Huntsville gazette., 1882-03-04
MEMORIAL.
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lContinucd from First Page


candidate spoken freely on pass.
ing events and current issues. To attempt
anything of the kind seemed novel, rasn ana
even desperate The older class of voters re-
called tile unfortunate Alabama letter, in
which Mr.. Clay was supposed to have signed
his political death warrant. They remem,
bered also the hot tempered cnuslon Dy wnlcn
Gen Scott lost a large share of his popularity
before his nomination., and the unfortunate
speeches which rapidly consumed the re-
The younger voters had seen MT
Greeley in series of vigorous and original
addresses, preparing the pathway for his own
defeat. Unmindful of these warnings, un-
needing the advice of friends. Garfield spoke
in large crowds as he journeyed to and from
New York, in August to a great multitude in
that city, to delegations and deputationS OF
every kind that called at Mentor during the
and autumn with lnnumeraDle
critics, watchful and eager to catch a phrase
that might be turned into lidicule or odium,
or a sentence that might be distorted to his
own or his party's injury, Garfield did not
trim or halt In any one of his seventy speech,
es. This seems all the more remarkable
when it is remembered that he did not write
what he said and yet spoke with such logical
of thought and such admfra-
Bile precision of phrase as to defy the acci-
dent of misreport and the malignity OF mis-
In the beginning of his Presidential life
Garfield's experience did not yield him pleas
ure or satisfaction. The duties that enSrOsS
so large portion of the President time were
dstasteful to him and were unfavoraDly con-
trasted with his legislative work. Il have
been dealing all these years with ideas" he
exclaimed one day, "and here L
am dealing with only persons; 1 nave Deen
heretofore treating of the fundamental prin-
ciples of government, and mere l aln conslu-
ering all day whether A or b shall be appoint
ed to this or that Office" He was earnestly
seeking some practical way OF correcting the
evils arising from an Overgrown ana un.
wieldly patronage--evilS always appreciated
and often discussed by him. but whose mag
nitude had been more deeply impressed upon
his mind since his accession to the Preslden-
cy Had he lived, comprehensive improve
nIent in the mode of appointment and in the
tenure of office would nave been proposed by
him, and with the aid of Congress no doubt
perfected. But while many of the executive
duties were not grateful to him, he was assid-
uous and conscientious in their discharge.
From the very outset he exhibited admins
trative talent of high order. He grasped the
helm of office with the hand OF master In
this respect, indeed, he constantly surprised
many who were most intimately ass )ciated
with him in the Government, and especially
those who had feared that he might be lack
ing in the executive faculty. His disposition
of business was orderly and rapid. His power
of analysis and his skill in classification en-
abled him to dispatch vast mass OF details
with singular prOmptnesS and ease. His CAB
met meetings were admirably conducted. His
clear presentation of official subjects, his
well considered suggestions OF topics on
which discussion was invited; his quick de-
cisons, when all had been heard, combined
to show a thOrOughnesS of mental training as
rare as his natural ability and his facile
~ new and enlarged field OF Ia
Dor.
With perfect comprehension of all the in
heritances of the war, with cool calculation
of the obstacles in his way, impeHed always
by a generous enthusiasm, Garfield conceived
that much might be done by his adminiStra-
tion toward restoring harmony between the
different sections of the Union. He was anx
ious to go South and speak to the people. AS
early as April he had inc tfectually endeavOr-
ftNn ,rcyn fnI n fri
he had been cordially invited. And he was
again disappointed, Il few weeks later, to find
that he could not go to South Carolina, to
attend the Centennial 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 Atlanta, and the
meeting of the Army of the Cumberland at
He was already turning
over in his mind his addresses for each
and the three taken together,
be said to a friend, gave him the exact scope
and verge which he needed. AT Yorktown
he would have before him the associations of
100 years that bound the South and North in
the sacred memory of a common danger and
a common victory AT Atlanta he would pre-
sen. the material interest and the industrial
which appealed to the thrift
and independence of every hOuSehOuld, and
which should unite the two sections by the
instinct of self interest and self defense. At
he would revive the memories
of the war only to show that, after all its dis
aster and all its suffering, the country was
and greater, the Union rendered in
dissolublc and the future, through the agony
and blood of one generation, made brighter
and better for ALL t5A
Garfield's ambition for the success IS of his
was high. With strong eau
ton and conservatism in his nature, he was
in no danger of attempting rash experiments
or of resorting to the empircism of statesman
Ship but he believed that renewed and closer
should be given to questions affect
ing the material interests and COM
mercial prospects OF fifty millions OF people.
He believed that our continental relations, ,eX-
tensive and undeveloped as they are, in
volved responsibility, and could be cultivated
into profitable friendship or be abandoned to
harmful indifference or lasting enmity. He
believed, with equal confidence, that an es-
sential forerunner to a new era of national
be a feeling of cOntentment in
every section of the Union, and generous
belief that the benefits and burdens of gov
would be common to ALL Himself a
illustration of what ability and
ambition may do under Republican institu-
tions, lie loved. his country with passion
of patriotic devotion, and every waking
thought was given to her advancement. He
was an American in all his aspirations and he
looked to the destiny and influence of the
United States with the philosophic composure
of Jetferson,and the demonstrativc confidence
of John Adams The political events which
disturbed the Presidents serenity for many
weeks before the fateful day in July form an
lulpOItstut CudptcT III Ills CfucCI, anu III Ills
own Judgment involved questions of principle
and of right which are vitality essential to
the constitutional administration of the Fed
eral Government.
1t would be out of place here and now to
speak the language of the controversy, but
the events referred to, however they may
continue to be source of contention with
Others have become, so far as Garfield is con-
eerned, as much a matter of history as his
heroiSm at 7Chickamauga, or his flluStriOuS
service in the House. Detail is not needful,
and personal antagoniSm shall not be re-
kindled by any word uttered day. The
motives of those opposing him are not to be
here adversely interpreted nor their cause
harshly characterized, but of the dead Presi-
dent 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 controversy he so
one moment actuated by any motive of gain
to himself or of loss to others. Least of all
men did he harbor revenge, rarely did lie
even show resentment, and malice was not in
his nature. He was cOngenially employed
only in the exchange of good offices and the
doing of kindly deeds. There was not an hour
from the beginning of the trouble till 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 il such retracing had merely involved
consequences personal to himself. The pride
OF consistency or any supposed sense of hu-
initiation that might result from surrender
ing his position had not a feathers weight
with hun. No man was ever less subject to
such influences from within or from without,
ht1f u FAR dol, ,kav-c ~