American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-09-04
Garfield and the Fraud.

We shall religiously observe the Re-
publican request, made in person and
through numerous organs of General
Garfield, not to make this a personal
campaign. We shall do this, notwith-
standing the fact that the people and
the journals who make these requests
themselves do nothing else than seek
to make this personal campaign
against General Hancock. General
Hancock can afford a personal cam
paign; General Garfield cannot afford
such canvass. We have treated Cen
eral Garfield in this campaign in a re-
to treat him. We have not charged
upon him contemplate acts of personal
meanness not broad and National in
their character. In this respect we
have varied from the practice of some
of our Republican contemporaries that
have asked for non-pcrsonal cam
paign. We have said nothing about
General Garfield that is not known to
be true, and is not "a part of the
history of the country" In this re-
spect, also, our methods differ from
those of some of our friends who
deprecate personal campaign.
But no part of the history of the
country is SO prominent at this time as
the theft of the current Presidency. In
this stupendous stealing Garfield took
a conspicuous and disgraceful part.
From his place in the House he de-
nounced, under his oath as a member
OF the Congress, certain features OF the
Electoral Commission bill rs unconsti-
tctional and vicious. He pleaded for
the sahctity of precedents. He took a
decided view as to the powers which
the bill conferred upon that Commits
sion. He maintained them by argu-
ment in such a manner as to show that
they were not opinions hastily formed
or which could be hastily and at the
same time conscientiously changed.
The bill became n law, and Garfield
became member of the Electoral Com
He was again acting under
high responsibility. Within few days
his views as to the Constitution changed.
His opinions concerning the duties
which the bill imposed upon the Com
mission were suddenly altered. He said
as a member of the Electoral Commits
sion that the things he had said as a
of the House a few days be-
fore were false. The charge we make
is that Garfield was not only prom
nent among the men who stole
the Presidency, but that he sinned
against himself as well rs against
the Constitution and the laws. He did
the things he had just said he could not
do. He solemnly and deliberately said
that the Constitution meant one thing
one day and almost the next day said that
it meant something else, the moment he
found that his practical perjury could
accomplish the theft of the Presidency,
he rape of American suffrage. He had
.arefully examined and debated the
bill that created the Electoral Commits
sion and had explained its scope and
The instant he found that
~ saving he had lied he could accom-
Dlish the most enormous outrage upon
he rights of suffrage which has been
Known in free governments, he solemn
Y and deliberately declared that he
vas lying n few days before or was ~
ng then. He was involved equally
With any of the others in the huge rob
perry itself. He bears the additional
nfamy of having contradicted and con-
yicted himself in so doing. Without
his vote the steal could not have been
and he had just sworn
hat he would not and could not con-
so cast it Cincinnati En-
luirer.