The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-08-22
Garfield and Poland Reuom,u ated.

No better proof could be furnished Of
the rottenness Of the Republican organi-
eaton than the recent denomination OF Luke
P. Poland in the east and James A. Gar
field in the west. Similar influences con-
trolled both conventions, and the Office
holders Of the administration were potent
alike in each. All the power of Grantisnl
was brought to bear in each case, first or
the primaries of the different counties
through the post Office, internal revenue
and other mercenaries, and next in thu
nominating bodies. Without this aid they
would have been overwhelmingly defeated
There are honest and deluded men il
the Republican party who have chung to il
almost with the tenacity of despair, anC
believed that reform could be best, and
indeed, only achieved inside its ranks anc
through its own agencies. They have
heretofore resisted all outside appeals to
abandon it, even with growing distrust
of its good faith. But in presence of such
events as these they can no longer hest
tate.
The reins Of the party are held at Wash
ington, and it is driven to suit the selfish
interests of the president, whether in pro.
noting the advancement Of his servile sup.
porters, or in pursuing with bitter yen.
geance his outspoken opponents With
the cant of regulation resolutions the par
ty is now entirely personal in all its as
poets, and is as much owned as property,
so far as the machinery is concerned, as
any body servant in South Carolina was by
his master before 1861.
As the source is corrupt, all the branches
are poisoned with the same pernicious evil.
Hence it is that the whole weight of the
president and the cabinet is thrown, with
all the vast patronage at their command,
10 favor Of men who have obeyed their
dictation, voted away the peoples money
without scruple, and sustained all the vile
schemes by which the treasury has been
plundered of hundreds of millions of dol
lars.
There is hardly an example in all the
recent exposures of dishonest public life
which compares in enormity with that of
James A. Garfield. He belongs precisely
to the category of Schuyler Colfax, though
it is lust to say with far more ability and
culture than that notorious fraud. He
preached, protested morals, pretended pie
ty, and all the time was conniving with the
worst rogues In and out of congress to
plumber the treasury, and to fill his pockets
with dishonest gains. rr'gfr r--
In the case Of the Credit Mobilier, the
stock with the dividends was traced into
his possession and yet he swore positively
that he never had any interest in it what
ever. That oath had hardly spread abroad
before he visited Cakes Ames and de-
manded larger share than had been con-
coded to him, leaving his own figures as the
record OF that infamy, which were pro-
duced before the committee, and which he
never dared to challenge. He accepted a
bride OF $1,000 from the Washington ring
under the shallow pretence of acting as
counsel when there was no cause to pre-
sent, aud for that and other fees not vet
iuhy known he and he only procured for
the ring grant OF three aud a half mil
hons from the treasury, the bulk of which
was appropriated by Shepherd and his
crew. he has been the tool of every large
lobby, and is utterly fallen in the esteem of
all honorable men, who regard him as a
loDper ready to betray any cause or ques-
uon Tor price, and that by no means the
highest in market.
roland ranks in the same line of venal
legislators, who, under solemn exterior
and plausible manner, are the most dan
gerous and demoralizing of the whole
tribe. he may be SAID to be owned by
the railroads, banks, aud other CORPORA
tons having tacit understanding among
themselves, and in spite of local rivalry,
raiiying with concerted vigor whenever
tnelr common interest is assailed or ser
iously menaced. Hence when the Credit
Mobilier struggle was drawing to its close
the House of Representatives fairly swarm,
ed with the Presidents and manaeers az
railroads and other powerful institutions.
who went to dictate the conditions of Pc.
Land whitewashing report and to save
Henry Wilson, Dawes, Garfield, Kelley,
Allison, Bingham, Coltax, Patterson. Sci
ted, ayd James T. Wilson from the pen.
alt.ss OF their base yenality, by a vote of
eensare on Ames and Brooks. Poland
was the instrument of that outrage, lust
rs he was chosen by the Washington Hing
70 carry through the last outrage on the
press oy the gag law, which will make his
mold.
me afront TO public opinion and to pub
lie deeency, too. in the renominafion af P,-
land BY orders from ashipgton Ia n,.ds
doubiy Offensive by the defeat of Ch.rIo,
w. Willard of the frst district Of w..
mont, who has gained the repata,;on ac
wise and honest legislator, careful. oourl
sgeous and persistent in efforts to retreuch
extravagant expenditures and to cut off
the excresences which have such immense
growth.
Mr.. Willard had the honesty to exposs
the yast pefquisises OF the President and
20 condemn the system under which they
had recently grown mp and become seri-