The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1880-07-13
Judge Poland on Credit MObilier--
Mr.. Garfield Found Guilty.

From the N. Y. World, 7th inst.
Mr.. Poland, who was the Chairman of
the committee which Investigated the
Credit Mobilier scandals, is cons, antly
cited by Republican speakers and writer's
as having fully and finally exculpated
Mr.. Garfield Of all share in the corrupt
transactions out of which those scandals
arose. Unfortunately for Mr.. Garfield,
Poland did nothing Of the sort At
page 10 Of the now celebrated Poland
report its author passed from q state
ment OF the facts which the committee
had fouAds. in Ebe Garfield case tos,a
bomily upon them. In the course Of
this homily he said: "No member Of
Congress ought to place himsellf In cir
cumslances of suspicion 80 that any dis
credit of the body shall arise on his &C.
count. In free government like ours
we cannot expect the people will long
respect the laws if they lose respect for
the law makers. For these reasons we
think it behooves every man in Congress
or in any public position to hold himself
aloof as far as possible from all infuen-
ces, that he may not only be enabled to
look at every public question with an
eye only to the public good, but that his
conduct and motives be not suspected
or questioned. We commend to them
and to all men the letter Of the venera
BILE Senator Bayard in response to an
offer of some OF this stock" This
homily, uttered for the benefit Of Mr..
Garfield and his colleagues in 1878,
ought to be appointed to be read at all
meetings for considering the candidacy
of Mr.. Garfield in 1880 II it was wrong
for Representative to place "himself In
circumstances Of suspicion" so that
his motives we're questioned" because
the '.people will not long respect the
laws If they lose respect for the law
makers" can it be right for a political
party to advocate the election to the
Presidency Of man who did unques.
tionably "plsce himself 10 circumstances
of suspicion" and give ground for "his
motives TO be questioned"2 Mr.. Po.
land answers this question himself by
his reference to ex-senator Bayard's
simple and manly letter declining to have
anything to do with the stock in ques-
ton.
He virtually invited Mr.. Garfield to
contrast bis own weakness In listening
to the tempter. Oakes Ames. with the
courteous but direct refusal of ex-Sena-
tor Baysrd to entertain his propositions
at all. In its report. however, the Po-
land committee, as appears from pa2e7,
went still further 1t said: "The facts
in regard to Mr.. Garfield as found by
the committee are Identical with the case
of Mr.. Kelley to the point of reception
of the check for 1929 This sum was
| paid over to Mr.. Garfield by check on
the Sergesnt.at-Arms, and Mr.. Garfield
then understood this sum Was the bal
ance OF dividends after paying for tie
stock Can there be any doubt as to
what this meansi The report is deal
ing with "the 'facts' in regard to Mr.
Garfield as found by the committee.
In this connection 1t is very remarkable
| tu0b WC Oatuciu uCSCA SovC tuC Oioue
committee any opportunity to make any
other finding about his understanding
that sthis sum was the balance of divi
dends," or that ii was not "paid over Il
him BY q check on the Sergeant-at
Arms" Mr.. Garfield distinctly reirainet
This testimony runs from page 12S t
page 1917 from denying that this checl
was paid to him BY the Sergeant.at
Arms, or that when he received it b.
understood that 1t Represented "divi
dends." What Mr.. Poland represent
In the campaign, therefore, is that Mr.
Garfield received the check Of Oake
Ames from the Sergeaut-at.Arms, ant
understood when he received It that
represented dividends. And until Mr.
Poland is made to reverse Mr.. Poland I
verdict 1t cannot be denied that tn
American people have been asked b!
the Chicago Convention to make tain
ted law.maker the Chief Magistrate o
the republic. Mr.. Garfield is made {
tainted Iaw-maker not by any Demo
cratic charges against him but by th,
homily and the findings Of leading Re
publican, now his coadjutor in his can
vass. The issue is q plain one and !
must be met.