Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-04-05
A Dofanse Of Garfield.


The Washington Post, finding new
sensational stories against prominent
Republicans scarce, resorted to the
cemetery of old sensations, and TX
humed the one against the Hon. James
A. Garfield, alleging that he took fee
or bribe of $4,000 for the use of his in
fluence as Chairman of the Appropria-
tion Committee to secure large con-
tract for q wooden-block paving COM
pany. SO grossly and maliciously " par
tisan was the attack that the Washing
ton CdpitaI (rabid Democrat) felt CON
strained to defend Garfield against the
aspcrsions cast upon him by that sheet.
II said:
II is not true that he was paid 5000 for the
use of his position as Chairman Of the Commit
tee OF, Appropriations to procure a contract
He was paid 5000 as an attorney for the
DeGolyer Company. so that Parsons and Chit
tenden could Justify their grab of Sl50,0O
made upon the unhappy Chicago contractors
that those gentlemen represented in Wash
ington.
slight examination OF dates and events
proves this. The contract was awarded in
june after, If VIC remember rightly, the ad-
journment OF Congress; certainly after all the
appropriations had been made; and he never
of testimony had been elected to prove that
he ever in any way interfered. He was en-
| ployed to make an argument in behalf OF the
| validity and Importance OF the patent, and,
considering the amount involved the fee was
| not so excessive as to arouse his suspicious,
had he known the sum in the beginning,
which he did not.
| His weakness appears in his having any in
| tercourse of a business sort with such men as
! PARSONS and Chittenden. He should have felt
| hat tbpGp mn n
him to their own advantage and his injury.
Garfield is poor man-and he does not
| drink, nor gamble, nor run after strange
women, to account for his poverty. He is,
| therefore, entitled to the benefit of the signt-
cant fact. He has held positions in which,
| had he been dishonest, he could have winked
| himself into millions. And had he done so he
would not now be open to attack.
The Post having returned to the at
tack on Garfield, the Capital rejoined as
| follows:
| Our neighbor, the Post, is sorely afflicted in
| its virtuous mind over the iniquities of the
! Hon. James A. Garfield. We anticipated this
We said to ourselves, when these virtuous
| young men came to Washington, they will be
torn to pieces, so TO speak, by inward wrath
! indignation and gloomy fOrebodings at the in.
| EQUITIES Of our official agents.
Now, we know there is no immediate cure
for this fever of moral prostration, but there
1
| give our friends.
| II is bad to concentrate the wrath and in.
| dignaGon upon one object. 1t seems to re-
lievG the system to spread out this wrath and
| indignation This being the fact we hasten
to suggest to our virtuOus neighbOr the Post
to select as many delinquent public men as
possible and attack them by turn. There i:
| Montgomery Blair (Dem.), for example, con
victed by his client and friend of taking stoch
in fraudulent claim, and, to rob the innocent
owners, using his influence as Postmaster
General to pack a court, appoint corrupt
tool District-Attorncy and brother rogue
Surveyor. Montgomery, like Garfield, cling'
| to the horns of the altar, and is very pious IL
all his doings.
Then there is Senator George Pendletor
| (Dem.), who was convicted of taking, not
5000 for doing nothing, but SS5,000 fee out
of a fraudulent claim got, mysteriously
through the Secretary of War
Then turn to Gov. George B. Mcclellan
(Dem.), who was convicted by George Brega
and sundry drafts of having received $1,000 as
a bribe, no other service being required thar
to influence his distinguished father-in-hw
Gen. Marcy in his decision in behalf Of
COwles' process, that was good against moth
mold, midew-also water-repelant.
When our neighbors shall have done with
these distinguished malefactors, we can sug
gest few more. In the meantime let it de
vote two days, say, to old Gummy of the Blai
family, two days to ''Gentleman George" tive
days to the Young Napoleon now Govern
or of New Jersey. This willexhaust the week