Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-09-01
IA YES AND GARFIELD.

There has been three Republican
Presidents, Lincoln, Grant and Hayes.
Lincoln and Grant were legally and
constitutionally elected Hayes was
counted in by the Electoral Commits
sion. Both Lincoln and Grant were
unanimously re.nominated at the close
of their first term Hayes name was
not presented to the Chicago Conyen-
ton, aud during the entire balloting
he received but single vote. Why
has Hayes no iollowing2 Has he
separated from his party as did Tyler,
Fillmore and johnson? No, he has
been in perfect accord with his party
on all measures. Has his administra-
ton been so corrupt as to render his
name infamous, and thus drive away
his own party? No, it has been q
great improvement in that respect
upon the one Immediately preceding
it Has his Cabinet been mixed up
with the sale of Post-traderships and
the whlskey Ring frauds as Grants
was No, whatever we as Democrats
may think Of the ability of Hayes ad-
ministration, we are compelled to ad-
nit that it has been free from those
foul scandals which so disgraced the
name Of America in all civilized coun-
tries during the eight years of Grants
administration. Why then did no one
in the Republican party propose to
nominate Hayes, when it had been the
uniform practice to give a President q
unanimous re-nomlnation There has
been no such breach between Hayes
and the Republican leaders as occur
red between Lincoln and leading m en-
during the war and between Grant
and Sumner and others. Excepting
the removal Of few subordinate Off.
GERS, such as Cornell and Arthur, no
canse OF disagreement has existed be.
tween Hayes and an influential lead
er Of his party He has done every
thing bis party demanded Of him,
however desperate it was, even to the
crime oiintantcij0, for be has strangled |
his own infant "Civil Service Reform"
Why then, we ask again, was there no |
one to demand or even favor his nomi. |
nation? There is but one answer to |
the question He was never elected |
President, and for four years has been
usurping an Office belonging to another.
Allintelligont Republicans either open.
ly or secretly, admit this. No person
claiming to be above the mental con.
ditIon OF an idiot now seriously pre-.
tends that Hayes was elected. He
stole the Presidency and the party
dare not attempt to carry that load in
campaign. Hence Hayes himself
and every other prominent man in the
party at once recognized the impossi
biity Of Hayes denomination and
election. The nomination of Garfield
was an accident, not premoditated. 1t
was made without thought in the ex-
citement OF stampede. No one at
the time thought of his connection
with and responsibility TOR tho Pres.
dental steal Of 1877. Glad TO escape
the evils OF third term on the one
hand and the scandal Of the MuIligan
embroglio on the other, the delegates
rushed to the nomination Of Garfield
as the only port of safety. Yet he
was one OF the majority Of the Electo-
raj Commission who but three years
before had stolen the Presidency and
given il to Hayes, Garfield had been
selected by the Republican members
Of the House as fit instrument TO do
this work. The choice was no doubt
made because OF his connection with
the Credit MoJilir and De GOlyer
affairs and the facility with which he
had foresworn himself before the Po.
land Committee. 1t was necessary to
have a man who would not shrink at
perjury. He had to take an oath to
support the Constitution and to de-
eide according to right and justice,
and after taking that oath was expect.
ed to wholly disregard it, trample the
Constitution under his feet and utterly
ignore both right and justice The
Republican members of the House
knew Garfield and selected him to do
the infamous job, and he did not dis.
appoint their expectations. When
the entire Republican party admit
that Hayes, for receiving the stolen
Presidency, was incapable of being
now elected to tho office, shall any
honest man support Garfield who was
one of the Eight whose names must
90 down into everlasting infamyY II
the old saying that tho "receiver is as
bad as the thief" be true, the reverse
Of it is also true, that thief is as bad
as the receiver, and Garfield therefore
deserves and should receive the same
measure of condemnation that would
be meted out to Hayes BeiiefoRte
Democrat.