Chapter I: Introduction: By Rev. A. J. Gordon, D. D

More eloquent voices for Christ and the gospel have never come from the grave of a dead President than those which we hear from the tomb of our lamented chief magistrate.

Twenty six years ago this summer a company of college students had gone to the top of Greylock Mountain, in Western Massachusetts, to spend the night. A very wide outlook can be gained from that summit. But if you will stand there with that little company to-day, you can see farther than the bounds of Massachusetts or the bounds of New England, or the bounds of the Union. James A. Garfield is one of that band of students, and as the evening shades gather, he rises up among the group and says, "Classmates, it is my habit to read a portion of God's Word before retiring to rest. Will you permit me to read aloud?" And then taking in his hand a pocket Testament, he reads in that clear, strong voice a chapter of Holy Writ, and calls upon a brother student to offer prayer. "How far the little candle throws its beams!" It required real principle to take that stand even in such a company. Was that candle of the Lord afterward put out amid the dampening and unfriendly influences of a long political life? It would not be strange. Many a Christian man has had his religious testimony smothered amid the stifling and vitiated air of party politics, till instead of a clear light, it has given out only the flicker and foulness of a "smoking wick."

But pass on for a quarter of a century. The young student has become a man. He has been in contact for years with the corrupting influences of political life. Let us see where he stands now. In the great Republican Convention at Chicago he is a leading figure. The meetings have been attended with unprecedented excitement through the week. Sunday has come, and such is the strain of rivalry between contending factions that most of the politicians spend the entire day in pushing the interests of their favorite candidates. But on that Lord's day morning Mr. Garfield is seen quietly wending his way to the house of God. His absence being remarked upon to him next day, he said, in reply, "I have more confidence in the prayers to God which ascended in the churches yesterday, than in all the caucusing which went on in the hotels."

He had great interests at stake as the promoter of the nomination of a favorite candidate When so much was pending, might he not be allowed to use the Sunday for defending his interest? So many would have reasoned But no! amid the clash of contending factions and the tumult of conflicting interests, there is one politician that heard the Word of God sounding in his ear "_Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work_, but the seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, in it thou shall not do any work." And, at the bidding of the Divine command, his conscience marches him away to the house of God. Not, indeed, to enjoy the luxury of hearing some famous preacher, or of listening to some superb singing, but he goes to one of the obscurest and humblest churches in the city, because there is where he belongs, and that is the church which he has covenanted to walk with, as a disciple of Jesus Christ. "How far" again "that little candle threw its beams!" It was a little thing, but it was the index of a principle, an index that pointed the whole American people upward when they heard of it. Here was a man who did not carry a pocket conscience--a bundle of portable convictions tied up with a thread of expediency. Nay! here was a man whose conscience carried him--his master, not his menial, his sovereign, not his servant.

And when, during the last days in his home at Mentor, just before going to Washington to assume his office, he was entertaining some political friends at tea, he did not forego evening prayers, for fear he might be charged with cant, but, according to his custom, drew his family together and opened the Scriptures and bowed in prayer in the midst of his guests. And his was a religious principle that found expression in action as well as in prayer. A lady residing in Washington told us that while a member of the House of Representatives, he was accustomed to work faithfully in the Sunday school, and that among his last acts was the recruiting of a class of young men and teaching them in the Bible. We know from his pastor that he was not too busy to be found often in the social meetings of the church, nor too great to be above praying and exhorting in the little group of Christians with whom he met. A practical Christian, did we say? He must have been a spiritual Christian also. There is one address of his in Congress that made a great impression on our mind as we read it. He was delivering a brief eulogy on some deceased Senator--I think it was Senator Ferry. He spoke of him as a Christian, not a formalist, but a devout and godly disciple of Christ. And then he spoke of the rest into which he had entered, and quoted with great effect that beautiful hymn of Bonar's--

"Beyond the smiling and the weeping,
I shall be soon.
Beyond the waking and the sleeping,
Beyond the sowing and the reaping,
I shall be soon.

Love rest, and home sweet home,
Lord, _tarry not, but come_."

And taking the key from these last words, he said: "Yes, when the Lord comes there will be no more weeping, no more sorrow, no more death. '_Even so come, Lord Jesus._'"

We believe that only a man of real spiritual, evangelical faith could have uttered those words. And when we think how rarely such a man has filled the presidential chair, we feel overwhelmed at the loss.

