The Evening critic., 1882-02-27
IN MEMORIAM.
Confined From First ragc.

Continued From First Page.
be reviewed, unsurrounded by prejudice and
disconnected from pariisanlsm, the speeches
OF Garfield will be estimated at their true
value, and will be found TO comprise n vast
magazine OF fact and argument, OF clear analy-
sis and sound conclusion. Indeed, " no othcr
authority were accessible, his speeches in the
House OF Representatives from December,
1868, 20 June, 1880, would give well con
nectcd history and complete defense OF the
important legislation of the seventeen event
ful years that constitute his parliamentary
life. Far beyond that his speeches would ns
found to forecast many great measures, yet 70
be completed-measuros which he knew were
beyond the public opinion OF the hour, but
which he confidently believed would secure
Popular approval within the period OF his own
lifetime, and by the aid OF his own efforts.
Direring, as Garfield docs, from the brill
liant parliamentary leaders, 1t is not easy TO
find his counterpart anywhere In the record
of American public life. Ho perhaps moro
nearly resembles Mr.. Seward in his supreme
faith In the allconquering power OF princt-
pic. lie had the love OF learning, and tho
patient industry Of investigation, TO which
John Quincy Adams owes his prominence and
his presidency. He had some OF those ponder.
Gus elements OF mind which distinguished
Mr.. Webster, and which indeed, in all our pub
lie life have left the great Massachusetts, SEN
ator without an intellectual peer.
In English parliamentary history, as In our
own, the leaders in the House OF Commons
present points OF essential difference from Gar
held. But some of his methods recall the best
features in the strong, Independent course Of
Sir Robert Peel, and striking resemblances are
disccrnible in that most promising OF modern
conservatives, who died too early for his coun-
try and his fame, the Lord George Bentinck.
He had all of Burke's love for the sublime
and the beautiful, with, possibly, some-
thing OF his superabundance; and In his
faith and his magnanimity, In his
power OF statement in his subtle analysts,
In his faultlcss logic, in his love OF literature,
in his wealth and world OF illustration, one Is
reminded OF that great English statesman of
to-day, who, confronted with obstacles that
would daunt any but the dauntlcss, revlled by
those whom he would relieve as bitterly as by
those whose supposed rights he is forced TO IN
vade still labors with serene courage for the
amelioration Of ireland, and for the honor of
the English name.
Nomination and Candidacy for the
Presidency.
Garhclds nomination to the Presidency,
while not predicted or anticipated, was not
surprise to the country. His prominence In
Congress, his solid qualities, his wide reputa-
tion, strengthened by his then recent election
as senator from Ohi9, Kept & MN @ IN the public
among those entitled TO be called statesmen.
1t was not mere chance that brought him this
high honor. NWe must" says Mr.. Emerson,
''reckon success a constitutional trait. II Eric
is in robust health and has slept we'll and is at
the top OF his condition, and thirty years old
at his departure from Greenland, he Will steer
west and his ships will reach Newfoundland
But take Eric out and put in n stronger and
holder man and the ships viii sail six hun
dred, one thousand, fifteen hundred miles far
ther and reach Labrador and New England.
There is no-chance in results"
AS a candidate GARFIELD steadily grew in pop
ular favor. He was met with a storm Of de-
traction at the very hour OF his nomination,
andi continued with increasing volume and
momentum until the close Of his victorious
campaign:
t'No might nor greatness in mortality
Can censure 'scape; bacwounding calumny
The whitest virtue strikes. What king so
strong
Can tie the gall up in the slanderous tongue.''
