The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1886-09-02

all these years with 1deas," he impa-
tiently exclaimed one day, 'sand here
am dealing only with persons. 1 have
been heretofore treating of the funda-
mental principles of government, and
here 1 am considering all day whether A
or B shall be appointed to this or that
Office" He was earnestly seeking some
practical way of correcting the evils aris-
and unwieldy patronage-evils always
and often discussed by him,
but whose magnitude had been more
deeply impressed upon his mind since hi s
accession to the Presidency. Had he lived,
a comprehensive improvement in the
mode of appointment and in the tenure
of Office would have 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 assiduous
and conscientious in their discharge. From
the very outset he exhibited administra-
tive talent of high order. He grasped the
helm of Office with the hand of a master.
In this respect, indeed, he constantly sur =
prised many who were most intimately
associated with him in the Government,
and especially those who had feared that
he might be lacking in the Executive fac
ulty. His disposition of business was or
derly and rapid. His power of analysis,
and his skill in classification, enabled
HIM to dispatch vast mass of detail with
cir 11or 1tv,a nd 10 h.
met meetings were admirably conducted.
His clear presentation of official subjects,
his well-considered suggestion of topics
on which discussion was invited, his
quick decision when all had been heard,
combined to show thoroughness of mem
tai training as rare as his natural ability
and his facile adaptation to new and
enlarged field of labor.
With perfect comprehension of all the
inheritances of the war. with cool cal
culation of the obstacles in his way, inn
PEELED always by generous enthusiasm,
Garfield conceived that much might be
done by his Administration toward re-
storing harmony between the different
sections of the Union. He was anxious
to go South and speak to the people. As
early as April he had Intellectually en- :
deavored to arrange for trip to Nash
vile, whittier he had been cordially n
vited, and he was again disappointed a
few weeks later to find that he could not
go to South Carolina to attend the CEN
tennia1 celebration of the victory of the
Cowpens. But for the autumn he def
nitely counted on being present at three
memorable assem- blies 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 Chattanooga. He was already turning
over in his mind his address for each
occasion, and the three taken together,
he said to a friend, gave him the exact
scope and verge which he needed. At
Yorktown he would have before him
the associations of hundred years tn at
bound the South and North in the sacred
memory of a common danger and COM
mon victory. At Atlanta he would pre-
sent the material interests and the indus
trial developments which appealed to the
thrift and independence of every house
hold, and which should unite the two
and self-defense. At Chattanooga he
would revive memories of the war only
to show that after all its disaster and all
its suffering, the country was stronger
and greater, the Union rendered indls-
soluble, and the future, through the
agony and blood of one generation, made
brighter and better for all.
GARFTErD's. AMRTTTON
For the success of his Administration
was high. With strong caution and con-
servatism in his nature, he was in no
danger of attempting rash experiments
or of resorting to the empiricism OF
craftsmanship. But he believed. that re-
newed and closer attention should be
given to questions affecting the material
in terests and commercial prospects o.
fifty millions of people. He beliey ed
that our continental relations, extensive
and undeveloped as they are, involved
responsibility, and could be cultivated
into profitable friendship or be aban.
enmity. He believed with equal conf
dence that an essential forerunner to &
new era Of National progress must be a
feeling of conten ntment in every section
of the Union, and generous belief that
the benefits and burdens of governm en-
would be common to all. Himself a con
spicuous illustration of what ability ano
ambition may do under republican insti
tutions, he loved his country with pas.
SION of patriotic devotion, and every wax
ing thought was given to her advance
O yvo on n a
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 Presidents serenity for many weeks
before that fateful day in Jrhy form an
important chapter in his career, and, in
his own Judgment, involved questions of
principle and of right which are v1tally
essential to the constitutional admins
tration of the Federal Government. Ii
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 as Gar
field is concerned, as much matter OF
history as his heroism at Chickamauga OF
his illustrious service in the House. De-
tail is not needful, and personal antago-
nism shall not be rekindled by any word
uttered to-day. The motives OF those op.
posing him are not to be here adversely
interpreted nor their course harshly char
acterized. But of the dead President this
is to be said, and said because his own
| speech is forever silenced and he can be
no more heard except through the fidel-
| ity and love of surviving friends: from
| the beginning to the end of the contro-
versy 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 men did he harbor
| revenge, rarely did he even show resent
ment, and malice was not in his nature
He was congenially employed onlyin the
exchange of good offices and the doing oi
kindly deeds.
There was not an hour from the begin
ming 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 if such re-