Semi-weekly interior journal., 1882-03-03
siaine,s Oraiion.

atntcncet vi llOu. Jus. w. Dthih' Via'
alton delivered at tho Garfield mem
orial services at Washington, Monday;
"Great in lite, he was surprisingly
great in death. For no cause, in the
very frenzy Of wanionness and wick
edness, by the red hand Of murder, he
was thrust from the full tide Of this
worlds interest, from its hopes, its
aspirations, its victories, into the Wis
ible 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 relinquishmeut, but through days
of deadly languor, through weeks OF
agony, that was not less agony because
silently borne, with clear sight and
calm courage, he looked into his open
grave. What blight and ruin met
his anguished eyes, whose lips may
tell-what brilliant broken plans,
what bailled high ambitions, what
sundering Of strong, warm, manhOod's
friendships, what bitter reuding Of
sweet household ties Behind him
proud, expectant nation, a great host
Of sustaining friends, a cherished and
happy mother, wearing the full rich
honors Of her early toll aud years; the
wife Of his youth, whose whole life
lay in his; the little boys not yet
emerged from childhood's day Of frol-
&c; the fair young daughter; the stur-
dy sons just springing into closest
companionship, claiming every day
and every day rewarding a fathers
love and care; aud in his heart the
eager rejoicing power TO meet all de-
mand. Before him, desolation and
great darkness And his soul was not
shaken. His countrymen were thrill
ed with instant, profound and univer-
sal sympathy. Masterful in his NOR
tal weakness, he became the center Of
a nations love, enshrined in the pray.
ers Of world. But all the love aud
all the sympathy could not share with
him his suffering. lie trod the wine
press alone. With unfaltering front
he faced death. With unfailing ten.
deruess he took leave Of life. Above
the demoniac hiss of the assassin's bul.
let he heard the voice Of God. With
simple resignation he bowed to the
divine decree.
As the end drew near, his early
cravings for the sea returned. The
stately mansion Of power had been to
to him the wearisome hospital of pain,
and he begged to be taken from its
prison walls, from its oppressive, stiff
ling air, from its homelessness and its
hopelessness. Gently, silently, the
love Of a great people bore the pale
sufferer to the longed for healing of
the sea. TO live or TO die, as God
should will, within sight Of its heav-
ing billows. within sound Of its mani
fold voices. With wan, fevered face
tenderly lifted to the cooling breeze,
he looked out wistfully upon the
oceans changing wonders; on its far
sails, whitening in this morning light;
on its restless waves, rolling shore
ward TO break aud die beneath the
MONDAY sun; on the red clouds Of
evening, arching low to the horizon;
on the serene aud shining pathway Of
the stars. Let us think that his dy-
ing eyes read a mystic meaning which
only the rapt and parting soul may
know. Let US believe that in the
silence OF the receding world he heard
the great waves breaking on further
shore, and felt already upon his vast
oil brow the breath of the eternal
morning.