Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1880-08-04

a member Of Congress, was to be usef- IN
procuring the contract, rather than his
/ arguments as q counselor at law. is evil
dent from his letters to the defendants sci
out in their special plea, in which he says:
.sThe influence Of Gen. Garfield has been
secured by yesterdays, last nights and
| to-day's labors. He carries the purse of
the United States-tbe chairman of the
Committee on Appropriations-and is the
strongest man in Congress. and with our
friends my demand is to-day not less than
loo, 900 more-200 in all. Everything is
in the best shape. the connections com
| plete, and ! have reason to believe. salts
| factory. = / can hardly realize
| that we have Gen. Garfield with us. It is
rare and very gratifying. All the appro-
| priations of the district come from him.
In the recent case OF Burke VS.. Child, not
| vet reported May 1879, decided at the
| last October term of the Supreme Court OF
| the United States, Mr.. Justice Swayne, in
q very able opinion, reviews all he cases,
and holds: That a contract, expressed or
implied. for purely professional services,
is valid" Within the category he includes
drafting a petition, attendance on taking
testimony. collecting facts. preparing argu-
menrs, and submitting them orally or in
writing in q committee or other proper
authority. But such services are separated
pv a broad line from official influence.
The agreement with Gen. Garfield, a mem
Der of Congress. to pay him SIS. 600 as q
contingent fee for procuring q contract,
which was itself made to depend upon q
future appropriation by Congress-which
appropriation could only come from a
committee of which he was ch~airman-was
q sale of official influence, which no vail
can cover against the plainest principles of
public policy. No counselor-at-law. while
holding high Office much less a minister
Of the gospel. etc.l has a right to put him.
self in a position of temptation, and under
pretext Of making a legal argument, ex-
ert his official influence upon public Off
GERS, dependent upon his future action.
Certainly the courts Of Justice will never
lend themselves 70 enforce contracts OBJ
tanned by such influence.
The decision OF the court was: 1.-THE
pleas of the defendants, as set forth by
their counsel, are sustained. The con-
tract with the plaintiff is declared void as
against public policy" This decision
iudicially declared Gen. Garfeld's con-
duct to be of that immoral and scandalous
character described by Doolittle's brief.
1AC OACDsC COiulDAtefo ny MI SAittCbOCn
was thus judiciaIly adjudged to be bribery.
The person he was judicially declared to
have bribed was Gen. Garfield. We have
stated the facts Of this case without com
ment. The facts make their own com
ment. 1t should be added that Garfield
never has sought to vindicate himself in
the courts OF his country against this awful
finding. 1t stands proved and admitted.
No campaign calumny and partisan libel
enter into this statement. 1t is q tran
script from the court Of justice. Whether
Garfield and the Republican press ignore
this matter. is their own business. The
people who have the choosing of the mex,
President of the United States will not
ignore it. 1t shows that Garfield is not fiji
to be elected President Of the United
States. 1t makes his abilities and his
genial qualities, his early honest struggles
and his eloquence. his good army record,
ETC., of no value in determining the qnal-
ity of his character. This transaction
| goes to his character and condemns it.
This cold, calm and conclusive finding oil
the tribunals of justice. in the city where
Garfield was nominated by q spasm Of
thoughtless fury, would. if known, have
| rendered the consideration of him as Q
possible candidate out Of the question.