The daily gazette., 1880-06-16
From the N. Y. Sun.
BLAINE AND GARFIELD.

We invite the attention of the more
and high-minded Republi-
cans to a comparison that will proba-
bly, be of interest to them at this |
time.
BY this description Of Republicans
We mean that numerous and infiuen-
tial wing Of the party which makes
concessions to principle and decorum,
even in politics. These are the Repub-
licans who were disguised with the
scandals Of Grantism; who have made
an effort to preserve their self-respeet,
although at the expense Of the machine
and the machine candidates; who, as a
rule, opposed the third term; and who,
almost to man, opposed the nomina-
lion of Mr.. Blaine in 1876, and again
in 1880, on the ground that his person.
al character rendered him unfit to re-
ceive their votes for President. N
If Mr.. Blaine could have convinced
these Republicans that his record was
unstained, that the suspicious Of cor
ruptiOn in his career as a Congress
man were unjust, nothing could have
prevented his nomination at Cincinna-
ii four years ago; nor could anything
have defeated him at Chicago last
week. ..i.a- Il
The Republicans whose reluctance
to take up with a suspected man
wrecked Mr.. Blaine's hopes in 1875
and in 1880, are now forced by an &C
cidental nomination to consider wheth-
er they can give their support to 'ames
A. Garfield. The best way, undoubted-
ly, for them % make up their minds is
to measure Garield's record by the
same rule that they have applied to
Blaine's. @ l a'4 n. ... ..-s = -
MIR. Blaine's name, like Gen. Gar
fields, appeared in Oakes Ames' MEM
orandunl list of Congressman bribed.
He was there set down for thirty
shares of stock, while only twenty were
allotted to Garfield. Ames was a cool
headed, practical man, who bought
Congressman as he bought shovel
handles, deliberately, dispassionately,
and with close regard 60 the market
value of the commodity. Mr.. Blaine
denied, as Gen. Garfield denied, any
participation in the business. The
investigation came, the truth was
dragged from the reluctant lips OF
Oakes Ames, and the evidence was
spread before the people. The report
of the Poland committee in regard TO
Mr.. Blaine's case was as follows:
"The committee find that Mr.. Ames
had conversation with Mr.. Blaine in
regard to taking ten shares of the
stock, and recommended it as good
Investment. Upon consideration, Mr.
Blaine concluded not to take the stock
or stock of the Union Pacific Railroad
Company, and never did take it, and
never paid or received anything on &C
count Of it."
Bot long before the Poland commit
tee came to this conclusion, the Sun,
Judging on the evidence, had acquit-
ted Mr.. Blaine of corruption. How
different was the finding of the Poland
committee in the case of Garfield, who
had sworn, like Blaine, that he "peveI
owned, received, or agreed to receive
any stock of .ho Credit Mobilier or OF
the Union Pacific Railroad, nor any
dividends or profits arising from eithel
of them
"He agreed with Mr.. Ames to take
ten shares of Credit Mobilier stock
but did not pay for the same. Mr.
Ames received the eighty per cent
} dividend in bonds, and sold them FOL
ninety-seven per cent, and also re-
ceived the sixty per cent. cash 'dlvl
dend, which, together with The price
of the stock and interest, left bal
ance of $329. The sum was paid ovel
to Mr.. Garfield by check on the Ser
geant-at- Arms"
The blame and shame which attach
ed to Mr.. Blaine at the time of thu
Credit Mobilier investigation were
, however, earned by his efforts, a
, Speaker of the House, to shield Gar
field and the other convicted brib
; takers from the natural consequences
, of their crimes. 4-.
, The blame which Gen. Garfield in
! Cured was the blame of proved guilt
. the shame was the shame of conviction
) by his own party associates.
+ Mr.. Blaine's unfortunate reputation
i rests upon the Mulligan letters. Hi
, friends have never admitted his guilt
r No Republican investigating commit
. tee has ever declared him corrupt. N
r leading Republican newspaper eve
3 called for his expulsion from Congress
He HIS never been branded as a pei
} jurer. Nobody has ever found .hir
taking bribe of So, 1000 to vote hun
dreds of thousands into the pockets o
Boss Shepherds Ring. And yet tn
, belief that his personal integrity ha
, not always withstood temptation
!, belief not established by evidence be
fore a competent tribunal-has beel
enough to blast his political aspira
tions and to shut him out from the Of
flee to which he would otherwise hay
found an easy road. .J,ra-51ag .. !
On the party records Garfield bear
to Blaine the relation which a COZ
J, vieted criminal bears to man. labol
ing under suspicion. If Republican
!; who still cherish some anxiety ,abou
a the purity of their candidates object t
!; Blaine as unfit to be President, wha
: must they think of Garfield when the
:. come to appreciate The proved facts
Q his caser .ae-~ckN q
Q Races THIS 1fternOon.