Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 December 1881 — Garfield'S Distaste for “Conflicts Of Men." [ARTICLE]

Garfield'S Distaste for “Conflicts Of Men."

; Mr. E. *V. .'•Erfiai(ey contrfodtW.Vo the December tth.tuiy Mafeazine a paper ou ■'‘Characteristics'm Preeiaeut chiefly based on' long apd‘ intimite personal acquaintance, time following extract Is significant; • “I <fo not tfiihk Jt is generally known" that Garfield rejected'otWtures in 1872 to be elected Jo ifie Benau? by thai votes !of the Democrats combined with those' ’of a number of Republicans fiom his section of OLio, who, were dissatisfied with the caucus nomination /"Bt their party. The reason he gate "for his course was that the position would not .be an independent one, and that he would be placed under, obligations to the Democrats, although they asked no pledges. Three times he declined to be a candidate for the Republican nomination for Governor of Ohio, when he had only to oonsent to let his name go before the convention to have had the honor conceded to him without a contest. In preferring the House of Representatives to the executive chair at Columbus, he was wise. His place was in the field of ideas, arguments, and constructive work, and ne would have been restive at any post of duty which limited the activity of bis intellect, and held him down to the enforcement of statutes made by otbei men. Indeed, the Presidency was foreign to his tastes, except as it gave him opportunity to impress his ideas upon ConS ess and the country. A few weeks fore he Was shot, I heard fiom his own lips an expression of th 9 distaste he felt of the business of deciding between the claims of individuals for office. ‘I have all my life delighted in conflicts of ideas,’ he said, ‘but I never cared for conflcts of persons. Now I am obliged to spend*nearly my whole time in hearing arguments and appeals in behalf of individuals.’ He went on to say that, if he failed of success in his new position, he thought it would be because of his want of liking and training for this important part of executive duties. He found it almost impossible to give his mind to the question" Whether A, B, or C was Ihe best man 10 be Postmaster at Peoria, or whether D should he turned out of a colleetorship to make place for E.”