The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-09-18

He was one Of those 70 whom interrogatories |
were propounded after the fling Of the first |
affidavit.
Now, gentlemen, he mentions as the |
most remarkable case ID which he pre-.
pared the questions for the witnesses, the
case Of Amy Mitchell, 50 will read what |
Garfield swore to IN regard to that case |
Q--As regards the case Of Amy Mitchell, |
which made an impression on you, can you |
tell whether it was before or after you were
furnished with copy Of her afIidayitthat you
had this conversation with herr Alt was
alerward. It was the reading of the affidavit |
that impressed me- and L asked to have her
sent to me.
OIL see that the affidavit appears 70 have
been sworn TO the 30th Of Nofember Al
advised them 20 take fuller statement by
interogntories from Amy Mitchell, and
think ! prupouhded portion Of the interrog-
ntoFies. the preliminary statement, the sim
pie affidavit, was earlier.
Now, gentlemen, will turn over . page
and see what tho case Of Amy Mitchell
was turning the leaves Of book She
first made an affidavit In tho Custom
House, where she was examined privately
by James A. Garfield. That affidavit was
not full enough. He prepared additional
ioterrogatories to be propounded to her,
and she. answered these interrogatoFies,
aud 10 her testimony before this same
committee she aftorward herself swore
that there was no truth in the statement
given in response to Garield's interroga-
tories. In answer TO a question pro-
pounded by Gov Cox Of Ohio, who is
a Republican, Amy Mitchell said she
repeated Der direct testimony that every
statement contained in the affidavit was
falsei that she did not say anything be-
cause she knew it, but said what they told
her to say. Her testimony also showed
that she had been trained 10 the Custom
House to testify before the committee
don't say that Garfield was present when
she swore to the answers TO the interfoga-
tories, but he prepared the interrogatories
that were answered, and he prepared the
intcrogatories after he had an interview
with that colored woman, when there WINS
no person but themselves present; and the
same woman comes before the committee
Of Congress, not in an inner room, not
when the light Of Gud's day is shut of,
but she comes before the committee Of
Democrats ard Republicans, and in that
testimony, given under oath aud under
test Of a cross-examination by the Repub.
lican members Of the committee, she says
there was not word Of truth in the tesii
mony which she gave in answer to Gar
, fields questions, [Applause.1 The mex
purpose, gentlemen, have in my mind i
to ask why did Garfield spend eighteer
days in the inner room 10 the Custom
House? Why did he have private inter
views with the eolcred aud white peopl
u whose testimony was to be taken to B
used before the Returning Board? An
r. why did he prepare interrogatories for th
t witnesses? | will answer in bis ow
words
y Q-Bnt don't you understand IL. in III
cases where yol suggested that interrogation,
, should be prepared instead Of the evidenc
At they we're TO 60 before the Returning Board
Ayes, sir.
ly And when his work Of taking the test
nouy was completed he turned his attc
y. liou to the preparation Of brief.
ID brief, as you all know, is lawyers arg
er ment in writing. l viii show you VIII
or he says upon that subject, on page Z!
Of the report
o. Q-Was that brief furnished to the II
e. turning BoardY A--No, sir That bri
was never furnished to anybody but the Pre-
ident Of the United States In fact consi
"a cradle portion Of the brief was written on 4
IN cars on my way to Washington.
Is Q--NritteH after you left New Orleani
G. A--A considerable portion OF IT,. III
= written summary Of the evidence befo
y that, but considerable portion Of the bri
70 was written in pencil on the cars after e
n New Orleans on my way home.
N You see be completes the eyidenc
He IS the only man that prepares il Il
ie West Feliciana after the evidence ha
d been turned over to him, and when h
! ! has done that work on his way from Ne
Z Orleans TO Washington be prepares an a
gument in the case. wish to eonneS
q directly this transaction with the duties Z
f the man who takes the solemn oath :
). deal fairly. II WIS his duty as menibe
!. Of the Commission TO deal fairly. Th
4 next question is, what did Garfield kao,
. in regard TO LouisiaDa2 That we find o.
! page S03. say be knew that Louisian
was Democratic by 5000 majority, whei
he sat In that inner room and had priyat,
conversation with the witnesses and pre-
pared interrogaiorics to guide and contro
their testimony, when he was ut that work
+ and when he was writing brief to max,
il appear the other way, he knew tha
Louisiana had cast Democratic maiorit,
of S,000, and hero is his sworn testimou,
on that subject
Odd you gel any idea how the vote q
Louisiana stood from the face OF the returns.
Al had all those ideas that could be 90
from the newspapers and the leaders Of III.
different parties. We had had, Of course
very full information Of that sort. ,f's'
Q-Presuming that there were not some
parishes to be thrown out by The Returning
Board, It was very clear that the State hat
gone for Nichols and Tilden, was it NOT
Alt was very well understood BY the tim,
got there, and, indeed, before / got there
that II nothing but the face Of tho returns VA
to be considered, and II every vote sent u,
was 70 be treated as legal vote, Mr. Tildef
| - anu tfoty aNutt sem up Whs q leQA
vote, aud some more Rcpublican votes wcr,
not found, il was very clear that the State hae
gone for Nichols and Tildeng A--Yes.
There is your man, Republicans, tha,
you propose TO place in the chair thai
Washington occupied. IA voice sNo
never. :" It viii never be done. No mar
with record like that did ever take thai
chair, and in the kind providence Of an
eternal God it willnever occur. He knew
by the returns that Tilden for President
and Nichols for Governor we're elected ia
the State cf Louisiana, and yot when he
knew that, be says when be got 10 New
Orleans he slaid there eighteen days, aud
all that ho did was to sit in that inner
room where no body could find him
except they passed from the public hall
through another room; and there, alone
with poor, Ignorant witnesses, he prepared
interrogatorics, aud talked with them and
those interrogatories, and that talk went
70 the Returning Board and furnished
tho scoundrels Of that Board che puetesl
to return against the truth that Tilaen
was beaten ih Louisiana. DO You suppose
that this mnR was to return to Vashfny.