tions. For him il held the Ark Of the Covenant
to him Was the cato of heaven The world q
religious belief u full OF solecisms aud contra
dictions1 philos0pAic observer declares tbs
men BY the thousand will die in dcsense i
creed whose doctrincs they do not compr,
hend, aud whose tencts they hALitaAlly violate
Il h equally true that men hy the thousand
will cling to church organizations with lnstiilcl
I've and undying 6dc,ity when their leliot !
mature years y radically diaerent from thu
which inspires them ~ neOphytea. But Afts
this range u speculation and this latitude Z
doubt, Gartacld came hack always with frrshues
and delight to simpler instincts Of religious falt
| which. earliest implanted, longest survive. n,
| many weeks before his 1naAssillAtlon, Walkln
on the hanks Of the Potomac with . friend, IN
conversinx on these topics 0f personal y
hgion, concerning which noble naturcs has
On unconqusrabls reserve, he said that Z
found the Lords prayer aud tho simple PIT
tions learned II infancy Infinitely restfnl to hin
not merely in their stated repetition, hut
their casual and frequent recall - Lc Vel
about the daily dutaes u life. Certain texts
Scripture bad very strOng hold ON his men
Ory and heart. He heard, while il Ed nhnrs
some years ego. IN eminent Scotch preach,
Who prsfaced his sermon With reaains II
eighth chapter Of the Epistle to the Roman
which boob had been the subject OF caref,
study with 0ar6eld during all his religious iif
He was greatly Impressed By the elee0tlon ,
tho preacher. aud declared that il had IN
parted Q neu and deeper meaning TO 4
majestic utteEances Of 81. Paul. He refcrrs
.. oftsu IN after years to that memorAb
. osrvice, and dwelt with exaltAtion Of fes
Ing upon the radiant promise aud q
assured hope with which the gre
ap0stlO Of the 0entiles Was pe
. suAdsd that neither death, no. hfe. y,
J angels. nor prinnpahties. nor powers, n
things present nor thlngs to come. NOR hetsh