The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-09-09

ere wholly untrustworthy The report Of this com.
mittee is assailed by leading newspapers which
time of its publication in not including sundry other
members of Congress (Gen. Garfield among them) in
the the, same 1 condemnstlon It pronounced upon Ames
Indeed, it was then very generally regarded by the
public as whitewashing report, and this view had
the committee were Gen. Garfeld's daily associates,
and majority of them his personal and political
fraends aa Who would IPare him as far as possible
Of the report may have thought it neccs-
sary to show their impartiality by sacrificing
gestion is as stupid as 1t is dishonorabie
to the members Of that committee, and shows to
what desperate straits an uncommonly decent news
paper may be driven by the exigencies of political
campaign. This journal also says: "The whole
case, as far as Mr. Garfield is concerned is question
OF veracity between him and Oakes Ames," and It
has hesitation in completely dscreding the evil
dence Of the latter, although the friendly tone of his
statements respecting Mr.. Garfield clearly indicates
the disposition to spare him. and although this
mittee had unanimously reached opposite conclu-
sion, after hearing all the evidence, Weighing the
character of the witnesses who came before them,
the manner In which they testified, and all the cir
cumstances Of the case The Nation falls into the
same vein, although at first 1t spoke Of the con-
duct of Gen. Garfield in This affair as having 'at
the time, very unfortunate appearance" and said:
" He undoubtedly bore himself badly when the up
roar began, and he discovered what very serious
view the pubic took of Ames' dealings with Con-
gressmen." 1t now strongly accentuates the bad
memory of Mr. Ames, indulges in several charitable
suppostions as to the conduct and motives Of Gen.
Garfield, and tenderIy weighs the charges against
him in the light of his good character about which
It should remember that opinions very greatly
divided. These organs likewise overlook certain
circumstantia statements made by Mr.. Anles before
the committee on the 18th of January which, in fair
ness, should have been noticed in their review of
the transaction. He then testified to the effect that
Gen. Garfield, in interviews after the investigation
been loaned him; that he admitted that s. 400 were
due him in stock and bonds; that he said this
affair would be very injurious to him, and was
cruel thing; that he in very great distress, and
hardly knew what he did say: and that he said he
wanted to say as little about the affair he could
and get of as easily as possible These statements
related to recent conversations, and cannot be got
rid OF on the plea Of the bad memory of Mr.. Ames.
Ihey wear the appearance Of truth; and if they
ton by Mr. Carried on his oath before the commit
tee. But he never made that contradiction. He
lated 70 confront Mr.. Ames as witness respecting
these statements and subject himself to the whole
some test of truth afforded by cross-examnation,
put contented himself with an ex-parte printed
statement Of his defense several months later and
after Ames had died. These facts do not favor the
theory OF his conscious innocence. will not brand
him as guilty, but the very utmost that can be
claimed in his behalf is that his wrong doing is "not
proven" He is entitled to the benefit of all
able doubts, and to fair and impartial hearing
on the appeal now taken to the public from the
finding of the Poland committee: but the pubic
will remember that this appeal is asked seven years
after his conviction, and in the midst of national
canvass in which the fate of his party is involved in
dence accordingly. freely give him credit for his
ingenious and elaborate defense of himself in
sponse to the popular camor in the spring of 1873
but the truth is after ALL that he stands before the
nation under the shadow of suspicion. That shadow
cannot be removed by calling Judge Poland, Gen.
Banks and Judge McCrary witnesses to impeach
their own record. 1t cannot be removed by the
opinion of Senator Thurman that his guilt is not
demonstrated by the evidence. 1t cannot be
moved by the friendly letter of Judge Black express
ing the strong assurance of Gen. Garfeid's ignor-
ance Of the criminal purposes of Oakes Ames, but
leaving unnoticed the conflict between his sworn
statement and that Of Gen. Garfield respecting his
agreement to take ten shares of stock. Nor can it
be removed by the alleged action of his immediate
constituents in condoning his They have not
condoned them. In 1872 his Congressional majority
1O944 but in 1874 it reduced to 2,526 while
in his last election, when the memory of this trans
action had considerably faded out Of the public
mind his majority was still 5e4 less than his full
strength.
