Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-07-14
GEN. G4RFrELps LETTER

Gen. Gar6eld's letter of acceptance is
more remarkable for its craft than for its
craftsmanship; for its omissions of opinions
on the leading topics rather than for the de-
claration of opinions; for its ambiguity and
its Indebtedness, rather than for the straight
forward enunciation of principles of govern
mental policy that is usually expected in
such document. There sre internal evil
dences of the fact that Gen. Garfield, while
he may have written the letter, was not the
author of many of the sentences-they
can scarcely be called ideas-it contained
1t is too diplomatic. too crafty, to en-
anaLe from Garfield, who, if he has been re-
markable for one thing more than another
has been remarkable for the positiveness of
his public utterances.
His reference to his record in Congress on
all the questions treated of by the Republi-
can platform is likely to provo unfortunate
for him, for on some of these questions he
has taken directly the contrary view to that
Enumerated in the platform. On the ques-
ton of State rights be agrees substantially
with his party in rejecting the theory that
the States are supreme in anything, and
proceeds to set himself squarely upon the
plank that denies to the States the contro!
of Congressional elections. This is about
the only positive declaration in this very
difase letter, but it was necessary in order
to restore the confidence of the stalwarts in
his loyalty to the party in view of his author
ship ffof the compromise deputy marshals
bill that was twice vetoed by Mr.. Hayes
during the last session of Congress. In this
connection he gives voice to a few truisms
relative to the right of every elector to cast
his vote freely and without intimidation,
but fails to see in the very system he defends
one of the worst forms of intimidation ever
concocted in a free country.
MIR. Garfield expresses the hope of an
early restoration of peaceful relations
between the sections. He seems to have
forgotten his own declarations in Congress
to the effect that perfect fraternity had al
ready been restored, and tina; the man who e.
sayed to conduct campaign upon the theo-
~ that the war was still existing would find
himself without following. He gives ut
terance to the patent falsehood that at the
SOUTH "there is not such freedom and toler
alton of political opinion and action that
the minority party can exercise an effective
and wholesome restraint upon the party in
power The testimony of-the most intelli-
gent people of that section. white and col
ored, Republicans and Democrats, submit
ted before the exodus investigating commit
tee two months ago, left no room to question
the fact taat every citizen, of whatever race
or color, was fully protected in his political
rights, and in making the statement quoted
Mr. Garfield states what he must know to be
utterly false.
Mr.. Garfeld's references to the tariff, the
finances and a few other collateral subjects
are purely non-committal, and require no
comment save that attention should be
called to the evident timidity with which the
candidate approaches and handles them.
That he now approves of the appropriations
for river and harbor improvements is graft
flying, though his remarks relative to the i'm