The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-03-02


Scott lost a large share of popularity before his
nomination, and the unfortunate speeches which
rapidly consumed the remainder. The younger
voters had seen Mr.. Greedy In series of vigorous
and original addresses, preparing the pathway for
his own defeat Unmindful of these warnings, IN
needing the advice of friends, Garfield spoke to
large crowds as he 1ourneyed to and from New York
in August to great multitude In that city, to dele
gates and Populations OF every kind that called at
Mentor during the summer and autumn. With In
Vulnerable critics, watchfu1 and eager to catch a
phrase that might be turned into odtum ridicule
OF sentence that might be distorted to his own or
any one Of his seventy speeches. This seems all
the more remarkable when 1t is remembered that
be did not write what he said, and yet spoke with
such logical consecutveness of thought and such
admirable precision of phrase as to defy the acct
dent Of misreport and the malgnity Of misrepresen
tattOn.
In the beginning of his presidential life Gar1elds
experience did not yield him pleasure satisfac.
tion The duties that engross so large portion Of
the Pres dents time distasteful to him, and
were unfavorably contrasted with his legislative
work. 81 have been dealing all these years with
ideas, he tmpatteny exclaimed one day, s'and here
l am dealing only with persons. have been here
tofore treating Of the fundamental principles of
government, and here l am considering all day
whether or shall be appointment to this or that
ONCE" He earnestly seeking some practical
way OF correcting the evils arising from the distr
button Of overgrown and unwieldly patronage
evils always appreciated and often discussed by
him, but whose magnitude had been more deeply
impressed upon his mind since his accession to the
presidency Had he lived, comprehensive I'M
provement in the mode OF appointment and in the
tenure OF ONCE would nave D0oQ proposed ny HIN,
and with the aid OF Congress, no doubt perfected.
But while many Of the executive duties were not
grateful tc him, he was assiduous In their dis
charge, From the very outset he exhibited admin
fstrattye talent of high order He grasped the
helm of office with the hand Of a master. In this
respect indeed he constantly surprised many who
were most intimately associated with him In the
Government, and especially those who feared that
he might be lacking In the executive faculty. His
disposition of business orderly and rapid. His
power of analysis and his skill in classification en-
abled him to dispatch mass OF detail with singu-
were admirably conducted. His clear presentation
of official subjects, his wellcOns1dered suggestion
topics on which discussion was invited his quick
decision when all had been heard, combined to
show thoroughness Of mental training as rare as
his natural ability and his facile adoption to new
and enlarged field of labor.
With perfect comprehension of all the inheri-
tances of the war; was cool calculation of the OBJ
stacles in his way, impelled always by generous
enthusiasm Garfield conceived that much might
be done by his administration towards restoring
| harmony between the different sections of the
Union. He was anxious to go South and speak to
the people. AS early April he had Intellectually
endeavored to arrange for trip to Nashville,
whittier he had been cordially invited, and he was
again disappointed a few weeks later to find that
he could go South Carolina to attend the CEN
tennial celebration of the victory OF the CoWpens
But for the autumn ne definitely counted on being
present at three memorable assemblies In the South
the celebration Yorktown, the opening of the Cot
ton Exposition at Atlanta, and the meeting Of the
| Army OF the Cumberland at Chattanooga. He was
already turning over In his mind his address for
each occasion, and the three taken together. he
SAID to friend, gave him the exact scope and verge
which he needed At Yorktown he would nave De-
| fore him the associations OF hundred years that
bound the South and the North In the sacred mem
DRY Of common danger and common victory. AT
Atlanta he would present the material interests and
| the industrial development which appealed to the
thrift and independence Of every household, and
which should unite the two sections by the instinct
of selfinterest and selfdefence. AT Chattanooga he
would revive memories OF the war only to show that
after all its disaster and all its suffering the coun
try stronger and greater, the Union rendered
indissoluble and the future through the agony
nd nj
better for all.
Gar1eIds ambition for the success of his admins
tration was high With strong caution and conser.
vatism in his nature, he was In no danger OF at
tempting rash experiments or Of resorttng to the
empricism Of craftsmanship. But he believed that
renewed and closer attention should be given TO
questions affecting the material interests and COM
mercial prospects Of nifty millions OF people. he
believed that continental relations extensive
and undevelOped as they are, involved responsible
tty, and could be cultivated into profitable friend
ship or be abandoned to harmful indifference or
lasting enmity He believed with equal confidence
that essential forerunner to new era Of nation
al progress must be feeling of contentment in
every section of the Union, and generous belief
that the benefi and burdens of government would
be common to all. Himself conspicuous illustra-
ton of what ability and ambition may do under
republican institutions. he loved his country with
passion of patriotic devotion, and every waking
thought was given 10 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 Jefferson and the
demOnstrative confidence Of John Adams.
