Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-11-30
wrote Secretary Blaine the following
letter:
MAncH II, 1881.

Au NtlNNfE anu NAAAAfl last NANAa hNAENl
Garfield touching the Austrian mission, and
= think be has filed my application and Is favor
, bly, inclined. Since then / have concluded TO ~
ply for the Consul General at Paris instead {
> the Austrian mission, as prefer Paris TO Nienni
. | spoke to the General about II, and be said you
endorsement would help It, as It was In your b,
partment. l think have a just claim to you
help on the strength Of this speech "a speech wa
. eneosed), which was sent to our leading editor
/ and orators ia August It was about the lnu
shot on the rebel war claim idea, and was the ide
that elected General Garfield. Mr. Walker, th
present Consul at Paris, was appointed througI
Mr. Eyarts, aud presume he has no expectation
Of beng retained. l will talk with you abUu
this as soon ss / can get chance. There
! nothing against ne. claim to DO a gentleman
and Christian, Yours, very respectfully,
OuAbLEs GulrEAu.
He followed up his communication
by persistent personal appeals, and by
writing notes and letters, urging il
various ways his claims for this posi-
tion. Not only did ho besiege th,
Secretary Of State and the officers o
the State Department, but the Presi
dent and the officers of the Executive
Mansion. Generally treated witt
courtesy and kindly dismissed, as BIZ
wants and necessities became mort
urgent he became more persistent anC
determined. On the Sth of March hI
commenced writing TO the President
stating his reasons why the position
should be given him, and urging il
various ways his claims for the place
when his application reached The
President, ho was politely referred, az
were all other applicants for similar
appointments, 70 tho Department o.
State, the recommendation OF which
was usual for positions of the grade hC
sought. He frequently saw the Secre
tary Of State, and had various convor
sations with Mr.. Hit, the Assistant
Secretary, in which he urged bis claim.
upon their attention. Weaued by bis
importantly, the Secretary Of State, on
Saturday, the l4th OF May, according
to the prisoners statement in writing
said TO him: "Never spoke TO nv
again on the Paris Consulship as long
as you live" On the following Monday
he wrote to the President Informing
him Of Mr.. Blaine's statement, and
saying he was satisfied MIR. Blaine was
ondeavoring to run the State Depart.
ment in the interests Of his own candi.
dacy for the Presidency in 1884, and
appealing TO the President direct for
an immediate order for his appoint
ment. During this time he continued
TO visit the Executive Mansion, and
urged and insisted upon an opportunity
to SEQ the President. Finally, it be-
oamo necessary in order to avoid bis
presumptive intrusion, to prohibit his
entrance into the White House. Sourcd
and indignant at this treatment, disap.
pointed and enraged, on the 23d of May
be wrote President Garfield letter, in
which, in the light Of the fearful trag.
edy that followed, it needs no discern,
ing eye TO detect the threat of murder
this is the first premonition OF the con.
ceptiOn of this crime. That letter was
the first indication that disappointment
had turned his heart TO malice, and
that he had determined in revenge to
commit the crime with which he stands
charged, He was still smarting under
the indignity cast upon him by the
Secretary of State; he was still suffer
ing from the rebulis he had received
at the hands of the employees OF the
Executive Mansion; OF inordinate van.
ity, and of unparalleled selEesteem, no
has keenly felt the personal outrages
he supposed had been committed upon
him, and he determined to avenge them.
That letter is q remarkable one--re.
markable as indicating the motive that
prompted this terrible crime-remark.
able as giving an insight into the rea.
sons that impelled this man to nerve
himself up to a condition TO commit
this deed. it was as follows:
General Garfield; TPrivate1
! have been trying to be your friend. do not
know whether you appreciate it or not but am
moved to call your attention TO the remarkable
| letter from Mr.. Blsine, which l have Just noticed.
According to Mr.. Farwvll, Of Chicago, Blaine is
| a yindictive politician and en- evil genius, abd
you will have no peace till you get rid Of him.
This letter shows Mr.. Blaine Is a wicked man
and you ought 10 demand bis immediate resigna.
tion, otherwise you ana the Republican party
will rome to grief I will SEQ you In the morn
/ ing u cen and talk with you.
Very respectfully, CuAs. GuIrEAU,
You see in these sentences his bitter.
ness of spirit, inspired by the treatment
be claims TO have received at the hands
of the Secretary of State, and the de-
mand for his removal, and the threat
if il was not done what would result
Yet We will find that on the 2lst Of
March he wrote to Secretary Blaine
I am very glad personally that tho President
selected you for bis premier. You
the man above all otberl Tor the place.
That is one chapter in the history oI
this crime. The letter standing alone
and Independent ofother circumstances
would not Of itself attract attention to
its peculiar and significant expressions
But it will be shown that among the
papers left by this man for publication
is found one dated June lG, 1881, in
which he uses this significant language;
~ conceived the idea OF removing the
President four weeks ago" So that at
the time he wrote that letter he in
effect said, ~ want my office; Mr.,
Blaine stands in my way l demand
his removal if it is not done, ruin for
you and the party will be tho result.
1t will be for you to consider whether
this was not as near threat OF his
determination to do this crimo as he
dared then TO make with his knowl.
edge OF tho law and the danger of ox.
posure.
When he had conceived the idea he
had been rebuifed and, as he thought,
insulted by the Secretary of State. He
had been driven from the White House,
he was disappointed in his grand cx.
pectauons, he was without money, and
an almost destitute wanderer upon the
streets, and he soon determined to do
the cruel deed but here is the first
conception, the original inspiration
here the ground work Of his settled
determination. Once the idea con.
ceived that he was wrongcd and out.
ragged man, il took but little time for
him to decide to represent his actions
as being the result OF his desire TO
vindicate some great principle. He
knew, and well knew, that he must
hang some screen in front Of the real
motive for his crime. His heart was
wicked enough to conceive from its
own malignity the crime itself, but bis
shrewdness and vanity demanded that
the public should not gaze upon his
real motives.
This will account tor many Of the
extraordinary circumstances connected
with the crime. This will explain
many Of his lofty and egotistical utter.
anpcg