190 POLITICAL LIFE IX 



same platform, and again I was impressed by his manly, 

 far-seeing grasp of public questions. 



As to my after relations with Garfield, I might speak of 

 various pleasant interviews, but will allude to just one in 

 cident which has a pathetic side. During my first residence 

 in Germany as minister of the United States, I one day 

 received a letter from him asking me to secure for him the 

 best editions of certain leading Greek and Latin classics, 

 adding that it had long been his earnest desire to re-read 

 them, and that now, as he had been elected to the United 

 States Senate, he should have leisure to carry out his pur 

 pose. I had hardly sent him what he desired when the 

 news came that he had been nominated to the Presidency, 

 and so all his dream of literary leisure vanished. A few 

 months later came the news of his assassination. 



My term of service as minister in Berlin being ended, I 

 arrived in America in September, 1881, and, in accordance 

 with custom, went to present my respects to the new Presi 

 dent and his Secretary of State. They were both at Long 

 Branch. Mr. Blaine I saw and had with him a very inter 

 esting conversation, but President Garfield I could not see. 

 His life was fast ebbing out, and a week later, on Sunday 

 morning, I heard the bells tolling and knew that his last 

 struggle was over. 



So closed a career which, in spite of some defects, was 

 beautiful and noble. Great hopes had been formed regard 

 ing his Presidency, and yet, on looking back over his life, 

 I have a strong feeling that his assassination was a service 

 rendered to his reputation. I know from those who had 

 full information that during his campaign for the Presi 

 dency he had been forced to make concessions and pledges 

 which would have brought great trouble upon him had he 

 lived through his official term. Gifted and good as he 

 was, advantage had been taken of his kindly qualities, and 

 he would have had to pay the penalty. 



It costs me a pang to confess my opinion that the admin 

 istration of Mr. Arthur, a man infinitely his inferior in 

 nearly all the qualities which men most justly admire, was 



