The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-08-28

well pleased with the system.
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/ Let 40 one forget that the republican cry OF
solid south" is simply black flag to catch
the unwary. ], mean, nothing but divided
nation. The republicans propose no remedy
| for what which they themselves have pro
duced, and unless summariIy defeated this fall
will forever continue the principle to the dam
age of business and the interests of peace No
the cry IS one whose sole object is to cover up
their sins of commission and omission as the
ruling party; tocoverup the mud on Garield's
character and the fraud of 1876. And let
honest men remember that no one man is
more responsible for that outrage on the Amer.
can people than James A. Garfield. As a wis.
ting statesman" he tempered with the returns
in Louisiana: as a congressman, he held that
Senator Ferry, president of the senate alone
had power to count the electoral votes and de
eide who were legally elected and who not as
a member OF the electoral commission he HIM
self counted the votes. As member of that
commission HE took the oath: vs. |, james y.
Garfield. DO so!emnly swear that | Will impair
tally examine and consider all questions sub
mlttcd to the commission of which | am Il
member, and true judgment give thereon,
arrccably to the constitution and the laws, so
help ne Cod But how did he discharge his
duty under this oath? In every instance he
voted to conceal and suppress the very facts
which, on his own showing, he was solemnly
bound to aid in uncovering. He knew all the
facts relative to the frauds and violations Of law
in Louisiana. He knew that It's returning board
had openly and defantIy trampcd under foot
the law creating it, and from which it derived
its authority to count the vote of the state; and
that its action IN counting 1t for Hayes and
Wheeler was therefore utterly Rul and void.
He knew that the commission, without vlolat-
Ing the rights of the state, without gong
"down into the colleges" and inquirlng INTO
all of the acts and facts connected with their
work" but simply by ascertainlng whether the
election laws of Louisiana had been complied
with, would be warranted IN rejecting the
action of the board and awarding the state to
Tllden and Hendricks But he had joined his
party associates in the foregone conclusion that
the democratic party must be defeated at all
hazzards and il was too late to call halt in
the devilish marcn of events through which
fory.tiye millions Of people were TO be de
privcd of the right to choose their chief iunc-
tlonarles The stupendous national juggle
must be performed, and he was ready TO act
his part. The voice of the republic had to be
strangled. and he neryed himself for the work
and it can not be denied that in accomplishing
it he achieved perfect triumph over his con
science and his country. He was, however,
only the faithful servant Of his master. lie
was a part of the longuscd machinery which
had allowed nothing to stand in it way. The
theft of the presidency was simply the leaf and
flower of that party idolatry which has been
pronounced a more sOul-devouring evil in oul
republic than the worship of idols in heather
land. 1t was the inevitable truitage of long
wears Of organized political corruption anc
prosperous maladmnistratlOn and nothing
could be more perfectly natural than the etior
of his party to crown Gen. Garfield with tht
great Office which he aided in snatching from
the rightful claimant four years ago, while
nothing could more absolutely demonstrate 1T
unftness to govern the country and the duty
of the people to sentence it to death" orr
J,dioh'S Speech, Any, Pa