The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-03-08

!. an effective debater, and often count
e for as much in persuading an a:
a sembly as the eloquent and elabol
, ate argument.
: The great measure of Garfield
: fame was filled by his service in tn
5 House of Representatives. Hi
4 military life, illustrated by honora
8 bic performance, and rich in prom
l ise, was, as ne himself felt, prema
? turely terminated, and necessaril,
| incomplete. Speculation as to wha
f he might have done in field wher,
the great prizes are so few, canno
be profitable. It is sufficient to say
! that as soldier he did his dutl
bravely but he did it intelligently
hE won an enviaple fame, and here
tired from the service without bio
or breath against him. As a law
yer, though admirably equipped fol
the profession, he can scarcely b,
said to have entered upon its prac-
tice. The few efforts he made Al
the bar were distinguished by the
same high order of talent which he
exhibited OF every field where he
was put to the test, and If a man may
be accepted as a competent judge OF
his own capacities and adaptations,
the law was the profession 10 which
Garfield should have devoted him
self. But fate ordained otherwise,
and his reputation in history will
rest largely upon his services in ihe
House OF Representatives. That
service was exceptionally long. He
was nine times consecutiyely chos-
en- to the House, an honor enjoyed
by not more than six other Repre-
sentatives of the more than five
thousand who have been elected
from the organization of the govern
ment to this hour.
As a parliamentary orator, as a
debater on an issue squarely joined,
where the position had been chosen
and the ground laid out, Garfield
must be assigned very high rank.
More, perhaps, than any man with
whom he was associated in public
life, he gave careful and systematic
study to public questions, and he
came to every discussion iii which
he took part, with elaborate and
complete preparation. He was a
steady and indefatigablc worker.
Those who imagine that talent or
genius can supply the place or
achieve the results Of labor viii find
no encouragement in Garfeld's life.
In parliamentary work he was apt,
rapid and skillful. He possessed in
a high degree the power Of readily
absorbing ideas and facts, and, Ike
DR.. johnson, had the art OF getting
from a book all that was in it by a
reading apparently so quick and
cursory that it seemed like a mere
glance at the table OF contents. He
was :. pre-eminently fair and candid
man in debate, took no petty ad-
vantage stopped TO no unworthy
method avoided personal illusions,
rarely appealed to prejudice, did
not elk to inflamc passion. He
had 4 quicker eye for the strong
point OF his adversary .he- r-- L
weak point, and on his own side he
so marshaled his weighty arguments
as to make his hearers forget any
possible lack in thecomplete strength
of his position. He had habit OF
stating his opponents side with
such amplitude Of fairness and
such liberality of concession that
his followers often complained that
he was giving his case away. But
never in his prolonged participation
in the proceedings of the House did
be give his case away, or fail in the
judgement of competent and impair
tial listeners to gain the mastery.
These characteristics which mark
ed Garfield as great debater, did
not, however, make him great
parliamentary leader. A parlia-
mentary leader, as that term is IN
derstood wherever free representa-
tive government exists, is necessari-
ly and very strictly the organ of the
party. An ardent American defined
the instructive warmth of patriotism
when he offered the toast, "0ur
country, always right, but right or
wrong, our country" The parlia-
mentary leader who has a body of
followers that will do and dare and
die for the cause is one who believes
his party always right. but right or
wrong, is always for his party. No
more important or exacting duty
devolves upon him than the selec-
ton of the field and time for con-
test. He must know not merely
how to strike. but where TO strike
and when to strike. He often skill
fully avoids the strength of his OPP
ponent's position and scatters confu-
sion in his ranks by attacking an
exposed point when really the right
eousness Of the cause and the
strength of logical intrenchment are
against him. He conquers often
both against the right and the heavy
battalions as when young Charles
Fox, in the DAYS of his toryism,
carried the House of Commons
against justice, against Its inrnemo-
rial rights, against his own convic-
tons, and, in the interests OF cor
rupt administration, in obedience TO
tyrannical sovereign, drove Wilkes
from the seat to which the electors
of Middlesex had chosen him and
installed Luttrell in defiance. not
merely of law but of public decen-
cy. For an achievement of that
kind Garfield was disqualified
disqualified by the texture Of his
mind, by the honesty of his heart,
by his conscience, and by every in
stinct and aspiration OF his nature
The three most distinguished par
liamentary leaders hitherto develop
ed in this country are Mr.. Clay, Mr.
Douglas. and Mr. Tnaddeus Stevens
Each was man OF ofconsumlnate abii-
ity, Of great earnestness, OK intense
personality. differing widely. each
rom the others, and yet with sin
gle trait in common-tLe power to
command. In the give and take
of discussion, in the art of control
ling and consolidating reluctant and