The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1881-11-15
Macvcagh Tor McvcyD

process which will end in exposing the big
gest sham that the curious processes Of
American politics ever invested with tenn
porary power and consequence. The late
President Garfield, while at heart one of
the best.meaning men that ever lived, was,
rs his more intimate friends well knew,
singularly destitute of that peculiar quail
ity called Judgment of human nature.
To this lack he could easily trace every ono
of the minor set-backs and embarrassmcnts
which from time to time diversified his
otherwise brilliant and successful public ca
reer.
In times past he had trusted Dick Par
sons with what result the history of Con-
gressional investigation abundantly testifes.
The trust he reposed in MacVeagh (or Nc
Vey) was equally absurd, though predicated
upon n different relation and governed by
other circumstances. And the result, had
the one as he did that of the other, must
have been substantially the same.
Macvcagh (or Mcyey) had not fairly
gotten acquainted with the routine of his
Department before hc engaged with certain
disreputable tools in n conspiracy to blacken
and defame Garfeld's nearest friend who
was his colleague in the Cabinet This
conspiracy was without any particular
motive. Mr.. Blaine had never injured
Mr.. Macveagh Tor McVcy). He was not
inimical to him as colleague, and did not
interfere with any relation, official or per-
sonal, that he might desire to sustain to the
President.
In fact, there was no cause or reason for
Mr. MacYeagh's Tor McVey's) suddenly de-
veloped antpathy toward Mr.. Blaine, cx-
cept the fact that Mr.. Blaine, by virtue of
twenty years close acquaintance and un-
swervingly faithful friendship to Garfield,
had acquired greater immediate influ'
encc over the mind of that unfortunate
statesman than Mr.. MacVeagh (or McVey)
had been able to acquire in few months.
Mr.. Blaine may deem it proper to publish
at some tmc and in some form the history
of this conspiracy. The circumstances of
the case make this history personal affair
of Mr.. Blaine, and while we could perhaps
set forth the main facts with sufficient ac-
curacy we think that they would come
with better grace direct from the person
chiefly interested.
From such n beginning MacVeagh Tor
McVey) went on consistently. Abandon
ing the duties of his Office or delcgating
them to creatures like Gibson and Billy
Cook, he devoted his entire time partly to
preparing advertisements of his own great
ness for insertion in the newspapers, and
partly to fomenting political and personal
dscord in the Cabinet, of which he was 9
member. That he utterly misconceived
the powers and miscalculated the respons:
bilities of his Office was apparent to his col
leagues in the Cabinet and to his subor
dinates in the department within foui
weeks from the day he was sworn in.
He seemed to imagine that the country
was undergoing Reign of Terror, o
which he was the Fouquier Tinville.
He seemed to think that his expression
of suspicion ought to be equivalent to th
verdict of jury and his belief in gull
tantamount to n penal sentence.
He seemed to share with Guiteau NOR
bid cgotism which in the one case assumed
the form of a mania for homicide and il
the other u mania for persecution
His first act of consequence was an attemp
to arrest upon leitres de cachet, issued unde
midnight order, some hundreds of mel
in all parts of the country; and he pro
posed to be guided in the selection of hi
victims by the whispered malic
and revenge of notorious suborne
and blackmailer, whom nobody else o.
earth with the slightest pretense to rcput,
VI ISoPohoiDiilty Woulu DellcNc unue
oath.
This programme, brought to the atter
tion Of Garfield by two other members {
the Cabinet, was frustrated by the pei
emptory veto of the President
We mention this incident merely [
illustrate the character of the man. 1t
not our purpose to discuss the particuli
cases referred to; but simply to display IL
mans astonishing career as a whole
He had surrounded himself with n gan
of blackmailers, suborners aud shysters, s
disreputable in name and so disgusting
person that no decent man cared to Al
proach the vicinity, and from these he DIRE
all that incidental information and inspir,
tion as to details and motives for whic
the head of great Department mu,
always look to his trusted subordinatcs.
What sort of an officer MacVeagh (,
McVey) might have made under 9th,
auspices and better inspiration, it is nc
worth while to inquire.