The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-10-14

Mr.. Tilden was elected in 1875. A false return
was the only resource against him. l do not
believe that Gen. Garfield, if left alone,
would commit an election fraud any more
than he would steal horse or a sheep;
but when the managers of his party demanded
his aid in great swindle he could not refuse.
Under that coercion he went down to Louisi-
ana, and there found it absolutely certain that
the Tilden electors had been duly appointed"
at legal and full poll, so peacefully conducted
that there was not even squabble about it in
the whole State, and the appointment SO made
was attested by and recorded upon the certifi-
Gates and the oaths of election officers adverse to
the appointees in all their feelings and wishes.
No contradiction of it could be honest. To count
the State for Hayes was o thing that could be
done only by impudent and unmtigated fraud.
For time hoped that Gen. Garfeld's share
in that great crime had consisted in passive ac-
quiescence and am surprised by the proofs
recently brought forward of his active assist
ance in its perpet' alton. His Judgment as a
member Of the Electoral Commission was
thing to be expected, for he must long before
that have convinced himself that fraud was
as good way as any other of electing Presi-
dent. In political game he did not think that
anybody had moral sense enough to abstain
from throwing a die which he himself had
loaded to win the stake.
The liability to be rushed into evil courses by
his party associates has brought upon him
much odium which he does not deserve in the
transactions Of the Credit Mobilier. The stock
distributed by Oakes Ames was intended to in
fueuce the legislation of Congress corruptly.
He and the company who put 1T into his hands
meant business, and that business was bribery.
Undoubtedly those members who took it.
knowing the nature of the thing, were gl6a.
criminals, and wholly unworthy to retain their
seats !; but Gen. Garfield, though he certainly
agreed to take the stock, and did actually
take dividends upon it. had no suspicion of its
connection with the Union Pacific railroads,
or of the conflict which its possession might
create between his private interests and his
public duty. He was as gulltless as the
child unborn of any dishonest meaning about
the whole business. I believe this, not merely
because he told me 30, but because it is proba-
BILE in itself and corroborated by many circum-
stances. If he had stuck to it he would have
been credited by all men as implicitly as he was
by me. Fearing that his political friends might
influence him to depart from it, wrote be-
seeching him to stand fast upon the defense he
had made to me. That he did not take this ad-
vice is the bitterest regret of his life. But
"the party" would not let him take it. The
accusation struck at the highest heads in the
House and Senate. They mad but one answer,
and that was positive denial of the fact that any
stock had ever been taken by them and on
that line they expected Mr.. Ames to swear
them through. Gen. Garfield, for the benefit
of others and to his own great injury. united
in making this false defense. Then witnesses
failed them, and they we're all convicted. After
the report of the committee 1 wrote to Mr..
Blaine the letter which has been extensively
published and which was an effort to put Gen.
Garfield back upon the true ground which he
never ought to have abandoned but it was too
late. / regret sincerely that Gen. Garfield is q
candidate, or that he should be placed in any
position which calls for criticism on his con-
duct as public man but have said nothing
that will be new to him, for in many forms at
many times, in sundry ways, publicly and pri-
vately, have given this same construction of
ais acts, and exhorted him to come out f.;:T
the evil and corrupt fellowship which drags him
down while it pretends to elevate him.