The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-09-16
AN INFAMOUS ACT.
Garfield's Part in the Presl-
.rf Dental Steal,
THE WAY HE PLAYED 'THE
tt.. i.I- Ht CAR DS.Iif u

From Hon. James Z. Doolittlc's speech at
indianapolis. f..,-.f
All the world knows, for there is
not an intelligent man in the United
States of any party who does not
know that the Tilden electors in Lou
isiana received OF the votes cast from
5000 to 5000 majority. Mr.. Garfield,
who was one of those who went to
New Orleans in November, 1876, knew
this to be the fact. I quote what Sen
ator Trumbull said upon this point as
to facts stated upon his personal
knowledge l,our--. ..tj} - -
4"I was present when the returns
from every parish in that State were
brought to New Orleans, and accord
ing to those returns, before they were
doctored and altered, made by the in
struments OF the Republican party
themselves, the Tildeu ELECTORS had Q
majority: ranging from 5000 to s, 900
votes. Gen. Garfield was at New
Orleans. He knew these returns fair.
ly elected MI. Tilden President He
stood by when that Infamous Return-
ing Board, without law and by fraud
rejected the votes of the people. He
went to Washington aud sat upon the
Com mission of fifteen. After these
returns had been fraudulently made,
and when the question came up before
the Commission whether, the returns
being fraudulent, they could go be-
hind them. l appeared before that
Commission. We were required to
state in writing the reasons why the
vote of Louisiana should not be given
to Mr.. Hayes, and we put it down in
writing that we were prepared to
prove that majority of the free votes
of Louisiana were given for the Til
den electors. We offered to prove
that by q conspiracy entered into by
him and the Returning Board, il was
agreed that whatever the vote might
be, they would give the certificate of
election to the Hayes electors. Gar
field sat on that Commission. He
said: eve won't let you prove it.
You are concluded by the returns.''
AS member of the Electoral Com
mission, sworn to try judiclally and
determine the right of the case, wheth.
er Tilden and Hendricks or Hayes and
Wheeler had the rightful majority, he
refused to examine and try the very
question and the only question they
were appointed by law to try and de
ltermine. viz: Whether majority o
the votes of Louisiana were cast FOL
the Tilden electors or tor the Hayes
electors. Certainly there was not st
big a fool in either House of Congress
as not to know that Wells Returning
Board certificate had been given Il
the Hayes electors. The only Ques
ton the Commission was to try wa
whether that certificate was true OF
| false. Garfield knew it was false, am
because he knew it was be refused I,
try the question. If he believed /
was true, he would have heard TIL
evidence TO prove it true. For in hi
speech in the House upon the Electora
1Commission bill he asserted that i
the bill passed, the Commission woul(
go behind the returns TO try the Ques
tion Of fact upon its merits. Garfield
knowing the returns were false, il
| violation Of his public speech, befor
false and fraudulent returns.
To further show Garfeld's guilty
knowledge, and his moral weakness
state another fact upon the authority
of the Hon. Carter IL. Harrison, ther
a member Of Congress, and now Mayor
| OF tn0 CITY VI CuiCaSO. AttoE tuo ue'
cision, Harrison asked Garfield how
it was possible for him, after his speecf
in the House, to refuse to 60 behinC
the returns, and to decide the question
of fact upon the merits. 4 Garfield re
piled "Carter, if you had the cards
wouldn't you play them ?" He knew
the certificate of the Returning Board
was false. He knew Tilden WAS elect
ed and Hayes was defeated. He knew
that if the Democratic party'wo
agree upon the Electoral Commission
for the sake of peace, the merits ol
| the case should be tried. n Yet because
including the Judges, there was ma.
jority of one Republican upon the
Commission, in violation of truth
justice, fair dealing, and plighted faith
by partisan majority, Garfield re-
fused to try the only question they
were authorized to try, aud which he
at least was to try. For the part ht
took in this outrageous and damnina
fraud, if for no other reason, Garfield
is unworthy of the high office of Pres
idept,