Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-06-19
MEAN usE FoR LIRRooMs.
The New York Herald ON GAR
fields Pamphlet.

neid's Pamphlet.
As to General Garfeld's pamphlet
we Quite agree with the Graphic that
if it was a valid defense in 1874. it
would be a valid defense now. But
we suspect that he would not desire
its republication at present. 1t was
calculated for the meridian Ito Dor
row a phrase from the almanac ma
kers) Of the Nineteenth congressional
district of Ohio, and might prove
damaging when addressed to the peo-
pie Of the whole country. Mr.. Gar
fields immediate constituents on the
eve of an election may have accepted
statements which would not bear in
telligent scrutiny. They had no
means of comparing his defense with
the testimony taken at Washington;
but if his exculpatory pamphlet were
rep6blished now it would forthwith
be confronted with the evidence
and might prove a boomerang. We
sincerely hope hat a new edi-
ton of it may be issued. If its
presentment Of the Ease satisfies the
country it will be we'll for General
Garfield. 1t would, at least, preclude
any ingenious aftertheughts, for Nj.
Garfield knew as perfectly in 1874
what his case was as he could ever
know. If the defence he then made
is demolished no subsequent can save
him. Butt the pamphlet addressed
to his constituent was a convincing
ez~cuipation the wisest thing his
friends can do is to issue an immense
edition Of it for general circulation
through the United States. We ven
ture to predict that that e~xcusatory
pamphlet will not be published with
the consent of Mr.. Garfield or his
supporters, since it might pour ridi-
cule on any new-fangled defense got
ten up for the present occasion.
1t would not do to put the
defense on different grounds, and the
statements of the pamphlet might be
made ludicrOus when addressed to a
wider audience not ignorant Of the
rebutting facts. A pamphlet intended
for local home use might prove in
fnitely damaging if reprinted now.
Among the indiscretions committed
by Governor Foster in his boomerang
defense of General Garfield perhaps
the most foolish was his advertising
the existence of this forgotten PAM
phlet. Copies oft must still be in
existence, and from the moment that
a copy is discovered General Garfield
will be estopped from any different
line of defense from that set forth in
the pamphlet. If the statements Of
the pamphlet should be exploded by
citations from the testimony taken
by the committee of congress
the canvass of Mr.. Garfield would be
irretrieyably ruined. Governor Eos
ter made himself the enfant terrible
Of the republican party by gratui-
tously advertising the existence of.
that forgotten pamphlet, which, for
aught he knows, contains matter Of.
which its author may have good rea-
son to repent. Be its contents what
they may, they preclude a recourse to
defensive subterfuges not thought of
at the time, and make it necessary for
Mr.. Garfield TO stand or fall on the
excuses he offered to his constituents
when the accusations we're fresh and
his knowledge of the facts was as per-
feet as it could ever become. a bull
in a china shop is a faint image
Of the part Governor Foster
has played, unless General Gar
fields pamphlet, addressed to
the simple-minded farmers of his
district, can pass the ordeal of i%ntelli.
gent public criticism. 1t seems that
the pamphlet did not satisfy even the
limited republican audience to which
II was addressed. In spite of it Gen.
Garheld lost nearly six thousand five
hundred votes in the election which
followed Its publication, We never
heard OF this pamphlet until Cover.
nor Foster took the bold risk Of adj.
vertising it. He has excited our en-.
riosity and the curiosity OF the re.
publican party at least, II not of the
whole country. We will be OBLIGED
to any citizen of the Nineteenth
Ohio district who will send us a
copy. We will pay a liberal price
for it if the presidential candidate
and his friends are trying to suppress
it and are making copies so scarce
that they have a pecuniary value. II
q copy is sent us gratuitously by any
friend of General Garfield we engage
to make its contents very widely
known by a copious ATTRACT which
shall give the strong points Of his
defense without distortion or suppress.
sion. We are anxious to see him ex-
eulpated, and will give him a fair and
candid hearing. AS General Garfield
himself must have copies of his
pamphlet, we will take Il as a favor Il
he will send us one, and if he chooses
to mark passages whose republication