Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-05-12
Memories Of Garfielde.

tlelde, At one time prominent politi-
cal factor in the life OF the embryo
State OF Washington. has been fol
lowed 10y one from Allen Wier OF this
city, IN the Nympian. They by no
no means exaggerate the wonderful
eloquence OF the man. We have
never met anybody, even OF those who
have had the rarcst opportunities for
drawing a comparison between his
speeches and the efforts OF the leading
orators OF the nation, but who have
unhesitatinglv yielded him the palm
for being the best OF all. The writer
has heard Col. f.. d. Baker, an cxcep-
tionaliy brilliant speaker, Schuyler
Colfax, I. Starr King, and quite
number OF the noted orators OF n
passed generation and William J.
Bryan and last though not least our
own James Hamilton Lewis, of the
present age, and it is no disparage
ment OF the great gifts of those gentle
men to say that none could compare
with Mr.. Garfeldc in address, grace,
dignity, or diction.
There was a charm in his personal
ity, and a witchery in his language
that at once placed him in rhapport
with his auditors. Had it not been
for traits of character that were in
conflict with his graces OF mind and
body, faults that were, by the way,
quite as we'll known as his splendid
natural gifts and mastery acquire
ments, he would have been a power in
the land and doubtless with opportun-
ity have ranked with our foremost
statesmen.
An instance which may illustrate
his power of language is afforded by
local incident of the early days of the
war, when our city's population was
sparse and the means of amusement
few. A debating club was organized,
for pastime as we'll as improvement, of
which many young and middle-aged
men became members. 1t held week.
ly meetings, and many topics of con-
temporaneous interest were discussed.
Among these was one, set for certain
evening, els secession, in any sense,
justifiable?" and when the club met it
was announced that nobody could be
found in its membership who would,
or could, argue the Affirmative OF the
proposition. In fact, patriotic fervor
was at so high pitch in those days,
that it was by no means surprising it
blinded its adherents to even the SEM
blance of a cause Of justification for
the Southern States to withdraw from
the Union.
1t happened that while the matter
was under consideration, M. Garfelde
drifted into the room. He had just
come to town and his attendance at
the club was due to one of those i'm.
pulses which control all at times with
out consciousness of volition. Certain
it is that he did not come with any in
tention to take part in the debate, nor
had he any knowledge of the topic
that would be presented for discussion.
1t was suggested to him, doubtless
in jest, that he take the affirmative of
the proposition. He readily assented,
just to draw out the patriotism of the
boys, as he expressed it. and then be-
gan one of his wonderful word-pictures
of what he claimed would result from
two energetic, enterprising, ambitious
republics, side by side, on a continent
endowed with such wonderful natural
resources, and sustained by people OF
the intelligence and Drawn of the
American citizen. The success OF the
one, he contended, would promote em-
ulation of the other, and in the course
of time they would forget old scores
and become more prosperous and
happy than they had been when unit
ed under one government, with local
jealousies and sectional objects of con.
tention to disturb the harmony. His
effort was q mastery array of all the
iridescent reasons urged to justify
"peaceable secession" from the Union,
ending with pathetic appeal to let
our erring brethren OF common heri.
tage and a noble ancestry 60 in peace
and with Gods blessing.
Whether it was owing to this unex-
pected championship of an unpopular
cause, or the eloquence with which
these novel propositions in support Of
dual government were presented, the
Union speeches in support of the neg
alive were tame, and no attempt was
made to controvert any of the asser-
tons of the affirmative. The umpire
decided, without hesitation, that the
negative had won. Then the versa.
tility OF the orator was made apparent.
He arose and said, in substance :
Boys, I cannot allow you to leave
this club-room, without a few words to
remove the erroneous impressions my
talk may have left upon the imagina.
ton. Realizing that l had the un-
popular side, the wrong side, in this
controversy, I had to make my facts,
establish deductions from them and
draw my conclusions, from very un.
stable grounds. You will remember