St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1880-06-26
Significant silence.
IN. O. PicaYllne.f

--6
IN. o. Picayune.l
The Democracy has taken the inltia--
tive in this Presidential campaign. IL
has opened fire all along the line on the
personal character; as shown from tlle
official record, OF the chicago nominees.
It is charged that Mr.. Garfield not only
sold his vote to Il company Of swindlcrs,
hut Deriured himself in IL vain attempt
to hide his guilt, and not only perjurcd
himself but cowardly cudeavorcd to in
duce another man to do the same thing
in his behalf. 1t is charged that Gen.
Chester Arthur kept dead roll Of men
whom he paid with the peoples money
for party services and none other. 1t Is
further charged that Gen. Chester
Arthur permitted the employees under
his control to receive brides at the ex-
pense of the Government revenues. 1t
is fair to conclude that a chief who
permits his subordiDates to receive
brides does SO because he has share IN
the profit Of the briber. or IN the Ill
gotten gains OF the parties br6ed.
These charges are made and reitera
ted from day to day in the public printsin
the most emphatic, direct and offensive
manner. The evidence upon which
they rest is given to the public. Con-
tradction is challenged, and rebuttal is
invited but there comes no reply from
any Republican quater. Garfield is
silent; Arthur says nothing; their
friends and organs venture never a
word Of denial, defense. or extenuation.
Great newspapers like the Chicago
Times and the New York Herald, which
profess an independent and judicial
attitude intimate that If the accused
have anything to say why sentence OF
political death should not be pronounced
against them, it is now perfectly in Or
der for them to speak out; but the ac-
cused remain as mute as eyer. They
have been told that their chances of
election dwindle every day while the
are allowed to stand without refutation;
that candidates for offices SO high
should be not only innocent, but above
suspicion that accusations made by
responsible persons, and resting upon
testimony judically taken cannot be
safely disregarded or treated with dig
nified contempt, and yet these men,
who ask the suffrage of the American
people, merely bend their heads that
| the storm may pass over. They need
not take stump, or publish cards in the
newspapers over their own signatures ;
there are many ways perfectly consls-
! tent with the proprieties of their can
| didacy through which their explanations
| might be given to the public. There is
no conceivable reason why the journals
in their interest should not speak out !;
| but the party newspapers are as obstl-
nately dumb as their candidates are. Re-
| publican newspapers are noisy some
| times F.; but from all the bowling multi
| tude who took part in the saturnalia OF
| the Chicago Convention not one voice
| is raised to meet the direct and explicit
charge that its nominees have been
guilty of crimes that should consign,
one Of them at least, to the penitentiary.
| Ii they have been slandered the courts
are open to them. The New York
Herald has suggested to Mr.. Garfield
that lie might bring suit against the
editor Of the New York Sun for libel,
and that the trial might be had before a
| jury of his own neighbors and party
friends in his own Congressional district.
The day following the suggestion the
Sun repeated the charge and published
the evidence: but Mr.. Garfield has not
yet sought the intervention of the
courts and the protection of the law.
Mr.. Garfield was probably as little re-
assured by the Herald's proposition as
was that famous criminal who refused
to be comforted when the Judge promised
him that lie should have justice.
Apparently the Republican party
expects to meet these attacks by rousing
| the people once fnore to the danger
of solid South, and by rehashing the
outrage stories of former campaigns.
But that plan will hardly succeed.
Persuasion cannot issue from lips that
have been stained with perjury. The
champions of ''human rights" will be
tie rights of Pr properly and the signifi-
canoe of judicial oath. Silence will
be taken for confession, and that party
will be condemned to retirement which
dares not undertake the defence of its
own chosen opponents.