Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-08-21
What Messrs. Blaine aud ConklinE Think
of Garfield

BROOKLYN Eagle.
The incident am about to relate was
told Inc by one OF the men whose names
figured prominently in the investigation
OF Credit Mobilier, and who had dealings
with Cakes Ames at the time Garheld'
Kelley, Scofield, Colfax, Wilson, Patter-
son, Logan, and others were In his eni-
ploy. -,
You remember" said my informant,
"that Garfield went before the Poland
Committee and denied, upon oath, that
he had ever owned share OF Credit
Mobilier or had received a dollar from
Ames. When he made this denial, 1t
was not expected that Ames would give
awav any of the boys. The pressure
exeited upon him was too great, how
ever, and he produced his memorandum
book with the statement OF Garfield s ac-
count in that gentleman's handwriting
Doesn't it seem strange that the inno-
cent Garfield should not have promptly
appeared before the committee second
time and explained away the damaging
testimony of Ames" Well, he came
mighty near doingit. Not that he could
have explained anything, but, as said
before, he came mighty near going again
before the committee. The truth is the
committee had well nigh determined to
make Garfield scapegoat OF the affair.
along with Ames and Brooks. Garfield
heard that he was to be called before the
committee and forced to explain all the
circumstances of the matter. He knew
that severe cross examination would
bring out the truth. He was terrible
dilemma he went to Blaine, who was
then Speaker OF the House, and possess
ed unbounded influence with his party
associates. have been told by differ
ent persons, who knew the facts, that
Garfield, with tears in his eyes, begged
Blaine to save him from the exposure
which hung over his head. Blaine, out
of the goodness OF his heart, consented,
and candidate for the Presidency was
saved to the Republican party
Considerable surprise has been ex-
pressed at the conduct OF Senator Conk-
ling toward the Republican candidate for
President. Democratic newspapers
have carrolled gleefully over the fact
that he did not participate in the late
conference of Republican leaders at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel. He avoided the
conference for two reasons: One that
he did not wish to be misjudged by the
public; the other his intense personal
aversion to Garfield.
His private comments upon the Re
publican nomination have been most
severe. He has in the most sarcastic
manner expressed his regret at the pau
citv OF honest men in the Republican
party which made the nomination OF
Garfield necessary. lie has expressed
his sympathy with the Republican
press Of the country, which, OH the day
ai,erthe nomination was made, compel.
led them to defend man accused OF
grave crimes. He has described the
torinents OF good Republicans, suffering
the nightmare in their sleep for lear lest,
when they awaken, some new charge OF
dishonesty or fraud should appear
against their candidate in the morning
newspapers. Yet Mr.. CoDkling will do
what he can to secure the election oil
Garfield and Arthur in New York state
in November. 1t is not the men at
least not Gar6eld-but the alleged prin.
ciple that he is fighting for. He is
mindful of the $500 Postmasters and
minor Federal officers who helped to
elect him to the Senate. These office.
holders would lose their places il the
Republican candidates should he defeat
ed. 1t is Mr.. Conkling's duty to do all
for them he can do.