But these farmers responded to this shock, not like sectionalists, but like Americans.
"Every man of them," Page records, "expressed almost a personal sorrow.
Little was said of politics or of parties.

Mr.Garfield was President of the United States--that was enough.

A dozen voices spoke the great gratification that the assassin was not a Southern man.

It was an affecting scene to see weather-beaten old countrymen so profoundly agitated--men who yesterday I should have supposed hardly knew and certainly did not seem to care who was President.

The great centres of population, of politicians, and of thought may be profoundly agitated to-night, but no more patriotic sorrow and humiliation is felt anywhere by any men than by these old backwoods ex-Confederates." Page himself was so stirred by the news that he ascended a cracker barrel, and made a speech to the assembled countrymen, preaching to responsive ears the theme of North and South, now reunited in a common sorrow.