Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-11-18
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PIIpT 10 GdRFfELD.
The Editor OF the " Washington .'Gsipi-
tap writes AN Open letter 10 the
Presidents Eject,

Dom Piatt in the last issue OF the
Washington Cipita! publishes an open
letter addressed to the Hon. James A.
Garfield which owing to the friendly
relations known 10 exist between these
two gentlemen has produced d. oidcd
sensation. The letter lie quite lengthy and
opens rs follows:
"lfy Dear General: Now that this sense
less political row is over and you are the
President-elect | venture, before you are
buried III that mansion, through the thick
walls and plate glass Of which no word of
truth ever reaches the incumbent, to write
yoc few words III the same intimate and
friendly spirit that marked our intercourse
when we both occupied cheap boarding
house, when | carried my fortunes on the
slender RIB OF pen, as IL newspaper CORE
spondent, and you sought to support yourself
and family on the meagre pay of Congress
man. 80 back to the time when you gladly
accepted my aid and sympathy in your
troubles and my heartfelt congratulations in
your triumphs, and | yours | feel more
anxiety about you, my friend now that you
are fortunate, than in the darkest hour of
your HE, when life itself seemed so horrible
that an escape from il was II temptation. You
have passed from the hands oi friends to the
keeping OF enemies, To play the part Of Ihlot
Executive for four Years.
no politician, but Is hated l'r Tia, politicians
and that history never has and PROBABLY never
Will put To record such au tui,luY rs that
upon which he was elected We lIit,e among
lis certain persons vino are bent ON changing
the form OF our aell-sOyeIument They seek
to make the Presidency lite tenure. and
| under the name of stronger government
escape the return of power to tho people.
"loa know the man who Is to serve Their
purpose iii the GuaeOnuhle scheme. They
bank upon his military record and supposed
popularity"
Mr.. Piatt warns Mr.. Garfield against the
politicians who are determined as lie las
indicated, TO change the form of government
and hopes that lie will have nothing to do
with them except looking to breaking their
power He uses the following language,
/ which has attracted more attention than any
other part oil the letter
" 1t was your committee that investigated
that national shame called Black FRIDAY,
wherein Fisk, Gould and Grant sought
enrich themselves at the expense of thou
sands OF honest men. Ii is not my purpose
to recall the details Of that infamy.
The chief criminal was tracked to the
threshold OF the Executive Mansion. and your
committee passed resolution calling upon
the President to appear before the committee
and defend himself from the damning proof
that made him the chief conspirator The
night of the day that the resolution was
| passed You called with 1t upon the President.
1 II was after midnight before YOU left the
| White House, amazed and sick at heart, and
1 at your suggestion, that very day the Tesolu-
| ton was revoked. ! need not say that Won
and | know why that resolution was 80 sud
denly abandoned. The fact that under the
circumstances it was revoked tells the whole
] story. The very Democrats of the committee
/ shrunk from the threatened exposure
The letter closes as follows:
But You are not great man. You read
in your library Of heroic achievements your
soul swells over the poetic expression you
are full OF thought and impulse, and all ends
IN support of men you despise and party
with which you have nothing i'll common.