Year: 1872

I Speech OF Mon. James A. Garfield at


The Congressional Convention OF the
Nineteenth District at Warren, Ju-


ly 3Ist, 1872.


GENTLEMEN or THE CONVENTION
AND EELLOw CITIZENs:-I should DO
injustice to mvselfi if 1 did not in the
strongest term express my gratitude
and my qualification for this renewed
proof of your confidence and appro-
val in unanimously nominating me
to represent this district in the forty
third Congress Ten years ago, while
WAS in the field, you first chose me
as your Representative in Congress.
The period which has elapsed since
then has been filed with events of
the most important and startling char.
aeter. The problems, which have
confronted the natiOnel Legislature
have been of more than ordinary
difficulty, but through them all Ihave
enjoyed the benefit Of your counsels
and have felt the strength ofyOur con-
slant support. You have never asked
me to be the mere echo of the party
voice or the unquestiOning follower
of party. Few Congressional districts
have had nobleI record than this
With no city in its limits large enough
to attract those elements which cor
rupt and poison the fountains of poll
tical power, with population equally
removed from distressing poverty and
from the excess of wealth which
sometimes brings with it a disregard
Of the rights and interests of others;
with a high average of intelligence
aud habits of reaIing and indepen-
IDENTIFY judging of public affairs, the
people of this district, for more than
half a century have held, and express
ed bold and independent opinions on
all public questions During that
whole period they have supported and
defended their representatives in
maintaining sn independent position
in the national Legislature, and when
ever he has acted with honest and
intelligent courage in the interest of
truth, they have generously sustained
him, even when ne has differed from
them in minor matters of opinion and
policy. Another circumstance is also
worthy of notice. There is in this
District no one great interest which
oyershadOws all others, and eOmpels
its representative to become the spe-
eial advocate of one interest to the neg
Iect of all others. This is p national
constituency. That course of legisla-7
ton and administration which will
best subserVe the interests ofthe whole
country will also be best for the peo-
pie of this district. t- 7 --....


You can hardly realize what conf
denee and strength it gives a repre-
sentative to know that he has such
district behind him. IL enables him
to aid in maintaining for the national
legislature that position of indepen-
dent judgment which holds undis-
turbed the balance of power betA cen
the coordinate branches of the gov
ernment. 1t is not in accordance with
the spirit Of our government that rep
resentatives should be chosen on the
merits or dement's of the President, or
Of any party leader, nor should an
executive be chosen to share his pow
ers with members Of Congress. 1t
was the anxious care OF the founders
of this republic, that the coordinate
branches of the government should
each, as far as possible, be indepen-
dent in its own sphere. The indepen-
dence of the legislature depends upon
the independent action OF its MEM
bers, and that in turn upon the indie
pendent character and spirit of the
people who choose them. f


The discussion of this topic leads
me to consider a subject which at the
present moment occupies the front
rank in national questions, and on
which much will be said on both sides
during the coming campaign; Iallude
to the ...