The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-09-01
GARFIELD's RECORD IN CONGRESS.
Urging a Grant of Half a Million Under
Peculiar Circumstances.


Correspondence of the New York SUM-
WASHINGTON, August 23-James A. Gar
field occupies position before the public
similar TO that of convicted thief on trial
for a second offense. The prosecutors have
the right to show the previous bad conduct
of the accused. He also has the privilege of
Offering eXtenuating circumstances in his
own behalf if he can. The jury, which is
the American people, will decide upon the
weight of the evidence adduced. Mr.. Gar
field has a record. His public life is record
ed in the printed volumes of Congress
Every word that he has uttered on the
floor of the House or before Investi-
eating Committees, is published. He
has certified the correctness of this record by
allowing il TO be approved each day without
protest. Whatever exists in the Congress
sional Record concerning the Republican
candidate for President is true Its accuracy
can not be questioned. His attempts to
pervert the evidence taken in relation to the
Credit Mobilier and De Golyer scandals are
both futile and imbecile. The facts can not
be changed as long as the Poland report and
the testimony taken by the Glover Commit
tee exist. | am informed that after Garfield
had been crOss-questioned, with results so
fatal to his integrity and honor by Colonel
Nickerson, concerning the bride of 5000 to
secure the adoption of the worthless De Col
yer pavement, he asked permission to revise
his testimony. The requestwas granted, and
he changed certain portions of his evidence
in such way as TO make very different inn
preston upon the reader than il did upon
the Committee who listened TO him.
The Credit Mobilier and the De Golyer
paving contracts were not the only Jobs
in which Garfield figured. While he gem
orally covered his tracks with considerable
skill, the fact that he seemed to be on init
mate terms with lobbyists and iobbers
al
him. Mr.. Garfelds connection with Pacific
Mail was very suspicious. He was Chair
man of the Committee on Appropriations in
1874 a position which he occupied when his
influence in behalf of the De Golyer pave
ment was purchased. The Pacific Mail
Steamship Company had obtained con-
ditional subsidy of half million dollars
The New York Tribune, early in December,
1874 explained the situation in this Lam
guage:
AHALF MILLION STEAL
The first of the jobs makes its appearance at the
Capitol early, and, regret TO say, in OF GEN.
eral Garfeld's surprisingly prompt appropriation
bills: We beg the General to relieve himself and
The Pacific Mail was in the enjoy
ment OF subsidy OF $4,000 per annum. Mr..
StOckwell one OF its numerous retiring Presidents
succeeded in getting law authorizing $4,000
more, on condition that enough new firSt-class
iron steamers should be placed ON the line to do
Company failed TO get them on by that time, has
not yet got them on, and has only two of them,
Postmaster General Teported This faiDre to Cn ne
gress in December, 1873 Congress thereupon
made no appropriation for the subsidy, and the
bill itself only escaped defeat because of the view
generally expressed, that the Company failure to
comply with the terms made ii null. Congress
being out OF the way, Attorney General Williams
was appealed TO for one OF his opinions. He con-
veniently decided that the failure of year or two
more or less, made no difference. Postmaster
General Jewell. to the duties of his office and
easily imposed on in matters of routine has been
induced to estimate for the $780, 900 subsidy
as If ii had been earned, and General Garfield has
reported it to Congress in the postal appropriation
public service TO watch this job 10 resist il from
the outset. We are unwilling to believe that
either Governor Jewell or General Garfield could
have been aware of its nature. But after this ex-
posture there can be no decent pretext for continu
ing the claim.
On the 18th of December, 1874, Garfield
rose to personal explanation in reply to
this paragraph. 1t would have been very
easy matter for the Chairman of the Com
mittee TO have said that the half million
steal had not been inserted in the bill. He took
good care not To do So however. but in am
biguous language conveyed the impression
to his associates that the bill containing the
item had not been prepared:
do not suppose that the editor of the New
York Tribune desired to do an injustice either 10
the Committee on Appropriations or the Chair
man of that Committed 1t is clear that the editor
was misled by some correspondent. s-<8s
OF course l need not say In the hearing OF the
House one word upon this subject Every mem
Der of the House knows that the Committee
Appropriations has not yet reported the Postoffee
Appropriation bill to the House. $ -
Especially is it surprising when that journal two
days before published the titles of all the appro
prfation bills which have been reported at this
session, and the Postotice Appropriation bill was
not of the number. have no doubt the editor of
the Tribune will be glad TO make the correction.
But mention this TO show with what facility
and on what grounds men in public life are
charged with unworthy motives and dishonorable
motives
Whether the bill had been completed or
not at the time the Tribune correspondent
learned that the job was TO be foisted upon
the House is immaterial The bill was ulti-
mately reported, and in it was the appropri-
alton of $500, 900 for Pacific Mail. Garfield
defended the job to the best of his ability,
but the load was too heavy to be carried, and
the House struck the item from the bill
The Senate. by an overwhelming majority,
refused to restore it.
Not for Hancock.