Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-08-30
Garfield's Part in tho ELECTORAL Fraud
From James r. Doolittle's speech at Indianspo-

Garfeld's Part in tho ELECTORAL Fraud.
lis.
All the world knows, for there is not
an intelligent man in the United States
OF any party who does nat know that
the Tilden electors in Louisiana receiv-
ed OF the votes cast from 5000 to 1900
majority. Mr.. Garfield, who was one OF
those who went to New Orleans in No
vember, 1876, knew this to be the fact.
quote what Senator Trumbull said
upon this point as to facts stated upon
his personal knowledge:
~ was present when the returns from
every parish in that State were brought
to New Orleans, and according to those
returns, before they were. doctored and
altered, made by the instruments OF the
Republican party themselves, the Til
den electors had majority ranging
from 5000 to 5000 votes. General Gar
field was at New Orleans. He knew
these returns fairly elected Mr.. Tilden
President. He stood by when that in.
famous Returning Board, without law
and by fraud, rejected the votes OF the
people. He went to Washington and
sat upon the Commission OF fifteen.
After these returns had been fraudu-
lently made, and when the question
came up before the Commission wheth-
or, the returns being fraudulent, they
could 60 behind them, l appeared be-
fore that Commission. We were re-
ouired to state in writing the reasons
why the vote OF Louisiana should not
be given to Mr.. Hayes, and We put it
down in writing that we were prepared
to prove that majority OF the free
votes .of Louisiana were given for the
Tilden electors. We offered to prove
that by a conspiracy entered into be
tween the Governor OF that State, Will
liam Pitt Kellogg, who appointed every
officer that controlled the elections In
the State, that by conspiracy entered
into by him and the Returning Board,
it was agreed that whatever the vote
might be they would give the certificate
of election to the Hayes electors. Gar
Geld sat on that Commission. lie
said: we won't let you proveit. You
are concluded by the returns AS
member of the Electoral Commission,
sworn to try judicially and determine
the right of the case, whether Tilden
and Hendricks or Hayes and Wheeler
had the rightful majority, he refused to
examine and try the very question and
the only question they were appointed
by law to try and determine, viz:
Whether majority OF the votes OF
Louisiana were cast for the Tilden elec-
tors or for the Hayes electors. Certain
ly there was not so big fool in either
House of Congress, as not to know that
Wells Returning Board certificate had
been given to the Hayes electors. The
only question the Commission was to
try was whether that certificate was
true or false. Garfield knew it was
false. and because he knew it was false
he refused to try the question. Ii he be-
lieved it was true, he would have heard
the evidence to prove it true. For In
his speech in the House upon the Elec-
torial Commission bill he asserted again
and again that If the bill passed, the
Commission would 60 behind the re.
turns to try the question Of fact upon
the merits. Garfield, knowing the re-
turns were false, in violation OF his pub.
lie speech, before the bill passed, voted
to sustain these false and fraudulent re-
turns"
To further show Garfield's guilty
knowledge. and his moral weakness to
resist the behests of his party, state
another fact upon the authority OF the
Hon. Carter III. Harrison, then men,
Der Of Congress, and now Mayor OF the
city of Chicago. After the decision
Harrison asked Garfield how it was pos
.ibe for him, after his speech in the
House, to refuse to 60 behind the re-
turns, and to decide the question OF fact
upon merits. Garfield replied: Gar
ter, il you had the cards, wouldn't you
play them7" He knew the certificate
of the Returning Board was false. He
knew Tilden was elected and Hayes
was defeated. Tie knew that If the
Democratic party would agree upon the
Electoral Commission for the sake OF
peace, the merits OF the case should be
tried. Yet because. including the
Judges, there was a majority OF one Re-
publican upon the Commission, in VIC.
iation of truth, justice, fair dealing, and
plighted faith by partisan majority,
Garfield refused to try the only ques-
ton they were authorized to try, and
which he at least was to try. For the
pant he took in this outrageous and
damning fraud, ii for no other reason,
Al II Al ~, <,tN,