But must pass now, in conclusion, to other and
still graver charges Gen. Garfield was one of the
"Hsitng statesmen who repaired to New Orleans
after the last Presidential election, in response
to the invitation Of President Grant, for the osten
of Louisiana. The President ordered to that
State an imposing military force to
preserve the peace and see that the Return
ing Board Of the State was unmolested in the per-
formance Of its duty; but, as he had already de-
stroyed civil government there by the bayonet, the
necessity for this military order not apparent
unless some new outrage was contemplated. The
situation critical, and feeling of uncertainty
and a'arm prevailed throughout the country. The
yted several representative public men, of both po-
tical parties, to visit New Orleans in the interest Of
peace and the furtherance Of the faithful perform
ance Of its duty by the Returning Board; and, on
ator Sherman, Gen. Garfield and their Repub-
hcan associates, joint conference and friendly
cooperation with view to just and satisfac-
tory settlement Of the threatening controversy.
But this proposition was summarily rejected,
the pretex that these representative Republicans
had no legal authority to interfere with the vote
the the in
To this 1t was replied that such authority had
been thought Of and that the proposed conference
be able to exert In response to this the Republ.
cansdisavowed any authority wish to interfere witt
he Returning Board to that extent and thereby
eft the public completely in the fog to the mean.
ing of their mission. There could, however, be but
one explanation since single earnest word on theil
part the interest of fair play would almost certainly
have been needed While While their personal presenc,
with the determination of the board to count the
State for the Republicans at all events, and wert
present for the purpose Of abettng that object The
known character of the board confirms this view Il
| the creature and instrument of Stat
Government founded in hagrant usurpation ant
its members should belong to different parties they
were all Republicans, and two of them officers in tn
| Custom House at New Orleans. The law also re
quired the board to be composed of five members
but there only four, and they utterly refused
to fill the vacancy. The entire clerical force of tn
board was also composed of Republicans, who would
| of course, be the ready Instruments of their EN-
ployers. Its members were the SAME men who 81
tpon it in 1874 and after the election of that yea
took the majority of votes from one side and gave
to the other, by unjust arbitrary and illegal acts,
as reported by Republican Congressiona
committee. The President OF the board ha
branded himself a perjurer in the tes
timony he had given respecting the State elet
| ton of that year and had disgraced himself b
I his political rascality and disregard Of law Will
holding his gubernatorial office in 1867. The othe
members of the board were his ft associates, and
| had been characterized by Hon. VIM. A. Wheeler q
ga disgrace to civilizations" and was covered wit
universal suspicion. And yet Gen. GARFIELD and hi
Republican confederaes, in rejecting the proposito
for joint conference, declared that they had n
reason to doubt that perfectly honest and just det
laraton of the results of the election in Lousian
would be made by this tribunal That this declar'
ton was a deliberate and conscious falsehood mu
be accepted as certain, unless we can defend thei
distinguished statesmen by attributing to them
density Of ignorance respecting well-known even
as disgraceful to thcm as lying. That Gen. CARTEL
had lent himself to the Returning Board in its col
spiracy to cheat the people OF the United Stat
is still mora fully confirmed by its action whi
canvassng the votes. 1t refused to hn the yacant
in its BODY and supply the wanting political eemen
It wrapped itself in the mantle OF darkness by e.
cluding from its sessions the public, the gener
press reporters the Supervisors and Registrars
elections, and the candidates for office and their
| torneys In a number Of instances the sealed r
turns from distant parishes were cianaestne
| opened and the papers tampered with after th'
had been received by the board. AL these facts we
! known to Gen. Garfield. 1t was simply impossit
to attend its daily sessions and scrutnze its acht
, WITHOUT reallzlng tnat forgery, peiJuoy .iIor
, , | were literally woven into its work. On the aueg
ground Of intimidation it hagranty violated the
from which it derived its authority, by throwing
the ballots of 1000 to 5000 legally qualihed vote
in order to secure Republican victory inns actl
was founded solely on this ground, there being
charge of repeating, ballot-stufing, or fraudnle frau
ton in any way on the subectof intimidation witho
: strict compliance with the detailed and circumst;
tal provisions of the State election law, and as
!. fact is undenied and undeniable that no such co
= pliance was made, the board had no jurisdicti
y whatever except to count the votes returned.
action in counting them for Hayes and Wheeler
: therefore an utter defiance of the laws OF the sta
= fragrant outrage upon justice and decency, and
hideous mockery of representative G9Ternme San G
: This, gentlemen is my indictment against Gen ~, "
; field. He was an accompIice in the crime of che
ing the people of the United States by placing IN
= Presidential chair man who was never elected,
" by this act of treason against free institutions