my memories of eighty years-第20节

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Garfield　suddenly　appeared　on　the　balcony　of　the　Custom　House　in　Wall　Street　and　succeeded　in　stilling　the　crowd。　　With　a　voice　that　reached　up　to　Trinity　Church　he　urged　calmness　in　thought　and　action；　deprecated　any　violence；　and　then；　in　an　impassioned　appeal　to　hopefulness　notwithstanding　the　tragedy；　exclaimed　impulsively：　　〃God　reigns　and　the　Republic　still　lives。〃

I　was　requested　by　some　friends　to　visit　General　Garfield　and　see　how　he　felt　on　the　political　situation；　which　during　the　campaign　of　1880　did　not　look　hopeful。　　I　took　the　next　train；　spent　the　day　with　him；　and　was　back　in　New　York　the　following　day。

When　I　left　the　train　at　Cleveland　in　the　morning　the　newsboys　pushed　at　me　a　Cleveland　Democratic　daily；　with　a　rooster's　picture　covering　the　whole　front　page；　and　the　announcement　that　the　Democrats　had　carried　Maine。　　The　belief　was　universal　then　that　〃as　Maine　goes　so　goes　the　Union；〃　and　whichever　party　carried　that　State　in　the　September　election；　the　country　would　follow　in　the　presidential　contest　in　November。

I　took　the　next　train　to　Mentor；　the　residence　of　General　Garfield。　I　found　at　the　station　a　score　or　more　of　country　wagons　and　carriages　waiting　for　passengers。　　I　said　to　the　farmers：　　〃Will　any　of　you　take　me　up　to　General　Garfield's　residence？〃　　One　of　them　answered：　　〃We　will　all　take　you　up　this　morning；　but　if　you　had　come　yesterday　you　would　have　had　to　wait　your　turn。〃

It　was　a　startling　instance　of　the　variableness　of　public　opinion。　Delegations　from　everywhere；　on　their　way　to　extend　greetings　to　the　candidate；　had　read　the　morning　papers　and　turned　back；　deciding　not　to　go。

I　found　Garfield　struggling　bravely　to　overcome　the　depression　which　he　felt。　　He　was　in　close　touch　with　the　situation　everywhere；　and　discussed　it　with　discrimination　and　hopefulness。

The　most　affecting　incident　occurred　while　I　was　talking　with　him。　His　mother　passed　through　the　room　and；　patting　him　on　the　back；　said：　　〃James；　the　neighbors　think　it　is　all　right；　they　are　raising　a　banner　at　the　corner。〃

Two　old　soldier　friends　came　in；　and　the　noonday　dinner　was　a　rare　intellectual　feast。　　The　general　was　a　brilliant　conversationalist。　　His　mind　turned　first　to　the　accidents　of　careers。　　He　asked　me　if　there　was　not　a　time　in　my　early　struggles　when　if　Providence　had　offered　a　modest　certainty　I　would　not　have　exchanged　the　whole　future　for　it；　and　then　continued：　〃There　was　a　period　in　my　early　struggles　as　a　teacher　when；　if　I　had　been　offered　the　principalship　of　an　endowed　academy；　with　an　adequate　salary；　with　the　condition　that　I　must　devote　myself　to　its　interests　and　abandon　everything　else；　I　am　quite　sure　I　would　have　accepted。〃

Of　course；　the　hopeful　application　of　this　incident　to　the　Maine　defeat　was　that；　no　such　offer　having　been　made　or　accepted；　he　had　made　a　glorious　career　in　the　army；　rising　to　the　head　of　the　General　Staff；　and　for　twenty　years　had　been　the　leading　figure　in　the　House　of　Representatives；　and　was　now　a　recently　elected　United　States　senator　and　chosen　candidate　for　president。

Then　he　turned　to　the　instances　where　victory　had　been　plucked　from　defeat　in　battles。　　After　citing　many　instances　he　gave　a　word　picture　of　the　Battle　of　Chickamauga　which　was　the　finest　thing　of　the　kind　I　have　ever　heard　or　ever　read。

After　his　two　comrades　left　I　told　him　of　the　interest　which　my　friends　were　taking　in　his　canvass；　and　that　I　would　add　their　contribution　to　the　campaign　committee。　　The　general　instantly　was　exultant　and　jubilant。　　He　fairly　shouted：　　〃Have　I　not　proved　to　you　all　day　that　there　is　always　a　silver　lining　to　the　cloud；　and　that　the　darkest　hour　is　just　before　dawn？〃

It　was　one　of　the　sources　of　General　Garfield's　success　as　an　orator　that　he　was　very　emotional　and　sentimental。　　He　happily　carried　with　him　amid　all　struggles　and　disappointments；　as　well　as　successes　in　the　making　of　a　career；　the　buoyant；　hopeful；　companionable；　and　affectionate　interests　which　characterize　the　ambitious　senior　who　has　just　left　college　to　take　his　plunge　into　the　activities　of　life。

So　far　as　our　State　was　concerned；　a　great　deal　turned　upon　the　attitude　of　Senator　Conkling。　　His　great　and　triumphant　speech　of　four　hours　at　the　Academy　of　Music　in　New　York　brought　all　his　friends　into　line；　but　the　greatest　help　which　General　Garfield　received　was　from　the　generous；　unseIfish；　and　enthusiastic　support　of　General　Grant。

