Daily Los Angeles herald., 1880-07-01
Judge Blacks Letter Is Only a
Confessiog that GARFIELD
Committed Perjury.
New York Herald, June 18Th

lANoW Aolh A1CfdlOS y uuo lo.u
Our guileless Republican contem.
porary' the Evening Mail, printed
IN It's Leading EDITORIAL column, yes.
terday, Judge Blacks letter exeul-
pating Mr.. Garfield, aud subjoined
at the end, "If the Herald had any
sense of fairness it would let its
readers see this convincing testi-
mOny of a lawyer distinguished for
his acuteness in detecting guilt
recipient or committed" The
Matt is incOnsiderate and discour-
teous in accusing the Herald of q
want of fairness. In questions of
public interest we always practise
the fairness of giving both sides a
hearing in our columns. We have
not deviated from this rule in the
case of Gen. Garfield. We could
not ignore the accusations, because
they are a part of the current his
tory OF the day, but we have for.
borne to endorse them, and have
only insisted that they should be
met and refuted.
As to Judge Blacks exculpatory
letter, we are only half a day be.
hind our Jealous evening contem-
porary in reproducing it. The Mail
printed it last evening; we print it
this morning. We might, indeed,
have given it half day in advance
of our contemporary instead of half
day behind, but SO slight differ.
ence as the fraction of a day affords
no excuse for the discourtesy of
charging us with a want of fairness,
Judge Blacks letter came under
our notice day before yesterday,
but 1t seemed SO inadequate a de-
fence, and in some respects so dam.
aging to Judge Blacks client, that
we preferred to wait a day in the
hope that Gen. Garfield would &C.
cept the preferred courtesy of our
columns for defence which could
not be so easily riddled into shreds.
We are confident that Mr.. Garfield
could not make so lame an argu.
ment.f for himself as Judge Black
made for his distinguished client.
Our offer to give Gen. Garfield all
the space he might choose to take
for refHing the charges should
have exempted us from the hasty
and unwarranted imputation of the
Mail. The Herald aims to treat
everybody with justice. In the
case of Gen. Garfield we have not
only suppressed nothing which it
would be for his advantage to pub
lish, but have offered him an ex-
ceptional opportunity for demon
his innocence and putting
bis accusers to shame.
We think it mistake for Gen,
friends to parade Judge |
Blacks letter as defensive dOcu- 7
ment. 1t was written to serve his |
client in a most critical emergency,
and having failed to accomplish its
object then, it 10 boomerang now.
Its date was Feb. Is, 1s!o-three
lays before the report OF the Poland
Committee. Although addressed
to Speaker Blaine 1t was intended
to influence the committee and save
Mr.. Garfield from censure in its
report. AS often hap
pens to skillful lawyers, Judge
Black made au upsuc1asr'r, "a.
fence of hia client.
TO perceive the bealiuu Of Judge |
Blacks letter we must compare 1t |
with Mr.. Ger.ieI1's swcrn testi-
money before the commit.g oa
which the charge Of perjury is
founded. Jan. IA, 1873, Mr.. Gar /
iield sw0re rs follows.
Nh Ames never gave nor offered 10 !
give me any stock or other VaiuabIa
thing Ms q gift. | once aaked and ohtaiu-
ed nom HIM. and afterWard repafd To
him loan OF $500 Tuat amount Is the I
Dnly valuable thing ] ever feaei Ved IRON
Dr delivered 20 him. / never owned, re, I
seivsd or agreed 10 receive any stock OF |
The Credit MobNlsr or the Union Pacific /
Railroad, nor Nuy dividends or proAfs
ltisine from elther or them.
Judge Black virtually admits
that this testimony was nor true
Mr.. Garfield ewpre that he never
1ad any connection With the Credit
stock; Judge Blrak mere-
y contends tbst he bad 10 agulityn
Garfield swore, most
fhes be had never had Il
'ngth,ng whatever 10 30 With It,
~. the gist OF Biack'e letter Il to
nvw saaf, although nc did have a ,
oDnectiou With II he DID not nn- !,
lsrstand Its Egtnre. These two
inen VI defsncs y. not onis dis. Z