Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1880-08-14
AU STIH BLAIR.
His Speech at the Jackson County
Republican Convention.
His Personal Tribute to Gen. Gar
Hetd as Gn Abfe and True Man.
some OF the Reasons for His Deter
minafion to support the Repub-
hcan Ticket.
Jackson Citizen Report.


1t has been very long since have been
In such a convention, and my coming
here at this time was intended prin.
clpally 10 convey my assurance to Won
and all others who care anything about
IL, that 1t Is my fixed determination To
unite with the Republicans in their eff
fort to elect Gen. Garfield to the presi-
dency OF the United States.
The reasons which influence me and
control my action in this direction, are
not far to seek, but shall not undertake
10 set them forth i'm detail now. No
doubt, during the campaign that is lust
beginning, there will be opportunity
enough for me to give reasons for the
faith that is in me, and shall take
pleasure In availing myself of such an
opportunity when the occasion seems
Of Gen. Garfield personally, I feel dis
posed TO say something now, with YOUR
Kind indulgence. l served six wears i'm
congress with him, and feel as if | knew
him well.
! was present during the whole of that
astonishing Congressional panic called
the credit mObilier" investigation.
knew Judge Poland, the chairman. fand
zen. Banks, and Judge McCrary. the
republican members of the committee.
well, and remember we'll the vigorous
protest nade by Gen. Garfield against
the clause i'm that report which purpOrts
TO be the finding of facts i'm his case as
Delng without any warrant i'm the evil
9ence taken before the committee. and
ms promise to show this at some future
time, which he did.
The whole affair was one of those
strange excitements that sometimes
seize upon bodies of otherwise sensible
men, and fairly carried them off their
1eet. In such eases often the voice of
reason, and the dictates of the cOmmOnest
Justlce are alike unheard. The guilty
ana the innocent are COMPOUNDED together
ana 10 be merely suspected is equivalent
10 being condemned. The House was
totally beside itself. 1t chose two vic
inns, James Brooks. Democrat, and
Oakes Ames, a Republican, and sum-
matliy crucified them and then drOr:
ped the subject. All the rest were az
quilted. WV '0 ~
The three Republican members of the
committee have all written letters saw
Ing that they acquitted Gen. Garfield of
all wrong In the matter. The two Demo-
cratic members have not been heard
from, but their names are attached to
the report which distinctly acquits him.
There is this incOngruity in that re-
port, that while it distictly acquits Gen.
Garfleld OF all wrong i'm that matter, it
sui contains what purpOrts to be a
statement OF facts i'm his case, which.
Standing by itself, would have seemed TO
indicate that the committee did not be
lleve his testimony to be true. How that
occurred l cannot tell, but know that
the testimony does not at all warrant
any such statement, and can only ac-
count Tor 1T upon the suppOsitiOn that |
tne report was carelessly drawn and |
published, perhaps by the clerk of the |
committee, and the particular wording
OF the report not carefully reviewed by
the members of the committee them |
selves.
Now. there is nothing i'm this affair
that affects my confidence in Gen. Gar
held in the least degree. And vet no.
tlce that in the local paper here-the
Jackson PatriOt-(and notice the re-
porter of that paper now sitting before
mel this sO-called statement of facts i'm
that report, which are not facts at all. is
Kept standing in the daily edition of
mat paper, signed by all the five
members of the committee, as if that
was the whole report about Gen. Garfield.
and 1t is not accompanied by single
syllable of those clauses of the report
which distinctly and emphatically acquit
aim OF all wrong in the matter, and this
lcquittal is signed by the two Democrats.
IS that honest journalism? Is it even
speaking the truth on the narrOWest
blame? On the contrary, in political
morality, is it not just on level with
he candOr of the skeptic, who insisted
hat he could prove out of the Bible it.
elf that there is no God, and when
challenged to produce his proof, took.
ne passage "The fool hath said i'm his
leart there is no GOd," placed his finger
ver 1.-The fool" and holding up the book,
aid triumphantly, there you have it i'm
% many wOrdsl
And this is as good as any of the
tuff they have got against him. He has
low been a member of Congress for
learly 20 years, and during all this time ,
70 has maintained character for in ,