The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1880-09-21

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duties OF the man who takes the solemn
oath TO deal fairly. 1t is your duty as q
member Of the commission to deal fairly
The next question is, what did Gar.
field know in regard to Louisiana
That we 6nd on page S03 l say be
knew that Louisiana was Democratic BY
5000 majority when he sat 10 that inner
room and had private conversation with
Witnesses and prepared interrogatories
to guide and control their Testimony.
when he was at that work, and when he
was writing brief to make it appear
the other way he knew that Louisiana
had cast Democratic majority of g..
600, and here is his sworn testimony ON
that subject:
go Did YOU get any idea of how
the vote of Louisiana stuod from the
face of the returns2 A. / had all these
ideas that could be got from the news
papers and the leaders of the different
parties. We had, Of course, very full
information of that sort
80 Presuming that there were not
some parishes to he thrown out by the
Returning Board, it was very clear that
the State had gone for Nichols and Til
den, was it not3 A. 1t was very well
understood by the time l got there, and,
indeed, before got there, that il moth.
ing but the face of the returns was to
be considered, and il every vote sent up
was to be treated as legal vote, Mr..
Tilden was ahead (Applause
90 And if every vote sent up was
a legal vote, and some more Republican
votes were not found, it was very clear
that the State had gone for Nichols and
Tilden2 A Yes
"There is your man, Republicans, that
you propose to place in the chair that
Washington occupied. A voice, mo,
never.") 1t will never be done. No
man with a record like that did ever take
the chair. and in the kind providence of
an eternal God it will never occur. He
knew blythe returns that Tilden for
President and Nichols for Governor
were elected 10 the State of Louisiana,
and yet when he knew that he SAYS when
he got to New Orleans he staid there
eighteen days, and all that he did was
to sit in that inner room where nobody
could find aim except thev passed from
the public hall through another room,
and there alone with poor ignorant wit.
nesses be prepared interrogatories, and
talked with them, and that those inter.
rogatories and that talk went to the Re.
turning Board and furnished the scoun.
drels of that Board the pretext TO re.
turn against the truth that Tilden was
beaten in Louisiana.
"Now, gentlemen, this man that thus
came and conducted himself at the city
of New Orleans. and helped to prepare
the case, and helped to get false return
from false and perjured Returning
Board; and be came on his way North
as far as Bellaire and was overtaken by
the lightning informing him and bis CO.
conspirators as he sat in the palace Cal
of the decision that they had procured
in the city OF New Orleans l know
how a lawyer feels when his case has
been submitted. / know the anxiety
which drives sleep and quiet away when
life or property may depend upon the
result made by the jury. But surely
never expressed myself in regard to that
anxiety, as Garfield did when he said
they left New Orleans, very anxious
about the result, and when the result
came all anxiety disappeared. His WORK
was completed and an honest return was
defeated. He came on to Washington
and then what do you think he did when
there was bill proposed in Congress
the bill that did finally pass-to appoint
q Commission, composed of five mem.
bers of the House and FIVE members oi
the Senate and Eve members of the Su.
preme Court to hold conference upon
this great issue3 When that bill was
pending Garfield got up and said, no, il
must not be; and here are the reasons
that he gave. Let me give you, In his
own words-if | can, it is in very fine
print and difficult to read. Speaking oil
the bill then pending in Congress be
says-this was on the 25th of January
be got back to Washington by the I'd
of December. and the bill came up 70,
consideration in the House whether this
Commission should be appointed to pas.
upon the right Of President and Vice.
President. and Garfield opposing this
bill uses this language: 1t assumes the
right of Congress to 60 down Into the
colleges and inquire into all the acts and
facts connected with their work. II as.
sumes the right of CongresAto go down
into the States to review the act of every
officer, to open every ballot.box and to
examine every ballot cast by 1000, ,00C
of Americans That was Gsrfield's OBJ.
lection to the bill--that if it did pass
and that these fifteen men appointed un.
der the law, it would be their duty to &c
back Of all technicalities and returns
and to pass upon the real fact of the
case; to 60 into the ballot-box and see
how the votes were, and TO decide the
case upon the real truth. And after thai
when the bill passed aud he became one
of the fifteen, be voted every time that
they should not open the door to inves
tigate, but that the law closed the door
and said that Kellogg's certificate and
the certificate of the Returning Board
was stronger than law and the Constitu.
ton and the judgment of Congress =
And his vote was the eighth vote agains
seven that decided they should not 60
behind the Returning Board As Mr.
Julian said when he stood in the House
it was Garfield speaking, but when ht
was upon the Commission 1t was tn,
party demanding power, money and Of
fee. (Applause Let me read yo,
this oath he took. / take 1t from Mfr
Julian's speech: L, James A Garfield
do solemnly swear that l will impartiall,
examine and consider all questions sub
mitted to the Commission OF which
am a member, and true judgment rem
der thereof agreeable to the Constitution