Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1880-09-29
A Promising Sklrmish at Last.
New York Herald, Sept. e.l


Everybody il groaning over the
deadly dullness of the CANVASS, but
at last there is a hopeful sign in the
West. Mr.. Hendricks, Herald dis
patches from indianapolis report
charged Gen. Garfield with having
helped to doctor returns and afli
davits ut New Orleans in 1876 as a
"visitiDg statesman Thereupon
the Indianapolis journal (Republi
can Orgaul retorted that Mr.. Hen
bricks had made statements which
were without Foundation in fact,
and which ought not 10 De made by
him, because if true they would dis
grace Gen. Garfield. On this Mr.
Hendricks, in public speech at
indianapolis, reiterated the accuSa
ton and offered such proof AS he
possessed, and this drew out Secrc.
tary Sherman, who, with gallantry
which shows that he is of the same
bloOd with his brother, the General,
not only exculpates Mr.. Garfield,
hut whitewashes the Returning
Board and all its proceedings.
The Shermans were always an
impulsive race; we suspect the Sec
rotary will see presently that he has
gone too far. The less the Republi
cans say in praise or justification of
the Louisiana Returning Board the
better tor them. Mr.. Sherman has
perSstently stood by those shame.
less swindlers, by no means to his
own credit, and it is amusing To see
how easily Mr.. Hendricks has now
drawn him into controversy which
N pretty sure, if it is continued, to
damage the Republicans. 1t is not
prudent for them TO help revive the
infamous story of the Louisiana Re
turning Board.
But even his opponents must al.
miro the Secretary's readiness TO
stand by his Returning Board
friends He has never failed them
from the time he returned to Wash
ingtOn from New Orleans. There
was at that time an amusing STORY
current of his zeal. He remarked
to n very eminent citizen of Wash.
ington, "Sr, the members Of the
Returning Board are gentlemen:
they are honorable men; they ar" rs
honest as ! am; as honest rs You
are" "Iiold on, hold on" cried
the gentleman he was addressing.
"hold on, Sherman; you may com
pare them with Yourself, but You
must not compare them with me.
cant let you do that" But this
only shows that, as Mrs. Malaprop
remarked, "Comparisons are odor.
GUS"
Chicago Times
Mr. Hendricks pointed out what
neither Mr.. Sherman nor Mr. Gar.
field can deny, that Garfield. after
declaring openly aud explicitly in
congress that the electoral commits
sion gave the right to the commits
SION TO go behind the returns, "to
open every ballot box, 10 examine !
every ballot cast by seven million of |
Americans" voted repeatedly ON
the tribunal that the commission
should not investigate. should not
60 behind the returns, aud that the
Kellogg certificate was stronger
than Congress, and stronger than
the law.
Mr.. Hendricks proved conclusive.
~ that with Gen. Garfield political
interests and passions and preiu.
dlces are stronger than conscience;
that Tor bis party, and for the profit
that might come to him from his
party, Gen. Garfield would stul,itv
his record and do violence to his
own best Judgment. Sec
rotary Sherman knew that testi.
mony OF any sort could be obtained
10y the ton in Louisiana, and that it
could be taken and arranged" to
suit any case. He proposed to take
advantage for the benefit of his
party oil tins peculiar abundance and
elasticity of Louisiana evidence. Mr..
Sherman managed the transaction
himself, but he could not attend to
all the details. Able lawyers. who
were also trustworty partisans. were
needed to stake and arrange or
manipulate the testimony. Gen. ,
Gar6eld was just the man for such
work, and he SAT i'm an inner room ,