Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-03-07
WHAT PRESIDENT GARFIELD DE-
SIGNED.

The following from the Phlladel-
phia American, is doubtless a fair
statement of the policy designed by
President Garfield, but which he
was prevented by the assassins bulls
let from carrying out:
President Garfield designed a lib
eral policy. He meant to deal fairly
with every reputable element OF the
party that had elected him. He had
no factional spirit: His purpose in
Guided just recognition Of Repub~
licans who differed from him on mere
points of detail. He entertained. no
schemes of prescription. His Cab~
met contained members who stood
nearer to his Republican
opponents than they had to himself.
He had no idea of cons
fning to o clique or "ring" the
powers and prerogatives which the
whole party had placed in his hands,
and which, under the Constitution,
he held in trust for all the people.
He meant to improve the public ser
vice. He knew the need of improve
ment. However hackneyed the name
of reform, however dishonesty it
has been invoked by demagogues
and scoundrels, he still knew that
reform was the duty of every faiths
fal President He meant to keep
his administration clean. He in
tended to drive away from it the
harpies and the iobbers who throng
around any President who does not
show himself earnestly hostile to
corruption.
He meant, too, to keep it free from
mean intrigues and low alliances. He
hoped for success before the sight of
the people, and not through secret
bargains with the venal elements of
an opposing party. 1t was his OBJ
ject to keep his flag flying unstained
and unsuIlied to act in the open,
with honor and courage; to succeed
by true and positive merit. He bes
Geved in restoring to the people
their impaired political freedom.
Never a ''boss' himself, never one
who depended for his triumphs upon
the appliances of machine" he
resented, as every intelligent man
must dc, the whole infamous system
by which ''boss" ship is maintained.
He believed in independence and
personal freedom; he did not toler>
ate the methods by which, in the
interest of an insolent partisanship,
they are are to be gagged and
bound In every respect, his views,
his methods and bis plans were lofty
and honorable.
Only little over year ago the
oath of Office was administered to
Garfield, at the national capitol. A
hundred thousand of his countrymer
who had then assembled to do hon.
or to their chosen Chief Magistrate
joined in applauding the exalted SEN
timents proclaimed in his Inaugural
address. As the words of that adj
dress flashed over the wires to ever,
State and county, mlllons NOR
joined in an applause that was no
one of empty meaning. He hat
struck responsive chord In th
hearts of the people, and they wer
well satisfied that in choosing him t.
be their Chief Magistrate they ha
L. no toll
Before many weeks had elapsed
while endeavoripg to carry out hi
policy in the administration Of tn
government, he encountered herc
opposition from men in his own par
ty, for which he was doubtless pre-
pared, but he made short and v1gor
GUS work of it. It is no stretch OF i'm
agination, to say that, on the mornInI
the fatal shot was fred, he wa
stronger in the hearts OF the peopl