Conkling.
Beside, when the voting for Garfield in the Convention began,
a dispatch was received from Mr. Sherman urging his friends
to unite in Garfield's support. That was before Garfield
had taken any action, except an earnest attempt to decline
the nomination which, as I have already stated, was suppressed
by a peremptory exercise of the authority of the chair.
I have given more than once my estimate of James A. Garfield,
although not as fully as I should like. Shortly after his
death I delivered a eulogy before the people of Worcester
at the request of the City Government. I was asked by John
Sherman, who more than anybody else had the matter in charge,
to deliver the eulogy before the two Houses of Congress. But
Mr. Sherman had spoken without due authority. The Committee
of the two Houses determined to invite Mr. Blaine, then Secretary
of State. That arrangement was required by every consideration
of propriety, and was in all respects the best possible. Mr.
Blaine's address on Garfield is one of the treasures of our
literature. It would have been a great public misfortune
if that noble oration had been lost to the world.
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