The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1880-10-01
Judge Black on Garfield.

The New York World oflast Saturday con-
tains scathing review from the pen of Judge
Black, of Pennsylvania, of the course of Gen.
Garfield, since that gentleman has made HIM
self so prominent in the history ofthe coun-
try, in connection with the Credit Mobilier
and the Electoral Fraud of 1876. The article
derives not little of its point from the fact
that Judge Black is personal friend of Gen.
Garfield, and has up to this time been one of
his most jealous apologists. Heis constrain-
ed, however, in the face of overwhelming
proofs, to admit that Gen. Garfield gave the
most active assistance in counting in Hayes
for the Presidency, which could only have
been effected by the most unmitgated fraud
The Judge asserts, and that very clearly,
that men naturally good have in all ages yield
ed to the pressure made upon them by their
political associates, and have done things
which their own moral sense strongly con-
demned; that Gen. Garfield docs not stand
alone in this respect
In an argument made by Gen. Garfield before
the Supreme Court of the United States he
ably demonstrated the inviolability of the
Constitution; the supremacy of the civil above
the military; that he who would substitute
military force for civil authority is traitor to
hiscountry. These were his true sentiments.
When he came to deal with these questions
as politician, he acted as q true partisan,
and went hand in hand with his Republican
fellows in his prescription of the South, in
upholding military despotism, and every
thing subvcrsive of the Constitution. He
did this not through ignorance or passion,
but with cool dcliberation, which makes il
all the more criminal.
Gen. Garfelds denunciation of Gen. Han
cock for saying that the military is subordi-
nate to the civil power, in the eye of the Con-
stitution, is the more objectionable, for this
was proposition which he had proved in
contestably in an able argument before the
highest tribunal of the land.
In 1876 he went down to Louisiana, under
the same party influence, and there found
that the Tildcn electors had been duly and
legally appointed; that there was no distur-
bance throughout the State; yet the elector-
al vote of Louisiana was given to Hayes by
the most apparent villainy.
Judge Black holds that Garfield did not
knowingly engage in the Credit Mobiier
that although he took stock in that company
he had no suspicion that there would be "a
conflict between his private interest and his
public duty" that he was guiltlcss ofany dis
honest meaning in the business. Judge
Black firmly believes this-not only from
what he (GarfieldD told him himself but from
other circumstances strongly corroborating
this assertion. He was urged by Judge Black
to stand upon this dofence-that is, his want
of intention to do wrong. Nevertheless he
positively denied that any stock had been
taken by him or his political friends. Judge
Black says that nothing which he has writ
ten will be new to Gen. Garfield, for he has
in many forms, at many times, and in sundry
ways, told him of his evil ways and exhorted
him to come out of the evil fellowship and
be Il true man.
In conclusion, the Judge thinks that there
is reason to expect grand Democratic vic
tory in November, and that all friends ofgood
government ought to watch as well as pray,
that we be not swindled again.