General Garfield sprang to his feet and protested against this proceeding, making the point of order that nobody had a right to vote for any member of the Convention without his consent, and that consent, he said, “I refuse to give.” The chairman declared that the point of order was not well taken, and ordered the Wisconsin vote to be counted. On the next ballot nearly the whole Indiana delegation swung over to Garfield, and a few scattering votes were changed to him from other States, making a total of fifty votes cast for him in all. Now it became plain that, by a happy inspiration, a way out of the difficulty had been found. On the thirty-sixth ballot, State after State swung over to Garfield amid intense excitement, and Gen. Garfield was finally nominated on the tenth day of the convention, in a whirlwind of enthusiasm. His election followed by a large majority, the Electoral College standing 214 for Gen. Garfield to 155 for Gen. Hancock.
CHAPTER LI.
THE HISTORY OF THE ASSASSINATION AND DEATH OF PRESIDENT
JAMES A. GARFIELD—THE GREAT
TRAGEDY OF THE AGE.
Inauguration of President Garfield—Kissing His Venerable Mother—Chief Magistrate of Fifty Million People—Illness of Mrs. President Garfield—Tender Solicitude of the President for the Welfare of His Wife—She goes to Long Branch—The President’s Plans to Meet Her—His Arrival at the Depot of the Baltimore and Potomac R. R. at Washington—His Buoyant Spirits—Joyous Anticipation of Meeting His Wife—The Assassin Lying in Wait—The Fatal Shot—Tremendous Excitement—The Wounded President—His Assassin, Charles J. Guiteau—Who He is—His Infamous Appearance and Character—His Cool Deliberation—His Capture and Imprisonment—A Thrill of Horror Throughout the Country—Removal of the President to the White House—Arrival of Mrs. Garfield—Her Courage and Devotion—The Fight for Life—Anxious Days—Removal of the Wounded President to Long Branch—A Remarkable Ride—Great Anxiety throughout the Country—Fighting Death—Slowly Sinking—After Eighty Days of Unparalleled Suffering the President Breathes His Last—Grief and Gloom throughout the Land—The Whole Civilized World in Tears—Unprecedented Funeral and Memorial Honors—His Burial at Cleveland—Attendance of Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand People—His Life and Character Reviewed.
No President was ever inaugurated under happier and more favorable auspices than was President Garfield. From the day that the electric wires flashed over the country the unexpected news of his nomination up to his inauguration, his popularity had steadily increased. Of the hundreds of speeches which he was called upon to make under all possible circumstances during the campaign and after his election, every one was appropriate to the occasion, and gave a new revelation of his versatility and capability. His first act after taking the oath of office at Washington, March 4, was to turn and kiss his venerable mother, who had lived to see her “baby” inaugurated as chief magistrate of a nation of 50,000,000 people. His inaugural message was eloquent, patriotic, and courageous, and was cordially indorsed. The people everywhere felt that it was one of their own number whom they had placed in the White House, and they knew that he would not forget them, but would sympathize with their toils and trials. Everything went on smoothly until the President’s appointment of William H. Robertson to the New York collectorship antagonized Senator Conkling, who endeavored to have the nomination withdrawn. President Garfield adhered to his nomination, and Senator Conkling and his colleague, Mr. Pratt, resigned. The Senate then confirmed Mr. Robertson’s nomination without opposition, and the President’s quiet and dignified bearing throughout the whole contest rather strengthened him than otherwise with the country at large, though many politicians of his own party regarded the alienation of Mr. Conkling as something that had better been avoided than precipitated.
MRS. JAMES A. GARFIELD.
(Engraved from a photograph, expressly for this work.)
Very early in President Garfield’s administration Mrs. Garfield was prostrated by illness, the result of overwork and anxiety, and for a time her life was despaired of. The social demands made upon her during the campaign and after the election at their Ohio home were continuous and exacting, and she went to the White House weary and worn.
Mrs. Garfield is a lady of refinement, devoted to her family and averse to display, although thoroughly at home in the best society. Her home life and quiet has always been more pleasure to her than the attractions of fashionable society. But from the nomination of General Garfield until he left his delightful home for the last time there was no quiet at Mentor. The quiet country house was turned at once into a hotel, crowded with political workers of aspirants for office from morning to night, all of whom had to be courteously received while many had to be entertained with meals and lodgings.
An intimate friend of General Garfield, who assisted him during the campaign, asserts that during a large portion of the time Mrs. Garfield and “Mother” Garfield were compelled to dine or lunch from forty to sixty persons every day, while the children were sent away at night to make room for the guests who had to be entertained. Many of these were persons without claims of any kind upon such hospitality except that they were engaged in political work.
Then came the excitement incident to the removal to the White house, the inauguration, and the daily necessity of giving receptions for the thousands of sight-seers and office-seekers. The break-down came at last, and for weeks the President’s wife was prostrated with severe illness, her life for a time hanging by a thread.