Let us praise God that for once we have had a President who could shine in the most illustrious position in the nation, and yet light up for us the humblest walks of Christian obedience. Here is one who ruled and who served, who was a leader of the people and a follower of Christ. The seat where he sat as ruler of fifty millions will speak to generations yet to come, telling them how righteousness exalteth a ruler, and the little stream where he was baptized will tell perpetually, as it flows on, how it "becometh us to fulfil all righteousness."

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

The "Great Heart of the People."--Bereaved of their Chief.--Universal Mourning.--Wondering Query of Foreign Nations.--Humble Birth in Log Cabin.--The Frontier Settlements in Ohio.--Untimely death of Father.--Struggles of the Family. 11

CHAPTER II.

Boyhood of James.--Attempts at Carpentry.--First Earnings.--His Thirst for Knowledge.--The Garfield Coat-of-Arms.--Ancestry, etc. 21

CHAPTER III.

Life at the "Black-Salter's".--James wants to go to Sea.--His Mother will not give her Consent.--Hires out as a Woodchopper.--His Powerful Physique.--His Strength of Character. 25

CHAPTER IV.

James still longs for the Sea.--Experience with a Drunken Captain.--Change of Base.--Life on the Canal. 30

CHAPTER V.

Narrow Escape from Drowning.--Return Home.--Severe Illness.--James determines to fit himself for a Teacher.--Geauga Seminary.--Personal Appearance.--Dr Robinson's Verdict. 36

CHAPTER VI.

Low state of Finances.--James takes up Carpentry again.--The Debating Club.--Bread and Milk Diet.--First Experience in School-Teaching.--Becomes Interested in Religious Topics.--Creed of the Disciples.--James joins the New Sect. 42

CHAPTER VII.

Return to Geauga Seminary.--Works at Haying through the Vacation.--Teaches a Higher Grade of School.--First Oration.--Determines to go to College.--He visits the State Capitol at Columbus. 48

CHAPTER VIII.

Hiram Institute.--The faithful Janitor.--Miss Almeda Booth.--James is appointed Assistant Teacher.--Critical habit of Reading.--Moral and Religious Growth.--Debating Club. 53

CHAPTER IX.

Ready for College.--His Uncle lends him Five Hundred Dollars.--Why he decides to go to Williams.--College Life. 58

CHAPTER X.

Return Home.--Appointed Professor, then President, of Hiram Institute.--His Popularity as a Teacher.--Answers Prof Denton.--Marriage. 67

CHAPTER XI.

Law Studies.--Becomes Interested in Politics.--Delivers Oration at the Williams Commencement.--Elected State Senator.--His Courage and Eloquence. 74

CHAPTER XII.

War Declared Between the North and South.--Garfield Forms a Regiment from the Western Reserve.--Is Appointed Colonel.--General Buell's Order.--Garfield Takes Charge of the 18th Brigade.--Jordan's Perilous Journey.--Bradley Brown.--Plan of a Campaign.--March Against Marshall, 80

CHAPTER XIII.

Opening of Hostilities.--Brave Charge of the Hiram Students.--Giving the Rebels "Hail Columbia".--Sheldon's Reinforcement.--The Rebel Commander Falls.--His Army Retreats in Confusion. 93

CHAPTER XIV.

Garfield's Address to his Soldiers.--Starvation Stares them in the Face.--Garfield Takes Command of the Sandy Valley.--Perilous Trip up the River.--Garfield's Address to the Citizens of Sandy Valley.--Pound Gap.--Garfield Resolves to Seize the Guerillas.--The Old Mountaineer.--Successful Attack.--General Buell's Message.--Garfield is Appointed Brigadier General. 100

CHAPTER XV.

Garfield takes Command of the Twentieth Brigade.--Battles of Shiloh and Corinth.--The Fugitive Slave.--Attack of Malaria.--Home Furlough.--Summoned to Washington.--Death of his Child.--Ordered to Join General Rosecrans.--Kirke's Description of Garfield. 110

CHAPTER XVI.

Rosecrans Quarrels with the War Department.--Garfield as Mediator.--Remarkable Military Document.--The Tullahoma Campaign.--Insurrection Averted.--Chattanooga.--Battle of Chickamauga.--Brave Defence of Gen. Thomas.--Garfield's Famous Ride. 115

CHAPTER XVII.

Rosecran's Official Report.--Sixteen Years Later.--Promotion to Major General.--Elected to Congress.--Resigns his Commission in the Army.--Endowed by Nature and Education for a Public Speaker.--Moral Character.--Youngest Member of House of Representatives.--One Secret of Success.--First Speech.--Wade Davis Manifesto.--Extracts from Various Speeches. 125

CHAPTER XVIII.

