Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-03-09
Garfield Gibbeted.

In recant debate in the House
of Representatives, Mr.. Banning,
Democrat, Of Ohio, quoted from
Mr.. Garfield's speech, Of few days
before, to the effect that as many
men had been sent from Cincin-
nati'to the penitentiary for election
frauds, as would take away the ma
jority Of one of the members from
that city. He said:
So far as I am aware, this is the
first time that this infamous false
hood has found any one so reckless
of truth as to become its indorser
on this floor. In 1872 was elected
from the Second Congressional
District of Ohio, over r. B. Hayes
by q majority OF 1905. In 1874 1
was reelected by a majority of
1855 over Job e. Stevenson. In
1879 after the most exciting contest
that has ever occurred In tho Dist
rict, in which every appliance
known in corrupt politics was used
against me, Gov. Hayes certified
my majority to be 75 over Senator
Stanley Matthews. believed
then as do now, that fair count
would have given much larger
majority. Judge Matthews gave
me notios of contest, which l an.
swered. Suf1ice 1t to say that he
abandoned the contest, and never
took q word of testimony. After
the election charges of fraud were
made by both parties, and examin-
ed into by the United States Dist
riot Court, with a Republican
Judge, a Republican District At
torney and Republican Marshal.
What, sir, was the result? In the
whole of Hamilton county, COM
prising two Congressional Districts,
fifteen persons in all were convict.
cd OF Illegal practices, Of whom
five were sent to the penitentiary.
Ten of these fifteen were from the
Second District, and three Of these
ten were Republicans, one being a
colored Republican. This, sir, is
the record regarding the Congress
sional election in 1876, in the Sec
ond District of Ohio, as it has
been furnished to me-a Dist.
riot composed of honorable
| WhO uQbo anu ue
test falsehood. In their behalf, in
the interest of truth, and as a mat
ter Of justice to myself, pronounce
the assertion made by the gentle
man to be untrue, and 1 denounce
the author, whoever he may be, as
q falsifier. Before uttering this as
sertion, the gentleman should have
been certain that 1t was true, and
should not have made himself re-
sponsible on this floor and before
the country for that which the
record shows to be false. 1 am in
formed that the gentleman was
wont to clothe himself in the white
robes of an evangelist, and ascend
ing the pulpit to preach the gospel
Of Hin who commands, "Thoil
shalt not bear false witness against
thy neIghbcr." Surely he, of all
men in this House, should satisfy
himself of the truth or fslsity of an
accusation, before placing it on the
records of a nation.
One word more. / desire to be
distinctly understood about this
matter. Once for all, if any person
means to assert that single fraud
ulent vote was cast at the election
Of 1875, with my knowledge, by my
authority, or through my procure-
ment, I hero and now pronounce
the assertion a malicious falsehood.
1 might follow the illustrious ex.
ample offered me, and retaliate by
gathering all the ISLANDERS connect
ed with the gentleman's official
record, SO we'll known to the press
and people Of the country, and pour
them out on this floor; but, as I
know nothing of my own knowl-
edge as to the truth or falsity of
these charges, I scorn to do so; and
here I leave the gentleman to full
enjoyment Of the position he has
made for himself.