Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-10-15

Country is Fidelity to his Party.
The following letter from the Hon.
J. S. Black of Pennsylvania, sent in
reply to an invitation to attend the
great Democratic mass meeting in
New York, but not receive in time to
be read that evening, will command
the attention of thinking men of all
shades of political opinion:
BRocKIE, Pa, Sept %, 1880. =
Gentlemen: l cannot attend the
meeting of the Democratic. Republi-
cans at the city of New York on the
23d inst. But I can assure you of
my concurrence in it's object, and if
time and space permitted I could
give you a reason for the faith that
is within me.
In public affairs General Garfield
does not act upon his convictions;
when he passes into the domain of
politics his conscience loses its grip;
and for his party he is willing to do
any wrong which will promote their
interests, or play any card, how false
,oever, which will win them power.
This surrender of his moral and
mental integrity is the condition
upon which he holds his high place,
in the affections Of the party he be-,
longs to. Treachery to his country
is fidelity to his faction. If ct any
time in the last fifteen years he had
supported the constitution and laws
in q spirit OF pure justice, refused to
defle himself with. election frauds,
withheld his countenance from exc
cutive corruption or denounced the
forcible installment of thieves in
State offices, he would have convert
ed himself into a Democrat and been
expelled from the communion of the
anti-constitutional party.
General Garfeld's public career
furnishes more striking examples OF
moral prostitution than the history
OF any individual l have known.
Mr.. Tilden was elected in 1876.
A false return was the only. resource
against him. General Garfield went
down to Louisiana and there found
it absolutely certain that the Tilden
electors had been "duly appointed"
at a legal and full poll, so peaceably
conducted that there was not even a
squabble about it in the whole State.
And the appointment so made was
attested by and recorded upon the
certificates and oaths os election OF
officers adverse to the appoin:ees in
all their feelings and wishes. There
was no earthly excuse for denying
this; no contradiction of it could be
honest. To count the State for
Hayes was a thing that could be
done only by impudent and unmiti-
gated fraud. Gen. Garfield gave
his active assistance in that great
crime. His judgment as member
of the Electoral Commission was a
thing to be expected, for he must
long before that have convinced him
self that q fraud was as good way
us any other way of electing Presi-
dent. In political game he did
not think that anybody had moral
sense enough to abstain from throw
ing die which he himself had
loaned to win the stake.
The Credit Mobilier stock distrib-
uted by Oakcs Ames was intended
to influence the Legislation OF Con-
gress corruptly. He and the COM
pany who put it in his hands meant
business, and that business WAS
bribery. General Garfield agreed to
take the stock, and'd actually take
dividends upon it.
They had but one answer, and
that was u positive denial of the fact
that any stock had ever been taken
by them; and on that line they ex-
pected Mr.. Ames to carry them
through. Gen. Garfield united in
making this false defense. Their
witness failed them, and they were
all convicted.
Faithfully and hopefully yours,
j. S. BLACK.
The Hon. Augustus Schell, chair
IN 4