The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-09-23

and then what do you think he did
when there was bill proposed in
Congress-the bill that did finally pass
Ito appoint Il Commission, composed
of five members of the House anl five
members of the Senate and five MEM
bers of the Supreme Court to hold
conference upon this great issue?
When the bill was pending Garfield
got up and said, no, it must not be
and here are the reasons that he gave.
Let me give you, in his own words, II
l can. 1t is in very fine print ana diih-
cult 10 read. Speaking OF the bill then
pending i'll Congress, he saSs-thlS
was on the ,25tIi of January he got
back to Washington ON the 2d of De-
Gem Der, and the bill came up for con-
sideratlon in the HOUSE whether the
Commission should be appointed 10
pass upon the right of President, ana
Vice President, aud Garfield opposing
this hill uses this language; - 1t AS
sumes the right OF Congfess Lo g"down II
into the colleges and inquire into al
the acts aud facts connected wlthitheIr
work. 1t assumes the right, OF lCYn-
gress to go down into the States to re-
view tile act of every, off Ger, 10 Pl,YIl
every ballot box ana examine every
ballot east 10y 1900 900 of Anitrfcans.
That was Garfield's objection 10 the
bill-that if it did pass and that these
fifteen men were appointed untief
the law, it would be THEIR duty To gO
back of all technicalities and returns,
and to pass upon the real facts of the
case and to go into the bafiot-box aud
see how the votes were, and to decide
the case upon the real truth, And, af-
ter that when the bill passed and he
became one of the fifteen, he voted
every time that they should not open
the door to Investigate, but that the
law closed the door, and said that Kel-
logg,s certificate and the certificate Of
the Returning Board wasstronger than
law and the Constitution and the judg
ment of Congress. And his vote was
the eighth vote against seven that de-
cided that they should not go behind
the Returning Board. AS Mr.. Julian
said when he stood in the House, it
was upon the Commission 1t was the
party demanding power, money and
office. (Applauses Let me read you
this oath he took. I take it; from Mr..
Ju1ian's speech:' II, James A. Gar
field, do solemnly swear that lfwAl
impartialtyl examine and consider all
questions submitted to the Commission
sOf which [ am member, and q. true
Judgment render thereof agreeable to
the Constitution and the, laws, 80 help
me God (Applause and laughter. }
They say he is preacher. Laughter J
L don't pretend to be anything, but q
is not wealth enough in the State of
Indiana to get me in my place in the
House or in the Senate of the Unite
States to say - IF you pass this law !
hold that it opens the door to investi-
CATION, and we can go down to New
Orleans and ascertain how the vote
was in fact, and Them after L g6t upon
the Commission, to turn arouHd and
say that the Returning Board and its
findings is conclusive upbn us and we
cannot investigate at all. L would not
do 1T for a thousand years tenure in
the great office for which he is q can
didate. .(Applause.)ftI state to you
that whateveri the truth might be
about the DeGOlyer pavement, wheth-
er he did take a. fee against the interest
of the Government when, he was a
Representative receiving a salary, or
whatever the facts night be about the
Credit Mobilier,' whether it WAS a ter
rible fraud or not, I, will not stop to
speak of that until this greater ques-
tiOn. is settled. Whether as repre-
sentative of the people, as a juror sit
ting between myself and Wheeler and
Tilden and Hayes, he was true man
or a false man. (Applause.) J And if I
have case in your court and you are
called upon as q juror. and no ques-
tions are asked you at all. and you
have bitter prejudice against me and
ajudgment against me, and there is no
erdict at all except against me, would
you go and take your seat? Would
not it come up to your My oath will
not allow me to do it, and [ know that
yours would not. Yet Garfield, after
he had helped to make upsthe case
down at New Orleans, comes to Wash
ington, and without protest or apology
or excuse ne takes his seat and ne votes
day after day contrary to what he said
in the House was the law. No, gen
tlemen, he will never be President of
the United States. 4 ca voice." No,
never'"0 He is a man of ability and
the more ability such a man possesses
the worse he is for the Office. i .don't
want him, because when / have a
President in Washington, whatever
his politics may be, want to feel that
he is as much my President as yours,
and as much yours as he is mine. and
that as President he is free from those
prejudices and passions which pervert
the Judgment and destroy the opinion.