Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-07-29
" Statesmanship."

The Harrisburg Patriot sums up
the civic career of Statesman Gar
field in the following forcible and
epigramatic manner
1t is statesmanship that the Re.
publican politicians are hankering after
now. The "soldier business they
assert is played out. "The country
needs a statesman, a Christian states.
man like Garfield" Such is the plea
they make for the election of their
candidate for President. But when
they come TO exhibit their Statesman "
they find that they have nothing to
show the public but congressman
whose special opportunities for study
ing political economy and the nature
OF our government were confined to his
service as u member and for several
years as chairman of the committee on
appropriations. That committee, as is
well understood, is the parent OF all the
swindling jobs by which the treasury
is plundered from year TO year. That
committee is Il school OF corruption in
which selfish and sordld men become
| bDb F'llOlhIH. III liihl stHDOi
was trained. 1t was there he acquired
his " statesmanship." As a member of
that committee he received the Credit
| MoJiiier stock from Oakes Ames and
the 5000 fee from DeGolyer. If he
has had any other training in states.
manship his public career does not
show it. All we must not forget his
action as a "visiting statesman and
counselor TO the Louisiana returning
board thieves and his subsequent serv.
ice as n sworn Judge in the eight.to
seven electoral commission. His ac-
ceptance OF the position of a judge in
the electoral dispute after lie had vol.
unteered As an attorney in the matter
must be taken into account when we
sum up his achievements as "A states.
man. So, then, it appears that Gar.
! fields statecrait on which his political
supporters base his claims TO the pres.
| dential office consists in lis perform.
ances as a member of the committee
on appropriations and as an attorney
! for Hayes before the Louis ANA return
ing board and Judge on ,he electoral
! commission. General Hancock, thank
heaven, has had no experience of this
character and makes no p.etentions to
that kind OF craftsmanship 10 which
General Garfeld's public career has
been devoted. But General Hancock
has proved himself an able expounder
as he was fearless defender of the
/ constitution. When the destinies OF
the people of two great States were
placed in his hands, he refused to
erect military despotism, but simply
proceeded TO enforce the laws as he
found them. He took care that the
great fundamental principles of Repub.
lican government should not be violat.
ed but preserved in his administration.
In order that the people Of Louisiana
and Texas might be protected in their
constitional rights he declared that the
hdbedS corpus, the right of free speech, a
free press, liberty OF conscience and
the natural rights Of persons must be
preserved. In other words he made
the military the servant Of the civil
power, as Is the plain intendment oi
our form OF government. His admins
tration in those States was as free from
violence as il was clear from any sort OF
corruption. lie was kind but firm. pa.
tient hut resolute, and while loyal to
the Federal authority he sought TO win
back the alienated population to their
former love OF the old flag by proving
TO them that obedience to the Constitu
tion and laws was the only test of the
right of citizenship. While Hancock
was engaged in performing the highest
acts OF craftsmanship in his endeavor
to rehabiitate the States of Louisiana
and Texas in their suppressed state
hood, Garfield was employed in figuring
out appropriations for wooden pave
ments in Washington and other similar
raids on the treasury.