The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-07-15
#isreHany.
GARFIELD's RECORD.
What HIS Neighbors Thought in
1879

The Buffalo Courier recalls the
fact that the independent republi-
cans of Garfeld's Congressional dis
trict held mass meeting at War
rem, September 6, 1876, and adopted
the following stinging resolution:
Resolved, That it is useless and
Ihypocritical for any political party
| to declare for reform in its plat
forms, papers and public addresses
while it insists on returning to high
official place and power men who
have been notoriously connected
with the very schemes and fraud
which render reform necessary; offi-
ciallv connected with administra-
ton of the national government
against whom are justly preferred
more and graver charges OF corrup-
tion than are publicly made and
abundantly sustained against James
A. Garfield, the representative OF
this congressional district and the
nominee of the republican conven-
ton for reelection.
That since he first entered con-
gress to this day there is scarcely
an instance in which rings and mo-
nopolies have been arrayed against
the interests of the people that he
has been active in speech or vote
upon the side of the latter, but in
almost every case he has been the
ready champion Of the rings and
monOpolies.
That we especially charge him
with venality and cowardice in per
mitting Benjamin F. Butler to at
tach to the appropriation bill of
1873 that ever to be remembered
infamv. the salary steal, and in
speaking and voting for that meas
ure upon its final passage.
That we further arraign and de
nounce him for his corrupt connec-
ton with the Credit Mobilier, for
his false denlals thereof before his
constituents, in circulating among
them pamphlet purporting to set
forth the finding of the said commit
tee and the evidence against him,
when in fact material propositions
thereof we're omitted and garbled.
That we further arraign and charge
him with corrupt bribery in selling
his official influence as chairman OF
the Committee on Appropriations
for $4,000 to the De Golyer pavement
ring, to aid said ring in imposing
upon the people of the District of
Columbia a pavement which is al
most worthless at price three
times it's cost, and in procuring a
contract to procure which it corrupt
ly paid $97, 900 for ''infuence," sell
ing his influence in matter that
involved no questions of law upon
the shallow pretext that he was act
ing as lawyer, selling his influence
in a manner so palpable and clear as
to be so found and declared by an
impartial and competent court upon
an issue solemnly tried.
That we arraign him for gross
dereliction of duty as a member of
congress in failure to bring to light
and expose the corruption and abuse
in the sale of the post traderships,
for which the late Secretary Belknap
was impeached, when the same was
brought to his notice by General
Hazen, in 1872, and can only
account for it upon the supposition
that his manhood was debauched by
the corruption funds then by him
lust received and in his own purse.
That neither great ability and ex-
perience nor eloquent partisan dis
cussion of the dead issues OF the war
will excuse or justify past dishones'
ty and corruption or answer as
guarantee of integrity and purity
for the future.
That, believing the statements IN
the foregoing resolutions set forth
we cannot, without stultifying our
manhood and debasing our self re
spect, support at the polls the noml.
nee of the republican convention OF
this district for reelection, nor can
we. without surrendering our rights
as electors and citizens, sit silently
bv and see a man so nworthy again
sent to represent us in the national
legislature. Tha strong in the
conviction of rig wa call upon the
electors of this dis.ri irrespective
of former Or present party attach
ment, who desire honest government,
to unite with us IN an earnest, faith
tul effort to defeat the reelection OF
General Garfield and elect in his
stead an honest and reliable man.