Mountains to
meet me at Concord and to spend the night with my brother
there and visit the dwelling and burial places of his ancestors
in Lincoln and then to come to Worcester as my guest.

James A. Garfield was a man of indefatigable industry and
vast information. He seemed constantly possessed by an intelligent
curiosity in regard to all subjects. He had a tenacious memory.
Its stores were always ready at hand for his use on all occasions.
There has been no man in public life in my time, except Charles
Sumner, who was always so glad to render any service in his
power to literature and science. He was a great friend of
the Congressional Library, and helped largely to increase
its appropriations. I got his powerful aid in procuring the
purchase of the Margry papers, at the instance of Parkman,
the historian.

During Garfield's service in the House he was the leader
of its best thought. Everything he did and said manifested
the serious, reverent love of excellence. He was ever grave,
earnest, addressing himself only to the reason and conscience
of his auditors. You will search his speeches in vain for
an appeal to a base motive or an evil passion. He was remarkably
independent in forming his judgments and inflexible in adhering
to them on all grand and essential questions. His friend
and Commander, General Thomas, whose stubborn courage saved
the day in the battle for the possession of Tennessee, was
well called The Rock of Chickamauga. In the greater battle
in 1876 for the Nation's honor Garfield well deserves to be
called The Rock of Ohio. There has been hardly any single
service to this country in recent times greater than that
rendered by him when he stood against the fiat money movement
in Ohio.

CHAPTER XXIX
FOUR NATIONAL CONVENTIONS
1884

It happened to me again to be put at the head of the Massachusetts
delegation in the convention of 1884. The leading candidates
were Mr. Blaine and President Arthur. Mr. Arthur had, in
many respects, made a very satisfactory President. He was
a man of pleasant manners and skilled in the subtle ways of
New York politicians. He had been one of the chief representatives
of a faction in the Republican Party, and he never seemed
able to shake off the influences which had surrounded him
before his election. At a dinner shortly after he was chosen
Vice-President, he made an apparently approving allusion to
what he called the use of soap, which was understood