The daily gazette., 1880-06-15
The Servant Of the Rings.

WASHINGTON, June l0.-When
Jay Gould and the associate Rings
failed 10 nominate Blaine, in whose
behalf they had expended time,
labor, and money without stint, it
was natural that their united vote
should be turned over to Garfield.
Without any of the magnetic per-
sonal qualities of the Senator from
Maine, which partly obscure his
moral defects, Garfield is known to
be very much a creature of the great
corporations. No man in public life
has a worse record than the candi-
date of the Chicago Convention.
From the time he entered the
House of Representative seventeen
years ago until now, Gen. Garfeld's
name may be found recorded for
every scheme, job, and corrupt COM
bination that has become familiar to
the public by investigation and ex-
posure. His figure stands conspicu-
GUS in the history Of all the venal
and debauched legislation which
marks the period that began with
the enormous grants of lands and
money to the Railroad Rings until
the overthrow of the Republican
majority in the House of Repre-
sentatives.
Garfield voted for almost every
bill to plunder the Treasury, in
whatever form it was presented, and
for all the atrocious measures in
which jobbery and politics were
united, during the dark period of
reconstruction. After he became
Chairman of the Committee on Ap-
preparations his sphere of influence
was enlarged. He industriously i'm
proved the opportunities which
that commanding position afforded.
Weak, vain, and morally loose, he
became an instrument in the hands
of shrewder knaves, and sold him
self cheaply.
He is directly responsible for the
Sanborn contract job, by which the
merchants of New York were open
ly robbed by an infamous combina-
Lion of Treasury officials, lobbyists,
and members of Congress. The au-
th ority under which that conspiracy
was organized was a "rider" on the
Legislative bill, mounted by Mr..
Sawyer in the Senate, who after
wards shared in the profits. The
House rejected it overwhelmingly,
but throught a committee of confer
ence, of which he was Chairman
Garfield contrived to drive the mea-
sure through, and then to gag the
House ON the final report.
AS beneficiary of the Credit Mo-
bilier he was convicted against his
own sworn testimony by the report
| of the Poland Committee and by the
diary of Oakes Ames, specifying to
a day the day of every transaction
After swearing solemnly that he
never owned, received, or agreed tC
receive any stock Of the Credit Mo
bilier or of the Union Pacific Rail
road, nor any dividends or Iprofit'
from either of them," he went tC
Oakes Ames while the investigation
was in progress and claimed that he
had not received his full share, ac
cording to the agreement. Ame'
produced the memorandum in Gar
iield's handwriting upon which this
claim was based
He was not the author of the sal.
ary grab, but to him more than tc
any other member of Congress at
taches the responsibility of tha
steal, by which over eleven hundred
thousand dollars were pocketed at g
single dash on the Treasury. That
act never could have passed the
House but for his deliberate treach
cry in opening the door by calling W
the Legislative bill late at night, at
ter having pledged himself to man,
absentees that it should not be con
sidered.
As Chairman of the Committee or
Appropriation he was the efficien
supporter of the Washington Ring ant
of Boss Shepherd personally. Th,
agents of De Golyer and McClelland
a firm of contractors for laying woot
pavement, formed a combination witt
the Ring for a job of three-quarters 0
a million, more than one-half of whicl
would have been clear profit, at tn
prices to be levied on the taxpayers
: The Ring wanted appropriations iron
Congress-, and it was desirable to Sc
, cure Garfield's support. They knev
that r. G. Parsons of Cleveland wa
his next friend, and they hired Par
sons under the guise of counsel wit
, n fee of $4,000. Parsons hired Gal
field for S., QUO, which was paid to hir
!. on the 18th OF July, 1879.
When Congress met in the follow
: ings December Garfield carried throug
. in six weeks appropriations for tn
!, Washington Ring which aggregate
three and half million dollars. ii
C and his friends had claimed that tn
five thousand dollar bribe was fee
but he was forced TO admit, under oatl
when interrogated before the Glove
i Committee, that he never made an al
pument before the Board of Publ
: Works, and never prepared an opinion
y The most that he did was to spea
D. personally on the matter to Boss Shel
/. herd, who had indirectly employe
h him.
', After the exposure of the thievel
of Attorney General Williams, b
4, which the contingent fund was apple
'r to the purchase and maintenance of
N dashins eqnipage for his family, Ga
a. a. field had the effrontery to advocate
continuance of the appropriation fl
rt that object.
"a The so-called peace policy towal
80 the Indians was inaugurated soon a
n.o,,t ao yna iutn Off1an in ~