The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-05-25

sured him a keen thirst at the end
and when at last he arrived at VII.
liams college back in his ancestral
Massachusetts, big. blonde,
bearded man Of Is. he was ready
to drink dry the fountain Of learn.
ing He used to say that his ideal
of university was pine log, With
Mark Hopkins, the president o.
Williams, sitting on one end Of i
and himself at the other end.
If he had stayed in New England,
Garfield would have been a pfofes.
sor or a preacher. He became
both after returning home, but
every man in Ohio is, or at least
used to be, politician also.
He was principal OF his old acad.
envy at Hiram and doing more or
less lay preaching in the pulpit o.
the Christian or 'Campbellite"
church, when he was elected to The
state senate. And he was still serv.
ing in those varied capacities when
he led a regiment to the front at the
outbreak of the Civil war.
With his lifelong habit Of study
the green colonel went to war with
a sword in one hand and book %
the military art in the ether. Soon
he knew something of the prin-
ciples of his new job, and this en-
aDled him to rise more rapidly than
the other political colonels.
Before he came in sight OF The
enemy or smelled powder he was
placed in command of a brigade
and ordered to chase The confed.
crates out Of the Kentucky noun
tains. At 80 he was the youngest
brigadier in the army. After Shiloh
he became chief OF staff to General
Rosecrans, and for bold eIpedi-
ton that ne led through the en-.
emy's country after the battle Of
Chickamauga he was made major
general.
Entering congress at the end 0,
1868. he became in due time CHIEF
of staff to James G. Blaine, the Re-
publican leader of the house. he
proved himself brilliant lieuten.
ant in peace as in war, but ne olo
not develop the qualities OF lnde-
pendent leadership. He was TOO
fair, too moderate a Partisan anu
rather too amiable, too soft or 100
considerable to be able to plan thai
part in those swashbuckling days
at Washington. Nor did he nave
the strength keep himself wnoly
clear of the shadow of suspicion
that fell upon so many public men
in a period when fine, moral
scruples were hlunted il the rough
corlbats Of politics.
While he was a member OF con-
gress ard on a visit to New ioiA'
Lincoln was assassinated, ana 'ns
event inspired one OF Garnehs
most memorable and eloqueh.
speeches. The great city vas daSea
and trembling from the snoeE
when a meeting was held il van
street for the purpose OF talmlas
and stcadying the people. s'ana'
ing on the granite steps OF the tu.'
treasury, where George Waslias
ton had taken the oath OF ofhce. las
tall. hroadshouldered, yeiio"
haired, yellow bearded congress
man from Ohio lifted up the spn
| its Of the angry and the DESPAIR .l.a.
ing in the bewilde7c1 muintuu'
I that surged at his feet by apps.
ing to their faith n a great o''''
ruling power. ,,,a
Clouds and darkness are arour ..
/ Him; His pavilion is DARK "s' sn
and thick clouds; justice anu 'uuS u.
nent are the habitatioH OF ~
| throne; mercy and truth shan o.
before His face! Fellow c'tl.s. :,
God reigns and the goveraI.SH' ~
Washington still lives.
published by special arransems"
ewspaper Syndicate.