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Primary sourceBook1882-1883

The Works of James Abram Garfield

James A. Garfield; ed. Burke A. Hinsdale · 1882-1883

A two-volume collection of Garfield's congressional speeches and addresses, edited by his friend Burke A. Hinsdale.

A collection of Garfield's own congressional speeches, the principal printed record of him as an orator.

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Scan of a dark, nearly black book cover or spine page with a small white paper label in the upper right reading 'B' and '843,372', likely a library call-number label. No readable title text is visible.
The Works of James Abram Garfield, ed. Burke A. Hinsdale, 1882-1883.

About this source

What it is

This two-volume set collects the speeches and writings of James A. Garfield, compiled and edited by his friend Burke A. Hinsdale and published in 1882-1883, after Garfield's death. It includes his addresses to Congress on topics such as appropriations and government business.

Why it matters

As a long-serving member of the U.S. House of Representatives before becoming president, Garfield spoke often on subjects like currency, Reconstruction, and the census. This collection is the main printed record of his voice as a legislator, showing his views and role in the political debates of his era.

Look closer

  • Why might Garfield's friend have chosen to publish this collection after his death rather than before?
  • What does the formal, careful language of a congressional speech reveal about how Garfield wanted to be seen?
  • What topics does this collection focus on, and what might that tell you about the concerns of his time?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of James A. Garfield on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Pendleton Act

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Black Friday 1869

24 September 1869

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