San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1880-09-25

no declared that "tho man. who A.
tsmpts to got up . political excitement
| 10 this country on tho old sectional 10.
sues will find himself without q party
aud without support but this was Z
sporadic utteraDce in the taco Of his IN.
iiorm course since tho war a. . stall
wart, iu vigorously aourishing the
bloody shirt. At the bidding Of his
party no hes boon faithless to his own
expressed views on tho use OF the army
at elections and tho employment Of Dep
uty Marshals. In his letter Of acoop'
tance no makes very ieoble effort h
place himself on tho side OF OWL SER
vice reform, while in substance 10 con.
demns tho order Of President Hayes "a
his subordinates, vindicates C0ngres,
sional interference with appointments,
and thus begins the battle for Ielo;m
by surrender. Ills rolo In the Chjca'
20 Convention as q peace. ninker aptly
illustrates his natural disposition. and
his unfitness for any independent az
erossive movement. IL his intellect were
inspired by profound moral conyic-
tions and strong will, his friends might
plausibly claim that no could lift his
party to a higher level but ho is nero
" its expression and breath. His nom.
ination was an accident and has no NOR.
al significance whatever. Ho would
have supported General Grant it no had
been nominated, Notwithstanding his
record Of eight years and tho mischiefs
threatened by the precedent Of third
term, just as ho stood ready to work
and shout for Blaine, with his stock
jobbing performances. Probably four
fifths Of tho National Convention favor
cd ono or tho other Of these two candi.
dates, whose overthrow was accom-.
plshed by outside influences whilH the
Convention was unwilling to defy. Gem
eral Garfield prolited by the embittercd
rlvnlries OF tho other candidates, and
all that can be claimed in his behalf is
that no represents tho average political
morality of the party who's, record !
have attempted to depict. aud whose
National Convention with only two dis
senting voices, pledged itself before the
nomination to support any man who
might bo selected.
CAMPAIGN cnARaEs-THE SALARY
THEFT.
But the character Of General Garfield
is involved in certain particular charges
to which | propose to refer. Among
these | shall briefly allude to tho retro
active salary act, tho Dc Golyere pave.
ment swindlo, and tho Credit Moblier
developments. In dealing with these
il may bo we'll to remember that every
one OF them has Republican pedigree,
and therefore when complaint is made
about throwing campaign mud | rc-
fer tho account tor settlement to the
Republican leaders and journalists SO
ready to brand them as Democratic lies
steps Of their candidate, and II ID their
business to cart it away ii they can,
Let mo say further, that wish to deal
only in facts. | shnll indulge in no do
nunciation, no personal abuse, and no
extravagant assertions ns to General
Garfields criminality. If his oarly ac-
cusers and present champions had shown
more candor aud less partisan bias 10
dealing with his conduct, | should have
fclt less disposition to arraign II. 1t,
instead Of attempting to provo his char
ucter stainless, they had been willing
like tho Springfield Republican. to ad :
nit his weakness and refer his conduc,
to tho corrupt atmosphere Of tho period
in which he yielded 10 temptation,i and
the charitable judgement OF the public
there would have been less motive and
inclination to over haul tho facts and
lift the evidence. The people have
right to know the truth respecting thu
chara cter of candidate for the high
est office within their gift, and il i car
not pass their scrutiny unscathed, no
amount of whitewashing should bo al
lowed to conceal the fact.
The material facts connected with thu
the retro active salary bill may be yerI
briefly stated. On tho last day Of the
last day OF the forty-sccond Congress
this measure appropriated nearly twt
million dollars to pay tho members Of
that Congress for salaries they had new
er earned. 1t was regarded by the pe0'
pie as "A naked legislative theft. Gener
al Garfield was chairman OF the Com
mittee OF Conference having charge o
the appropriation bill containing the re-
tro active provision, and as such engl
neered it. passage and voted TOR il. Ii
is true that he had previously and rc.
peatcdly voted against the fa!ary in
crease as a separate proposition, bu
this does not relieve him OF the respon
.lbitity OF fiuall, voting for and urginI
its passape. Itis also true that he hat
attempted to justify his action on tb,
plea that il the appropriation bill failet
an extra ession OF Congress would b
necessary. But this was a preteuc'
and not justification. Ii the measur
had failed through his opposition, there
was time enough for another Commit
tee of Conference, aud a further efior
20 save the Treasury. IL, however, h'
clearly saw, or could have seen that al
extra session OF Congress would be thu
result, il did not justify him IN 80 IA
grant game OF robbery. He should
have washed hi, hands oi il and scout
ed the Jesuiticsl principle which invit
cl him to pick the Nations picket "a
avoid a greater evil. That Genera
Garfield was really IN sympathy will
the measure l. shown by his false pre-.
teucc that il was not a robbery or thei
! It Ill. bat justified by legislative prece
ienis and by the Tact that he allowe'
the salary 10 stand 20 his credit. snd o
course meant to retain il. Six or seyel
weeks aiierwari. IL isirue. he covered !
into the Treasury and thereby confess
eI his guilt. B1t This w~ in the MIDI
ola popalsr islienstiOn which spread
ike FIRE Throughout the unio5. AMI I
Iew days after republican Conycoiiol
At Warren. in Trunbull County. 10 hi
I Congressional District. had censyrc'