The political events which disturbed the Pres1.
dents entity for many weeks before that IA eIul
day in July form an important chapter in his ca
reer and, in his own Judgment involved questions
principle and of right which are vitality essential
to the constitutional administration of the Federal
| Government 1t would be out Of place here and
now to speak the language Of controversy; but the
events referred to, however they may continue to
be source OF contention with others, have become,
so far Garfield Is concerned, as much matter OF
history his heroism at Chickamauga or his Illus
trious service in the House. Detail Is not needful
and personal antagonism shall not be rek1ndled by
| any word uttered to-day. The motives Of those OPP.
posing him not to be here adversely interpreter
their harshly criticised. But of the dead
President this Is to be said, and said because his
more be heard except through the fidelity and the
love of surviving friends: From the to the
| end of the controversy he so much deplored, the
President was never for one moment actuated by
any motive of gain to himself or of loss to others.
Least of all did he harbor revenge, rarely did
he show resentment and malice was not In his
nature. He was congenlally 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 re,
| taken If such retracing had merely involved con-
sequences personal to himself. The pride Of con-
sistency any supposed sense of humiliation that
might result from surrendering his position, had
not feathers weight with him. No man was ever
less subject to such influences from within or from
without. But after most anxious elaboration and
the coolest survey of all the circumstances he SOL
| Executive were involved in the issue which had
been raised, and that he would be unfathful to his
supreme obligation if he failed to maintain, in all
their vgor the constitutional rights and d1gn1tes of
his great Office He believed this in all the convic-
| lions of conscience when in sound and vigorous
health, and believed 1t in his suffering and pros
| trat1on in the last conscious thought which his
wearied mind bestowed on the transitory struggles
| of life.
| More than this need not be said. Less than this
could be said. Justice to the dead, the highest
obligation that devolves upon the living demands
the declaration that in all the bearings of the sub
ject, actual or possible, the President was content
| in his mind, justified in his conscience immovable
| in his conclusions.
The religious element In Garfeld's character was
| deep and earnest. In his early youth he espoused
the faith of the Disciples, sect OF that great Bap
| fist Communion, which in different ecclesiastical
establishments 1s so numerous and so influential
throughout all parts Of the United States. But the
| broadening tendency of his mind and his active
| spirit of inquiry early apparent and carried
him beyond the dogmas of sect and the restraints
| of association In selecting college in which to
continue his education he rejected Bethany though
presided over by Alexander Campbell, the greatest
preacher of his Church. His reasons were charac-
teristtc; first that Bethany leaned too heavily to-
ward slavery, and, second, that being himself a
Disciple and the of Disciple parents he had lit
tie acquaintance with people Of other beliefs and
he thought 1t would make him liberal, quoting
| his own words, both In his religious and general
views, to go into new circle and be under new In
| huences.
The liberal tendency which he anticipated as the
result of wider culture was fully realized. He was
| emancipated from Sectarian belief, and with
eager interest pursued his Investigations In the di
| rection Of modern progressive thought He follow
ed with quickening step in the paths of exploration
and speculation so fearlessly trodden by Darwin,
| by Huxley. by Tyndall and by other living scien-
| lists Of the radical and advanced type. His own
| Church, binding Its disciples by no formulated
creed, but accepting the Old and New Testament as
the word of God with unbiased Hberal1ty of private
Interpretation, favored If 1t did not stimulate the
spirit Of investigation. Its members profess with
sincerity and profess only to be OF one mind and
one faith with those who Immediately followed the
Master, and who were first called Christians at An
| tt)ch.
But however high Garfield reasoned of s'fxed fate,
| free will, foreknowledge absolute, he was never
| the Church OF the disciples In MS
affections and In his associations For him 1t held
the ark Of the covenant. To him 1t was the gate of
| Heaven, The world of religious belief Is full of
sOlecisms and contradiction philosoph1c Observ-
er declares that by the thousand will die in de-
fence of q creed whose doctrines they do not COM
prehend and whose tenets they habtually violate.
| It is equally true that men by the thousand will
cling to church organizations with instructive and
undying fidelity when their belief in maurer years
is radically different from that which inspired them
| as neophytos.
But after this range of speculation and this lati
| tude of doubt, Garfield came back always with a
freshness and delight to the simpler instincts OF
religious faith, which earliest implanted longest
survive Not many weeks before his assassination,
walking on the banks of the Potomac With friend
and converstng on those topics of personal religion,
| concerning which noble natures nave an uncon-
uuerabe reserve, he said that he found the Lord
Prayer and the simple petitions learned In INFANCY
reStful to him. merely In their stated repetition
but in their casual and frequent recall as he went
| about the daily duties of life Certain texts OF
| scriptures had a very strong hold on his memory
| and his heart. He heard while IN Ed1nDurgh some
years ago an eminent Scotch preacher who prefaced
his sermon with reading the eighth chapter of the
| Epistle to the Romans, which book had been the
subject of careful study with Garfield during all of
his religious life. He was greatly impressed by the
eocution Of the preacher and declared that 1t had
i'm parted new and deeper meaning to the majestic
utterances of st. Paul. He referred often In after
years to that memorable service and dwelt with ex-