General　Grant　had　been　the　leading　candidate　in　the　convention　which　finally　nominated　Garfield；　but　he　voluntarily　appeared　upon　the　platform　in　several　States　and　at　Garfield's　home。　　His　brief　but　most　effective　speeches　gathered　around　Garfield　not　only　the　whole　of　the　old…soldier　vote　but　those　who　had　become　disaffected　or　indifferent　because　of　the　result　of　the　national　Republican　convention。

There　probably　was　no　canvass　where　the　Republican　orator　ever　had　so　many　opportunities　for　the　exercise　of　every　faculty　which　he　possessed。　　His　candidate　had　made　an　excellent　record　as　a　soldier　in　the　field　and　as　a　statesman　in　Congress；　as　an　educator　and　a　popular　speaker　on　questions　of　vital　interest；　while　the　opposition　presented　abundant　opportunities　for　attack。

After　the　presidential　election　came　the　meeting　of　the　New　York　State　legislature　for　the　choosing　of　a　United　States　senator。　The　legislature　was　overwhelmingly　Republican；　and　the　organization　or　machine　Republicans　were　in　a　large　majority。　　The　assembly　was　organized　and　the　appointment　of　committees　used　to　make　certain　the　election　of　an　organization　man。

A　very　unusual　thing　happened。　　The　forces　of　the　organization　were　divided　between　two　candidates：　　Thomas　C。　Platt　and　Richard　Crowley。　　Mr。　Conkling　had　not　declared　his　preference　for　either；　as　they　were　both　devoted　friends　of　his；　though　he　had　the　power　to　have　made　a　selection　and　have　that　selection　accepted　by　the　legislature。　　Vice…President…elect　Chester　A。　Arthur　appeared　as　manager　for　Mr。　Crowley。　　Platt　conducted　his　own　canvass。

I　was　called　to　a　meeting　in　New　York；　where　Mr。　Blaine；　secretary　of　state；　was　present。　　Mr。　Blaine　said　that　administration　managers　had　made　a　thorough　canvass　of　the　legislature　and　they　had　found　that　I　was　the　only　one　who　could　control　enough　anti…organization　votes　to　be　elected；　and；　therefore；　General　Garfield　and　his　friends　had　decided　that　I　must　enter　the　race。　　I　did　not　want　to　do　it；　nor　did　I　want　the　senatorship　at　that　time。　　However；　it　seemed　a　plain　duty。　　A　canvass　showed　that　Mr。　Platt；　Mr。　Crowley；　and　myself　had　about　an　equal　number　of　votes。　Of　course；　Mr。　Blaine's　object　was；　knowing　that　Senator　Conkling　would　be　hostile　to　the　administration；　to　prevent　his　having　a　colleague　who　would　join　with　him；　and　thus　place　the　State　of　New　York　against　the　policies　of　the　incoming　president。

After　the　canvass　had　been　going　on　for　some　time；　Mr。　Platt　came　to　me　and　asked　why　I　was　in　it。　　I　told　him　frankly　that　I　was　in　it　to　see；　if　possible；　that　the　senator…elect　should　support　the　administration。　　He　said：　　〃Very　well；　I　will　do　that。〃

I　immediately　called　together　my　supporters。　　Mr。　Platt　appeared　before　them　and　stated　that　if　elected　he　would　support　the　president　and　his　administration　in　every　respect。　　He　was　asked　if　he　would　vote　for　the　confirmation　of　appointees　whom　the　president　might　select　who　were　specially　in　disfavor　with　Senator　Conkling；　conspicuously　Senator　William　H。　　Robertson。　Mr。　Platt　said；　〃Yes；　I　will。〃　　My　friends　all　went　over　to　him　and　he　was　elected。

General　Garfield　was　inaugurated　in　March；　1881；　and　his　difficulties　began　with　his　Cabinet。　　Senator　Conkling；　who　saw　clearly　that　with　Blaine　in　the　Cabinet　his　organization　was　in　danger　in　New　York；　did　not　want　any　of　his　friends　to　accept　a　Cabinet　position。　　The　navy　was　offered　to　Levi　P。　Morton；　but　at　the　request　of　Senator　Conkling　he　declined。

When　the　time　came　for　appointments　in　the　Custom　House　of　New　York；　General　Garfield　sent　in　the　name　of　William　H。　Robertson；　who　was　the　leader　of　the　anti…machine　forces　in　the　State。　　Mr。　Conkling　at　once　demanded　that　Mr。　Platt　should　join　with　him　in　inducing　the　Senate　to　reject　the　nomination。　　Under　the　rule　of　senatorial　courtesy　the　Senate　would　undoubtedly　have　done　this　if　the　two　New　York　senators　had　acted　together。　　Mr。　Platt　told　Mr。　Conkling　of　his　pledge　to　the　members　of　the　legislature；　and　that　he　must　abide　by　it；　and；　as　he　told　me；　suggested　to　Mr。　Conkling　that；　as　he　always　had　been　his　friend　and　did　not　want　any　breach　with　him；　the　only　thing　to　be　done；　consistent　with　honor；　was　for　both　of　them　to　resign　and　go　back　to　the　legislature　for　re…election；　with　a　mandate　which　should　enable　them　to　reject　the　appointment　of　Judge　Robertson　and　all　similar　appointments。

As　the　legislature　was　overwhelmingly　Republican；　and　the　organization　had　a　large　majority；　it　seemed　to　both　senators　that　they　would　be　returned　immediately。　　But　it　is　singular　how　intense　partisanship　will　blind　the　ablest　and　shrewdest　politicians。　　Senators　Conkling　and　Platt　were　among　the　ablest　and　most　capable　political　managers　of　their　time。　　What　they　did　not　reckon　with