Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-09-09
GARFIELD AND THE LAW.


A correspondent of the Post, in his
communication which, but for ex-
treme length, should grace our col
umns, assures us that he has been q
Republican since 1855, the date of
that party's introduction into this life,
but that he will vote for Hancock
and English this year on one condi-
tion.
The contingency in which our cor
respondent agrees to cut loose from
the Radical organization and give the
Democratic party the advantage of his
valuable influence and more valuable
vote, is that the Post shall prove an
assertion, made in its columns some
weeks ago, to the effect that Gen. Gar
field, on his own showing, had been
guilty of an act for which he was
liable to imprisonment for two years
and fine of $4,000.
1t is not the habit of this journal to
make assertions of so serious charac-
ter without due consideration of their
gravity. We have been especially
careful to do no injustice to Gen. Gar
field, realizing from the hour of his
nomination that the naked facts in his
record, without so much as O shade of
added coloring, were the effectual and
sufficient weapons to use against him.
We have said, we still say, and we will
prove that, on his own evidence, Gen.
Garfield committed an act which the
Revised Statutes of the United States
define as n misdemeanor, and for which
they provide a punishment of two
years in prison and fine of $4,000.
The same statute, had it been en-
forced against Gen. Garfield, as any
citizen might have enforced it, would
have rendered him incapable, forever
thereafter, of holding any office of
trust or profit under the General Gov
ernment. If our correspondent, or
any other interested party, will turn to
page 316 of the Revised Statutes and
read section 1882, enacted in 1868,
when General Garfield was a young
member of the House, he will learn
that:
"SEcTIoN 17S2.-No Senator, Repre-.
sentative or delegate, after his election
and during his continuation in office,
and no head of a department or other
office or clerk in the employment of
the Government, shall receive or agree
to receive any compensation whatever,
directly or indirectly, for any service
rendered or to be rendered to any per.
son, either by himself or another, in
relation to any proceeding, contract,
claim, controversy, charge, accusation,
arrest, or other matter or thing in
which the United States is party, or
directly or indirectly interested, before
any department, courtmsrtial, bureau,
officer, or any civil, militsry or naval
commissioner, whatever. Every person
offending against this section shall be
deemed guilty of misdemeanor, and
shall be imprisoned not more than two
years, and fined not more than $lO,-
600, and shall, moreover, by conviction
thereof, be rendered forever thereafter
incapable of holding any office of hon
or, trust, or profit under the Govern.
ment of the United States.
1t is not heavy task to show, be-
yond possibility of doubt. that Gen.
Garfield violated both the spirit and
letter of that law in the matter of the
DE Golyer pavement. II is conceded
that Gen. Garfield was member of
Congress, and that, while holding that
office he agreed to receive and did re-
ceive the sum of $4,000 for services
rendered in procuring a contract from
the officers of the District of Colun-
bia for wood pavement firm or ring.
1t is not important, in this connection,
to show how he executed the work for
which he received the $4,000 fee. But
it will add to the interest of this sim
pie narrative to reproduce the testi-
mony of Chittenden, the agent of the
paving ring and the man who hired
and paid Gen Garfield. Here is what
Chittenden wrote to his principal Mt
the time of the occurrence:
"The influence of General Garfield
has been secured by yesterday, last
night and to-day's labors. He carries
the purse of the United States-the
Chairman of the Committee on Appro.
priations-and Is the stronges. man in
Congress and with our friends. NY de.
mand is to-day not less than one hun
dred thousand more--two hundred in
all. Everything is in the best shape,
the connections complete, and have
reason to believe satisfactory.
can hardly realize that we have Gen.
Garfield with us. 1t Is rare and very
gratifying. All the appropriations of
the District come from him."
The Constitution of the United
States places the District of Columbia
directly in the hands of Congress.
All District officers, at all times, have
been, and are, merely the creatures of
Congress- Gen. Garfield as member
of Congress-and the member who
,"carried the purse Of the United
tes,"-took a fee Of $4,000 for in-
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