Subscription Fund for the President's Family.--Ready
Generosity of the People.--Touching Incident.--Total Amount
of the Fund.--How the Money was Invested.--Project for
Memorial Hospital in Washington.--Cyrus W. Field's Gift of
Memorial Window to Williams College.--Garfield's Affection
for his Alma Mater.--Reception given Mark Hopkins and the
Williams Graduates.--Garfield's Address to his Classmates.
Soon after the President's assassination, the New York Chamber of
Commerce, headed by Cyrus W. Field and other leading capitalists,
started a subscription for Mrs. Garfield and her children. To this fund
all classes of the people contributed with a readiness and generosity
that gave touching evidence of the sincerity of their love and sympathy.
Little children sent their hoarded pennies, many a poor working woman
denied herself some needed comfort that she might add her mite, and one
old man, in tattered clothes, came into the office of Drexel & Co.,
where subscriptions were received, and putting a bottle of ink on the
table, said,--
"It's all I have, but I must do something."
As soon as the story was told, the ink was taken and sold again and
again that day, until it brought in fifty dollars.
When Mrs. Garfield was first apprised of this subscription fund, she
said,--
"I wish it were possible for me to go around and see all these dear
people!"
After the President's death it was stated that the fund would close on
the fifteenth day of October. The total amount received was $360,345.74,
and this was at once given over to the United States Trust Company, of
New York, for investment. The Company paid the amount of $348,968.75 for
the purchase of $300,000 four per cent. registered bonds, and the
balance of cash, $11,376.09, was placed in charge of this same Trust
Company.
Among the numerous tributes to the memory of Garfield is a project for a
national memorial hospital in Washington on the spot where the President
was assassinated, and an organization has been formed to carry it into
effect. The object has the sympathy and endorsement of President Arthur,
General Sherman, members of the Cabinet, and other distinguished and
influential persons. The land on which the depot stands belongs to
Government, it is said, and is held on sufferance by the railroad
company.
Cyrus W. Field is to place a memorial window in the chapel of Williams
College.
"Nothing," says one writer, "has more illustrated the strong and tender
affection which Garfield retained for the master at whose feet he
learned the law of love, than the natural way in which he turned to Dr.
Hopkins after his career had reached its flower. The first reception in
the White House was given to Mark Hopkins and the Williams graduates. It
was the President's own planning. The alumni in Washington, resident and
visitors, including a large number of the class of '56, were notified of
the President's wishes, and went to the White House marshalled by the
venerable doctor. They were drawn up in the form of a horseshoe, and Dr.
Hopkins addressed the Chief Magistrate. The speaker was profoundly
moved, and exhorted his pupil to maintain the high ideals which had
marked his past. President Garfield, with wet eyes, replied in one of
those moving and inspired speeches which he sometimes uttered. He voiced
the deepest love and reverence for his old teacher, and ascribed the
good impulse of his career to lessons learned among the hills of
Berkshire. The forty or more alumni present were affected to tears."
* * * * *
Garfield was greatly attached to his Alma Mater; on the night previous
to his inauguration he met his college classmates, and, in an address to
them, spoke as follows:
"CLASSMATES,--To me there is something exceedingly pathetic in this
reunion. In every eye before me I see the light of friendship and love,
and I am sure it is reflected back to each one of you from my inmost
heart. For twenty-two years, with the exception of the last few days, I
have been in the public service. To-night I am a private citizen.
To-morrow I shall be called to assume new responsibilities, and on the
day after the broadside of the world's wrath will strike. It will strike
hard. I know it and you will know it. Whatever may happen to me in the
future, I shall feel that I can always fall back upon the shoulders and
hearts of the class of '56 for their approval of that which is right and
for their charitable judgment wherein I may come short in the discharge
of my public duties. You may write down in your books now the largest
percentage of blunders which you think I will be likely to make, and you
will be sure to find in the end that I have made more than you have
calculated--many more.
"This honor comes to me unsought. I have never had the presidential
fever, not even for a day; nor have I it to-night. I have no feeling of
elation in view of the position I am called upon to fill. I would thank
God were I to-day a free lance in the House or the Senate; but it is not
to be, and I will go forward to meet the responsibilities and discharge
the duties that are before me with all the firmness and ability I can
command. I hope you will be able conscientiously to approve my conduct,
and when I return to private life I wish you to give me another
class-meeting."