The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-07-24

lose respect for the lawmakers. For these
reasons we think it behooves every man IN
Congress or in any public position to hold
himself aloof as far rs possible from all In
nuenccs, 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 venerable Bayard In response to an offer
of some of this stock" THIS homily, uttered
for the benefit of Nj. Garfield and his col.
leagues in 1878, ought to be appointed to be
read at all meetings for considering the candi-
dscv of Mr.. Garfield in 1880. 1t was wrong
for Il Representative to place himself in Gil
cumsances of suspicion" $50 that his motives
were questioned" because the people will not
long respect the laws if they lose respect for
the lawmakers Can 1t be right for a political
party to advocate the election to the Presi.
denCy of man who did unquestionably place
himself in circumstances of suspicion" and
give ground for his motives to be question
ed? Mr. Poland answers this question HIM
self by his reference to ex-senator Bayard's
simple and manly letter declining TO have
ANYTHING to do with the stock in question
He virtually invited Mr.. Garfield to contrast
his own weakness in the listening to the temp
ter, Cakes Amcs, with the courteous but direct
refusal OF ex Senator Bayald to entertain his
propositions at all. In its report however, the
Poland committee, rs appears from page Z,
went still further. 1t said "Thc facts IN re-
gard to Mr.. Garfield as found by the com
mittee are identical with the case OF MIR, kel-
ley to the point of reception of the check Tor
1899 This sum was paid over to MIR. Gar.
field by check on the Sergeantat- Arms, and
Mr.. Garfield then understood this sum was
the balance of dividends after paying tor the
stock" Can there be any doubt rs to what
this means? The report is dealing with the
facts IN regard to Mr.. Garfield as found by
the committee" In this connection 1t Is very
remarkable that Mr. Garfield never gave the
Poland committee any opportunity to make
any other finding about his understanding
that this sum was the balance of dividends"
or that it was not paid over to him by al
check on the SergeantatArms" Mr. Gar
field distinctly retralned (hiS testimony runs
from page l2S 10 page 13Q denying that this
check was paid to him by the Sergeantat
Arms or that when he received it he under
stood that if represented "diSidends." What
Mr. Poland represents IN the campaign,
therefore, is that Garfield received the check
of Cakes Amrs from the Sorgcant-at-Arms, ami
understood when he received ii that it repre-
scented dividends And until Mr.. Poland is
made TO reverse Mr.. Poland's verdict it can
not he denied that the American people have
been asked hy the Chicago Convection to make
a tainted law maker the Chief Magistrate OF
The republic. Nj Garfield is made tainted
law.makrr not 10y any Dcmocrlic charges
against HIM but hv the hOmiIy and the find
ings of IL leading Republican, now his caodJut,
or in his canvass The issue Is PLAIN one and
it must be met.