Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-09-30

Jerry BLACKS Defense of General
s'NN Garfield.
The J1uRsAL does not entertain so
reverent q respect for Judge jeremiah g.
Black as judge of the morality of
motives aud actions as some of its CON
temporsries appear to have, and hence his
declaration of his faith in the innocence
of intent with which James A. Garfield
accepted an interest in the Credit Mobilier
has never weighed very greatly with US.
Mr.. Black was Mr. Gsrfeld's counsel in
that matter, and also his warm personal
friend SO that it eau hardly be expected
that he would judge him with any degree
of severity Still as a great deal of stress
has been laid on Judge Blacks opinion in
this matter it is due to truth and to all
concerned that it should be given exactly.
In recent letter regrettlng his inability
to be present at the great Democratic
meeting in New York, Judge Black reiter
ated his declaration that General Garfield
is an honest man, liable to be drawn into
evil courses by his party associates, aud
thus stated his opinion concerning the
Credit Mobilier business:
This liability to be rushed into evil courses
by his party associates has brought upon him
much odium which he does not deserve in the
transactions of the Credit Mobilier. The
stock distributed by Cakes Ames was intended
to influence the legislation of Congress cor
ruptly. He, and the company who put il into
hands nd tbaf Ittu
was bribery. Undoubtedly those members
who took 1t knowing the nature of the thing
were great criminals, and wholly unworthy to
retain their seats. But General Garfield
though he certainly agreed to take the stock,
and did actually take dividends upon it, hadn
suspicion or its connection with the Union
Pacific railroad, or of the conflict which its
possession might create between his private
interests and his public duty. He was as
guiltless as the child unborn OF any dishonest
meaning about the whole business.
believe this not merely because he told
| me so, but because it is probable in itself
and eorroborated by many circumstances. II
he had stuck to it he would have been credi-
| ted by all men as implicitly AS he was 10y me.
| Fearing that his political friends might inhl-
ence him to depart from it | wrote besterh-
| ing him to stand fast upon hedefense he had
| made to me. That he did not take tins advice
is the bitterest regret of his life. But the
| party would not let him take it, The accu-
sation struck at the highest heads in the
| House and the Senate. They had but one
answer. and that was positive denial of the
| tact that any stock had ever been taken by
them; and on that line they expected Mr.
| Ames to swear them through. General
| Garfield. for the benefit of others and to his
/ own great injury, united i'll making thi, false
defense. Their witness failed them and they
were all convicted. After the report of the
committee | wrote to Mr.. Blaine the letter
which has been extensively published and
| which was an effort to put General Garfield
| back upon the true ground which lie never
ought to have been abandoned. But it va,
| too late.
We do not admire the moral ideas OF
those who accept this as an adequate de-
Tense. Accepting it as exactly true, it
puts Mr.. Garfield in the position of having
unwittingly accepted favor intended to
be bride, and when he discovered the
character of the transaction of going
before Congressional committee and
denying on OrM that he had ever entered
into the transaction at all, instead of avn.
ing the truth and declaring his freedom
from evil intent. It seems 10 US that
Judge Black is a witness against,
instead of for sen. Garfield il
this matter. Tha STATE JOURNAL from
the very beginning of this controversy las
admitted that it was possible that General
Garfield entered into ,he Credit
Mobilier business with 10 evil intent and
has insisted that his sworn denial of the
truth afterwards was the most serious
thing against him. Judle Black, SO fai
from relieving him of this charge, demon
strates its absolute accuracy. There is nc
possible escape from this conclusion. anC
men who intend to support General Gar
field had AS well quit Juggling
With their conscieuces to max,
believe that he Isl pure, honorable or ever
truthful man. They will vote for hin
because, at whatever cost, they prefer I'll,
continuance of the Republican party il
power, and because they dread Demo
cratic supremacy. We do not question tn
right OF men 10 reach such conclusions
much as we differ from them, but we d.
urge tuat they acknowledge the tru
reason for the support they propose givin
Mr.. Garfield aud cease 10 try to deceiv
themselves and others