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.
The few months that elapsed between the election and the inauguration
were spent by Garfield in the quiet home at Mentor.
One day an intimate friend of the family asked Mrs. Garfield if she were
not looking forward with pleasant anticipations to her life in the White
House.
"No," she answered, simply and sincerely, "I can only hope it will not
be altogether unhappy."
The words occasioned surprise at the time--afterwards they seemed like a
sad prophecy.
Inauguration day drew near, and the journey from Mentor to Washington
was one continual series of ovations. Then that memorable fourth of
March at the capital. "Who that beheld the inspiring spectacle,"
exclaims one writer, "can ever see it grow pale in memory!"
Before noon thousands of people had gathered in front of the Capitol,
and when the doors of the rotunda were thrown open, the police were
obliged to push away the crowd that had assembled on the steps.
Pennsylvania Avenue, between the Treasury and the Capitol grounds, was
one great sea of heads, and loud cheers arose from every side as the
long procession escorting the President-elect passed on to the Capitol.
The buildings along the whole route were beautifully decorated, and
handkerchiefs fluttered from every window.
General Sherman, at the head of the Cleveland troops, led the way, and
the Columbia Commandery of Knights Templars formed an important part of
the escort.
Upon reaching the Capitol, Garfield took his seat on the platform, with
President Hayes on his right hand, and Chief-Justice Waite on his left.
Just behind him sat Mr. Wheeler, and Vice-President Arthur. The mother
of the President-elect, his wife and little girl, were also on the
platform, and Mrs. Hayes and her daughter were seated just beside them.
The Inaugural Address,[C] which occupied half an hour in its delivery,
was frequently applauded by the vast audience. The clear, ringing tones
of the speaker gave added force to every sentence; and his wonderful
magnetism held the whole crowd spell-bound.
[Illustration: Eliza Ballou Garfield.]
At the close of the address, the oath of office was administered by the
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and then the immense throngs of
people began slowly to disperse.
The threatening clouds of the early morning had all disappeared, and the
bright March sun looked down upon a most touching, beautiful picture, as
the new President turned around to his dear old mother, the guiding star
of his life--and tenderly kissed her.
"Ah! not in Greece or Rome alone
High mother-hearts shall swell;
America's unsculptured stone!
Will Garfield legends tell,--
How at the height of fame he durst--
The proudest moment of his life--
To put the white-haired mother first,
Then turned and kissed his wife."
As soon as the evening twilight came on, a grand display of fireworks
illuminated the city. The Inauguration Ball was one of the most
brilliant ever held in Washington. The hall was finely decorated. Just
in the centre of the rotunda was a statue of America, surrounded by
tropical plants; in her left hand she held a shield, and from her right,
a powerful electric light in the form of a torch shone down the four
wings of the building. Heavy festoons of evergreens, intertwined with
rare flowers, hung from the ceiling, and the lofty pillars were
decorated with streamers of bunting and the shields of the States and
Territories.
Some four thousand people had assembled in the building before the
arrival of the presidential party. Garfield did not take part in the
dancing, but after an hour spent in hand-shaking, he retired to a
balcony where his wife and mother were seated, and watched with evident
enjoyment the brilliant scene below.
The next day the Senate had a special session, and the President
announced his Cabinet as follows:--
Secretary of State: JAMES G. BLAINE.
Secretary of the Treasury: WILLIAM WINDOM.
Secretary of the Interior: SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD.
Secretary of the Navy: WILLIAM H. HUNT.
Secretary of War: ROBERT T. LINCOLN.
Postmaster-General: THOMAS L. JAMES.
Attorney-General: WAYNE MCVEAGH.
The different elements of the Republican party represented by these
names seemed to presage rough waters for the ship-of-state; but the
choice was made with clear-sighted judgment.
Two great problems confronted President Garfield as he assumed the reins
of government. First, what should be done with the national debt, so
rapidly maturing?
After considerable investigation, it was deemed best to extend the bonds
at a lower rate of interest, that is, three and a half per cent.
Garfield's accurate knowledge of political economy and finance saved the
country many millions of dollars by this wise plan; and the loans as
fast as they have become due have been paid by new bonds issued at this
lower rate.
The second problem was not to be solved so readily. How could half a
million of importunate office-seekers be appeased, when only a hundred
thousand offices were in the President's power to bestow?
The baleful influence of the wretched spoils system began its evil work
at once.
Said a leading political paper:--
"The feeling has become a very dominant one that the Government owes
every man a living. This is found all the way up from the country school
district to town, city, county, state and nation. It need not be said
this is an unhealthy condition of things in every aspect. It diverts
men's minds from the old paths of industry, and badly demoralizes
families and communities. It leads to all manner of crimes, and so
intensifies party spirit that all laws provided for their punishment are
practically inoperative."
President Garfield had never had any sympathy with the system that tries
to appease its party by "liquidating personal obligations with public
trusts." In organizing his administration, he desired to unite and
consolidate the Republican party, and to make such appointments as were
for the manifest good of the whole country. But it was impossible for
him to do this without exciting opposition; the disgraceful rupture in
the Senate immediately followed, and the first weeks of his
administration presented one continued series of hotly-contested
battles.
That the President held his own, in spite of all adverse criticism,
showed at once the strong, unyielding hand that guided the Ship of
State, and after-events proved that he was clearly right from first to
last.
"President Garfield," said one able writer, "used political weapons to
combat politicians in the matter of the New York Custom House, but he
achieved much by so doing. For the first time since 1876 we have a
Republican party in New York distinct from the close corporation that
has controlled the organization there these recent years. A nucleus has
been established around which all shades of Republican opinion can rally
with the good hope of destroying the despotism that has virtually
ostracized the best Republicans of the State from influential
participation in national politics. The nucleus is an administration
party, which invites the co-operation of all who would liberalize the
organization. With the overthrow of "machine" control, as it has existed
in New York and Pennsylvania, and the old would-be dictators remanded to
their proper place, a great advance has been made towards that purer
condition of political and public affairs that all honest men favor."
FOOTNOTES:
[C] See page 480.