The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-07-11
TWo CAMPAIGN +" ISSUES

lhlnus cWCn helilg tlle CHS', wv may '"'''s
inquire what is the present state OF the
criminal docket in this canvass, though all
our readers will do us the Justice TO say that
we do not originate or promote this kind of
warfare.
Against Mr. Garfield mot 10 call him
" General" " in special or " Reverend " in
an irreverent way) it is alleged that he vir-
tually held stock in the Credit Mobilier
Company by accepting the monstrous |
net profits on the same, and then de-
MED that he held it at all that he took
fee, which used to be called an honordriuB,
of So 600 from De Golyer patent pavement
company for his official influence, which
that he shutllcd an installment of Congress
sional pay for services already rendered into
his pocket by his peculiar management of n
bill for that purpose, and then had to put 1t
back into the Treasury in some disgrace.
We will not reiterate all the proof ably
brought forward 10y some of our contempo-
raries in support of these facts, because then
we might feel bound to repeat all the at
tempted explanations and denials of the
other side. We do not wish to go into the
details of these latter, because it suiices TO
say what every attentive observer has noted,
that If any explanations could make the
original matter worse these do.
The mistakes are all on the side of the
Republicans this year, the clever hits on the
other. A party doomed TO destruction always
| seems struck with a kind of fatal blindness.
1t was mistake to nominate Garfield, but it
is madness TO defend him in the way pro-
proposed. The Baby Act is pleaded for this
experienced statesman )" and constant
reader of books OH political economy, statis-
tics, and similar improving subjects. 1t is
his own friends who say that he is so child
lessly ignorant of the most ordinary transac-
tions of business life, and, we suppose, of the
canons of jealous integrity, that he thought
the dividends paid him by 0akes Ames were
I" n loan" he was in need Of and he took
the $4,000 in carelessness or inattention
without inquiring particularly where 1t came
from or what it was for. The two stories dc
not hang together well, for man who gets
"hard up" for $500 is apt TO be impressed
by the fact of receiving $1,000 in lump
especially when he is q briefless barristel
who never practiced law at all. Moreover
as science is sublimated common sense, Mr.
Garfield's economic reading must be at faul
not to let him into such vulgar every -da,
mysteries of trade as are here involved. w
think any one rendering General Hancocl
$500 or $4,000 in his official capacity woul,
have to explain pretty promptly and to tn
purpose its source and its object to escap
the imputation of offering an insult. Sol
dierly honor would be on its guard at once
as it always was with George Washington
Mr.. Garfield should extend his reading t
the interesting case of Lord Chancello
Bacon.
We do not dwell with pleasure upon thes
scandals. We are sorry American polite
should descend to their level. We coul
n even treat them as being in themselves pee,
dilloes and not State crimes. But it is plai
r. that be what they may to Garfeld's chara
# ter and reputation
1T is the little rift within the lutte -.
}. 1t is the little speck in garnered fruit. =
To speak fully, Garfield seems to be
|
. has a large head and vivid Imagination, b,
Ii the latter has made him sentimentalist il
= stead of man of principle, of conscienc
That quality of his which has most excite
the admiration of considerable circle
Americans is his skill in dialectics, SKI
- which seems to find its highest developme
10 among German citizens like Schurz, Pulitze
y | ~ l,a
'' that Garfield is wholly German, though boz
- in America.
. We do not hesitate to say on this he
that we much prefer thorough Americ,
- like Hancock for President. Garfeld's trai
=, ing "a a Campbellite minister or exhort
has increased the evil by stimulating
" emotional faculties. Any one who has re
his recent speeches must be struck by t
o. similarity of their style and overflow
ne Beechers. Either man seems capable
n. convincing himself that wrong is right
a. the strain of his own sensuous rhetoric a
Ia imagery. He can obfuscate the inner vo
"a. with rhetoric. We do not say Garfield is
bad man, but a weak one morally. But
he make good President the moral sense III,
th be vigorous, hardy, and wide-awake; rea
ne even to suspect evil in quarters whence
it perience teaches its likely approach.
aid On the other hand, the only charge agail
lid General Hancock is, up to date, that he Is
soldier! 1t is attempted to convict the
mocracy of inconsistency in nominating
military man 10 the Presidency after, as
:, opponents say, denOuncing the military W
-. all their might. At the worst this would
~, no greater inconsistency than the Radio
4; were guilty Of in the last election, when I'll
r. were driven to support new-fangled ki
10 of States Rights, of their own invention,
-, the most violent way. But, in fact, the
A.. legged Democratic attitude toward the p
~ sonnel of the Army is as purely radi
:. fgment as the ultra States Rights doctr
~ they maintained in the Electoral controver
As West Point has been sustained dur
the greater part Of its existence by approl
atoms from Democratic Congresses, the i
,bs tility to that must be myth, and it
=, certainly never meant to make an educat
a., there disqualification for the Presiden
md What the Democracy have opposed in pl
bv ciple is he supremacy Of military oper ciW r
!, and General Hancock stands pledged to !
vas the opposite course, and with the most sa
he factory record upon the question. 1t is
nc. deed doubly appropriate that the correct
po of this abuse should come from soldier,
i've in this country the bayonet has always b
.ws invoked by ambitious civilians, not soldi,
The and men like Grant and Sheridan have b
lite only the tools of scheming politicians beh
md them. The honorable men Of the Army Ia
i've long groaned under this misuse OF their d
Md and discipline by the rogues in power
up. Washington, and they may rest assured Il
vas will be relieved from it when their sci
ole major general becomes their commander
an chief.
ter Iti fitting that TnR SUNDAY HERALD sho
insist upon this point, for We confdeI
claimed the election as we'll as the nomi
the tion for General Hancock, il only on