at in
Congress. A man cast in the largest mould, and incapable of a petty
sentiment, his grasp of public affairs was rarely equaled, and his
insight into the effects of legislation was of the deepest. But on
what the author of the Autocrat calls the arithmetical side,--in
the power of judging particular men and not general principles; in
deciding who were the good men and who were not, he fell short of the
ideal suggested by his legislative career. The brief months during
which he administered the highest of offices were stormy enough,
perhaps stormier than any president before him had ever experienced,
and they would probably have been outdone by the years following,
had he lived. But I believe that, had he remained in the Senate,
his name would have gone into history among those of the greatest
of legislators.

Sixteen years after the death of Lincoln public feeling was again
moved to its depth by the assassination of Garfield. The cry
seemed to pass from mouth to mouth through the streets faster than
a messenger could carry the news, "The President has been shot."
It chanced to reach me just as I was entering my office. I at once
summoned my messenger and directed him to go over to the White House,
and see if anything unusual had happened, but gave him no intimation
of my fears. He promptly returned with the confirmation of the
report. The following are extracts from my journal at the time:--

"July 2, Saturday: At 9.20 this morning President Garfield
was shot by a miserable fellow named Guiteau, as he was
passing through the Baltimore and Potomac R. R. station to
leave Washington. One ball went through the upper arm,
making a flesh wound, the other entered the right side
on the back and cannot be found; supposed to have lodged
in the liver. In the course of the day President rapidly
weakened, and supposed to be dying from hemorrhage."

"Sunday morning: President still living and rallied during
the day. Small chance of recovery. At night alarming
symptoms of inflammation were exhibited, and at midnight
his case seemed almost hopeless."

"Monday: President slightly better this morning, improving
throughout the day."

"July 6. This P. M. sought an interview with Dr. Woodward
at the White House, to talk of an apparatus for locating
the ball by its action in retarding a rapidly revolving
el. magnet. I hardly think the plan more than theoretically
practical, owing to the minutenes