The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-08-18
GARFIELD ONCE MORE.
VIA the Leading Religious Papers
Though Of Garfield.
Five Thousand Dollars BE Was Will
ing to Sell His Influence as
Legislator,
osLet Electors Look Very Sharply at Charges
Which Affect the Purity of Their
- SerNanfs

osLet Electors Look Very Sharply at Charges
Which Affect the Purity of Their
Servants"
NeWYork Independent, July 20, IS74.l
There is now no absorbing question OF
ssAtecraIt before the people. The great ques-
lion OF The last generation is settled. 1t we
nav except the problem how and when We
shall replace our deprecated currency oy
genuine money. there is nothing put mere
administration 10 be attended to. What the
next Congress has to DO is to keep things
sgoine as quietly, frugally, and honestly as
possible. Ii might not have been the banner
which would have huttered most gaily in
the breeze. bat if the Republican party had,
at its last Presidential Convention confined
itself 20 the promise to administer Govern
Eaeut we'll aud then bent its energies mainly
60 this task, We believe IL would nave stood
Better with me PEOPLE 10 day.
The main point, then, 10 be considered by
those who select Congressional candidates Is
this: Who will administer the Government
oest-that is most honestly and most intel
Egentlye And OF these two qualifications,
honesty IS even more essential than Inteln-
ceuCs Lat electors get an intelligent
representative, If they can ind HIM; but
they must ind an honest one. II their rep
Tesents,ive in the last Congress is not tainted
5Y the suspicion Of jobbery, If he has kept
his hands clean, if he has not been getting
rich in Weshington-and no honest man can
Get rich as g Congressman, any more than
ne could as a soldier in the rebsllion-!et
his constituents be very slow to replace him
by new man.
STERLING INTEGRITY REQEIRED.
But the most sterling moral integrity
should be reQaiIed. Let electors look very
sharply 81 charges which affect the purity OF
their servants. An honest man Will not
shrink from the most thorough scrutiny OF
his official acts.
Lex us take an example. TAe Nineteenth
Congressional District of Ohio has been rep
resented for twelve years by James a. Gar
ield He is one Of the ablest and most
promising members of Congress. He Is a
man o. uncommon culture graduate OF an
Eastern college, was for some time principal
OF an excellent school in Ohio, and preach
which supported il, and sfterward
= lawyer. He has risen rapidly IN Congress,
uutit ne occupies the Craftsmanship of the
Committee which 10 IS cond in importance in
the House, and, IL elected. will doubtless
next winter be the recognized leader OF the
lover branch OF Congress, taking the place
vacated by Mr.. Dawes. His constituents
nave been very proud OF him, and have had
reason fOT their pride.
But were We citizens of the Nineteenth
District OF Ohio we should seek OF Mir. Gar
field very clear explanations OF his conduct
before ccnssDurg to vote for his re election.
We refer oaiy 70 facts in his late career,
which we ludge of simply from the uncon-
trsdicted record.
DEEPLY INVOLVED IN CREDIT MOBILIZE.
We can not forget that he WIS more
deeply evolved in the sad Credit Mobiiier
difficulty than any other member of the
House OF Observation-Disclosures ting. CT
course. Ames and Brooks. After such an
experience he ought to have been extremely
cautious. But the testimony taken in the
investigation of the District OF Columbia
frauds shows that Mr.. Garfield received
5000 for his aid in getting through
q paving contract, accepted by the
District Government a Mr.. Parsons. a no.
torious iobber, made an argument for the
Paving Company, and then got Mr. Garfield
20 make further argument and TO use has
personal influence in its favor. OF course,
Mr. GsFfelds argument was successful.
How cou it be Otherwise? He wss Chair
man OF the Committee OF Appropriations.
Every cent OF money voted to ths District
had 20 come through him. Shepherd could
not sfford TO refuse him any thing that he
asked, and Mr.. Garfield knew it when be
asked aud received for his services a ieo
which would baye been grossly extravsgant
5Uf tor els official position.
WILLING TO SELL OUT FOR So 600.
That is. so far as the case is known to the
PUBIC, fO,UOO ne was Willing VI Sell 70
the Mcclellan contractor his influence as a
Legislator. For s., 900 he was willing to use
his position IS guardian OF the Treasury of
the Nation to make the District Government
award q profitable contract. So far as most
men can see, IS 600 was an extravagant price
for any service which Mr. Carried could
render that did not depend on his official
position; snd if we can judge, the breaking
away of the Williamsburg Dam no more
clearly indicated the wOrthlessness OF its
construction than does such an act of this,
thus far unex plsined, the giving way of the
moral foundations of mans character. Mr.
Garfield should very clearly explain this
transaction bsfore asking the vote of one
oonest man.
a THOROUGHLY TRUSTWORTHY MAN WANTED
We have selected Mr.. GaIfsld's case as an
illustration, not because we have any i'll will
against him, for our respect for him has been
very deep and his act has panied Us greatly,
but because he best points the moral which
We wish 10 draw. Doubtless, if Mr. Garfield
we're returned, he would make an excellent
Representative, and do honor to his consti-
tuency; but that District and every other
wants now not so much an able man as q
thoroughly trustworthy man and we would
have every citizen in every State ask similar
questions about mis- Representative to tho59
which we have suggested to the Nineteenth
Ohio District. Is the man for whom you are
requested 10 vote, through your primaries,
at the Convention, at the polls, a man who
Is beyond all faint of just suspicion that he
will use bis Office for personal ends? Not
merely is he too honest to lie and steal, but
Is he honest enough to feel adisgust for those
indirect and specious DISCUSSES which cor
TuptioR so much affects?