Assassination of Abraham Lincoln.--The New York Mob.--Garfield's Memorable Words.--Eulogy upon Lincoln.--Memorial Oration.--Eulogy upon Senator Morton.--Extracts from other Orations. 138

CHAPTER XIX.

The Home in Washington.--Fruit Between Leaves.--Classical Studies.--Mrs. Garfield.--Variety of Reading.--Favorite Verses. 147

CHAPTER XX.

Tide of Unpopularity.--Misjudged.--Vindicated.--Re-elected.--The De Golyer Contract.--The Salary Increase Question.--Incident Related by President Hinsdale. 154

CHAPTER XXI.

The Credit Mobilier.--Garfield entirely Cleared of all Charges Against him.--Tribute to him in Cincinnati Gazette.--Elected U. S. Senator.--Extract from Speech.--Sonnet. 160

CHAPTER XXII.

After the Ordeal.--Unanimous Vote of the General Assembly of Ohio.--Extract from Garfield's Speech of Acceptance.--Purchase of the Farm at Mentor.--Description of the New House.--Life at Mentor.--The Garfield Household.--Longing for Home in his Last Hours. 167

CHAPTER XXIII.

Republican Convention at Chicago.--The Three Prominent Candidates.--Description of Conkling.--Logan.--Cameron.--Description of Garfield.--Resolution Introduced by Conkling.--Opposition of West Virginians.--Garfield's Conciliatory Speech.--His Oration in Behalf of Sherman.--Opinions of the Press. 174

CHAPTER XXIV.

The Battle still Undecided.--Sunday among the delegates.--Garfield's Remark.--Monday another Day of Doubt.--The Dark Horse.--The Balloting on Tuesday.--Garfield's Remonstrance.--He is Unanimously Elected on the Thirty-sixth Ballot.--Enthusiastic Demonstrations, Congratulatory Speeches and Telegrams.--His Speech of Acceptance. 187

CHAPTER XXV.

Return Home.--Ovations on the Way.--Address at Hiram Institute.--Impromptu Speech at Washington.--Incident of the Eagle.--The Tract Distributor. 196

CHAPTER XXVI.

News of the Nomination Received with Delight.--Mr Robeson speaks for the Democrats in the House of Representatives.--Ratification Meeting at Williams College.--Governor Long's Opinion.--Hotly-contested Campaign.--Garfield Receives the Majority of Votes.--Is Elected President on the Second of November, 1880.--Extract from Letter of an Old Pupil.--Review of Garfield's Congressional Life.--His own Feelings in Regard to the Election. 201

CHAPTER XXVII.

At Mentor.--The Journey to Washington.--Inauguration Day.--Immense Concourse of People.--The Address.--Sworn into Office.--Touching Scene.--Grand Display.--Inauguration Ball.--Announcement of the Members of the Cabinet.--Two Great Problems.--How they were Solved.--Disgraceful Rupture in the Senate.--Prerogative of the Executive Office vindicated. 207

CHAPTER XXVIII.

The President Plans a Ten-Days' Pleasure-Trip.--Morning of the Fateful Day.--Secretary Blame Accompanies him to the Station.--A Mysterious-looking Character.--Sudden Report of a Pistol.--The President Turns and Receives the Fatal Shot.--Arrest of the Assassin.--The President Recovers Consciousness and is Taken Back to the White House. 214

CHAPTER XXIX.

At the White House.--The Anxious Throngs.--Examination of the Wounds.--The President's Questions.--His Willingness to Die.--Waiting for his Wife.--Sudden Relapse.--A Glimmer of Hope.--A Sunday of Doubt.--Independence Day.--Remarks of George William Curtis. 218

CHAPTER XXX.

The Assassin.--What were his motives.--His own Confessions.--Statement of District-Attorney Corkhill.--Sketch of Guiteau's Early Life. 227

CHAPTER XXXI.

Night of the Fourth.--Extreme Solicitude at the White House.--Description of an Eye-witness.--Attorney McVeagh's Remark.--Sudden Change for the Better.--Steady Improvement.--The Medical Attendance. 233

CHAPTER XXXII.

A Relapse.--Cooling Apparatus at the White House.--The President writes a Letter to his Mother.--Evidences of Blood Poisoning.--Symptoms of Malaria.--Removal to Long Branch.--Preparation for the Journey.--Incidents by the Way. 238