The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1880-06-25

!, Liberal contracts made for 3 month
and over.
The New York Herald and Garfield.
The New Y York Herald declares that
the reason itquoted the Sans charges
against Mr.. Garfield instead Of going
back to its files, WAS that it wished to
;ignore its own structures on the man
made duning the Credit Mobilier in
vestigation, and by presenting the
later charges open the way for any
possible defence of the candidates
connection with the Credit Mobilier
and De Goyler jobs. It declares that
it is really anxious, for the credit of
the American people, that man
whom nearly or quite half their num-
ber are likely to vote for as their
choice for president shall, if possible.
be efectually cleared of the charges
of bribery and falsehood. Here is
what the Herald says:
s'No representation Of the manner
in which the result Of the Chicago
Convention was received could have
been faithful which omitted to notice
charges which must be fatal unless
they are refuted. No mode of recog-
nizing the existence Of those charges
and Of the use certain to be made of
them could have been more considc-
rate to DIR. Garfield than the mode
we adopted of attributing them mere
ly to one journal and enquiring
whether they can possibly he true.
From the moment the Sun presented
them we saw that they could not be
ignored, and forbearing to express
any opinion of their truth or falsity
we treated them in the manner which
seemed least likely to wound the SEN
sibilities of General Garfield. Some
of his indiscreet friends have male
this studied tenderness q matter of
reproach, as If because we did not
go further back than the present ac-
cusations of the Sun we thought them
new. These indiscreet friends should
not tempt us to reproduce what we
said of Mr.. Garfield in 1878, when he
was too unimportant to be made a
target for any other reason than his
eomplicity in q great public scandal.
Our only purpose in refraining to 60
behind the authority Of the San was
to put the CAGE as mildly as possible,
and to indicate willingness to waive
our former severity, TO give Mr.. Gar
field new hearing, and to judge him
on the merits of his defence, if de-
fence shall be made, without being
bound by the opinions ave expressed
respecting him when the case was
new. His friends make shabby re-
turn for this considcrate reserve by
Arying to ridicule as if we had just
learned of the existence of the charges.
If hiafind ndiserastlcham ions>will alloW,
us, we prefer to make 1abula rasa
Of all the Herald said of him when
the subject was fresh and to give him
the advantage of new hearing in a
state OF the public mind more favora-
ble 10 his defence. We are sincerely
anxious that he shonld be cleared, for
it would he reflection on our insti-
tations if we jump out of the frying
pan of imperialism into the fire Of
bribery, perjury and corruption"
This will be recognized as not
merely fair, but kind, by all those
who are not simply determined 10
shut their eyes to the truth because it
is not pleasant to them. 1t does not
assume that there is no possible de-
fence, but, On the contrary, invites a
defence and evidently hopes that
there may be better one than
appeared possible amid the ex-
citement of the exposure when, on
what seems to have been q strictly
parallel case, Schuyler Colfax was
driven from public life. But while
thus hoping that there may be bet
ter defense than it knows of, the Her
aid has no hesitation in saying that
the sort attempted by politicians
since the Chicago Convention is ut
ferly inadequate. It says:
eve are now gravely told that it
was only small matter Of 1929, as
if the dishonest acceptance of that
sum were not as fatal as the accept
ance of larger amount. If his con-
stituents condoned his offence on this
ground the country will not approve
of their leniency. Besides, it is sheer
misrepresentation TO say that the al
legged bribe was limited to that
amount. What is charged is that he
had Credit Mobilier stock to the
amount Of 50 900; that he never paid
or expected to pay cent for it; that
the dividends on other stock which
went went with it were so enormous
that that they paid for the Credit Mo-
bilier stock and left surplus Of $500
which was paid over to Mr.. Garfield,
making the actual bribe $4,000 Of
stock which cost him nothing and the
surplus which he received in money.
When the exposure came he threw up
and repudiated his stock but had there
been no exposure he might have re-