Under It all he was calm and strong and
confident; never lost his self-possession, did
no unwise act, spoke no hasty or ili.consid-
is more remarkable or more credttable than
his bearing through those five full months of
yituperatlon-a prolonged agony of trial to q
sensitive man, constant and cruel draft upon
the powers OF moral endurance. The great
mass of these unjust imputations passed un.
noticed, and with the general debris of the
campaign fell into oblivion. But In a few in.
stances the iron entered his soul and he died
with the injury unforgotten IL not unforgiven
One aspect Of Garfelds candidacy was un.
precedented. Never before, in the history OF
partisan contests in this country, had a sue
cessful Presidential candidate spoken freely
on passing events and current issues. To at
tempt anything of the kind seemed novel,
rash, and even desperate. The older class OF
voters recalled the unfortunate Alabama let
ter, in which Mr.. Clay was supposed TO have
signed his political death warrant. They re-
membered also the hot-tempered effusion by
which Gen. Scott lost large share of his pop
ularity before his nomination, and the unfor-
tunate speeches which rapidly consumed the
remainder. The. younger voters had seen Mr..
Greeley IN a series OF vigorous and original
addresses, preparing the pathway for his own
defeat
Unmindful of these warnings, unheedlng the
advice of friends, Garfield spoke to large
crowds as he iOurneyed to and from New York
in August, TO a great multitude In that city, tc
delegations and deputations of every kind
that called at Mentor during the summer and
autumn. With innnumerable critics, watchfu
and eager 10 catch phrase that might be
turned into odium or ridicule, or a sentence
TINT might he distOrta1 a HIS or q mar
ty's injury, GARFIELD did not trip or halt In any
one OF his seventy speeches.. This seems al
the more remarkable when 1t Is remembered
that he did not write what he said, and ye
spoke with such logical consecutiveness o
thought and such admirable precision o
phrase % defy the accident OF mtsrepor
and the malignity OF misrepresentation.
Garfield as President.
In the beginning OF his Presidential life Gai
fields experience did not yield him pleasur
or satisfaction. The duties that engross S
large portion OF the Presidents time wer
distasteful to him, and were unfayorably con
trasted with his legislative work. 81 hav
been dealing all these years with IDEAS" h
impatiently exclaimed one day, "and here
am dealing only with persons. have beei
heretofore treating OF the fundamental princi
pies OF 0fgovernment, and here am considerin
all day whether or u shall be appointed b
this or that Office" He was earnestly seekin
some practical way q correcting the evil
and unwieldy patr6nage-eyils always appre
ciated and often discussed by him, but who's
iLhtniu titiu bctn tuOfc Qceply Impressed
upon his mind since his accession to the Pres
idency. Had he lived, comprehensive I'm
Trovement In the mode of appointment and 4
the tenure OF Office would have been propose
by him, and with the aid OF Congress no dout
perfected.
But, while many OF tho Executive dutie
were not grateful to him, he was assiduou
and conscientious In their discharge. FroI
the very outset he exhibited adminstratiy
talent OF high order. He grasped the hell
OF ONCE with the hand OF master. In thi
respect indeed he constantly surprised man
who were most intimately associated wit
him In the Government, and especially thos
who had feared that he might be lacking 1
the Executive faculty. His disposition
business was orderly and rapid. His power
analysis, and his skill IN classification, enable
him 20 dispatch a vast mass OF detail vii
singular pfomptness and ease. His Cabin
meetings were admirably conducted. II
clear presentation OF onlclal subjects, his wei
considered suggestion OF topics on which di
cussion was invited, his quick decision whe
oughncss Of mental training as rare as h
natural ability and his faeile adaptation to
new and enlarged field Of labor.
With perfect comprehension OF ali the inhe
ltAnces of the war, with cool calculation
the Obstacles IN his way, impelled always |
a generous enthusiasm, Garfield conceive
that much might be done by his administr
tion toward restoring harmony between II
different sections Of the Union. He was IN
iOus 10 go South and speak 10 the people.
early as April he had Intellectually endeayor,
20 arrange for trip 10 Nashville, whittier
had been cordially Invited, and he was aga
disappointed a few weeks later 20 md that
could not go 20 South Carolina 10 attend u
centennial celebration of the victory OF u