The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1880-09-21
GARFlELD'S BRlBE.
The Law Under Which He Should
be Tried.
How the Republican Candidate for
President Violated the Statute
in Procuring the DeGOlver
Pavement Contract,
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CRIME.
New York Sun.

Members Of Congress and some high
officials who shou.ed loudest for vig-
orous prosecution of the civil war were
discovered to be tainted With jobbery
and with the sale OF Offices before year
had elapsed after the firing on Fort
Sumter. They illustrated literally DR.
Johnson's definition of patriotism. i:
became necessary to make this venality
a penal ofiense, and Congress passed the
following on July 16, 1862,
REcrTED IN TIE REVISED STATUTES:
"SEcrroN l,78l. Every member of
Congress, or any officer or agent Of the
government who. directly or indirectly,
takes, receives, or agrees to receive anv
money, property, or other valuable con-
sideration whatevef, from any person Tor
procuring or aiding to procure any con.
tract, Office, or place from the govern
ment or any department thereof, or from
any officer of the United States for any
person whatever, and every
member of Congress who, directly or in.
directly,
TAKES, REcElvEs, OR AGREES TO RECEIVE,
any, money, property, or other valuable
consideration whatever after his election
as such member, for his attention to,
service, action, vote or decision on any
question, matter, cause, or proceeding
which may then be pending,or by law or
under the Constitution be brought before
HIM 10 his official capacity, or in his
place as such member OF Congress, shall
be deemed guilty Of a miedemeanor, and
shall be imprisoned not more than two
years, and fihed not more than ten thou.
sand dollars"
Under this statute General Garfield
was
GttILrY or MIsDEMEANoR,
In "procuring or aiding to procure" the
contract for the De Golyer pavement. for
which be received . hribe OF 5000 =
Congress had created a territorial die
trict for the District of Columbia, aud
the Board OF Public Works, OF which
Boss Shepherd was Vice President and
the master spirit. we're public officers ap.
pointed by the President.
Now, mark the connections and the
dates and the facts of this foul transac-
ton. George A. Chittenden was the
agent OF De Golyer and Mcclellan for
procuring contracts to lay their wood
pavement In the eastern cities. He was
to receive
oNE-THIRD OF THE PROFITS
for bis agency. He went to Washing
ton, when the comprehensive plan of
public plunder was devised by Boss
Shepherd and his confederates. Henry
D. Cooke was then Governor Of the
District.
Chittenden soon fonnd out that Rich.
ard c. Parsons, then Marshal OF the Su.
preme Court, who had converted his Of.
fee into q den Of jobbery. was the next
friend Of Henry D. Cooke, both being
Ohio men. He also discovered that
Parsons was intimately allied with. Gar.
field, Chairman of the Appropriation
Committee,
WHOM, OF ALL OTHER MEN, BE WANTED
TO REACH.
Therefore be invited Parsons to Wash.
|ington 10 April. 1879, and soon made .
bargain with him for 5000 cash down,
and SIC, 900 contingent upon securing Q
contract for 100000 Yards of wood
pavement at 90 80 per yard,th full cost
OF which, laid down, was 81 40 per
yard,. 40 proven by the manager OF De
Golyer and McClellan's contracts.
After Chittenden entered upon this
large business, be informed De Golyer &
Met cClellan that he then required . round
hundred thousand dollars. When ssked
what he wanted with this large sum he
said "he wanted to pay his expenses and
part OF the National debt" The real
object was to
BUT Hfs WAY THROUGH,
and he succeeded.
On the 3Ist OF May, 1872. Chitteudeu
wrote to his principals as follows:
1.-THE irfuence of Gen. Garfield has
been secured by yesterdays, last night,
and to.day's labors He carries tn,
purse of the United States-the Chair
man Of the Committee on Appropria
tions-and is the strongest man In Con
gress, and with our friends my deman,
to-day is not less than one hundre,
! thousand [yards] more-two hundred 1