The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-03-18
GARFIELD AND ROsECRANs....A STRANGE
BUSINESS.

red by the "villalny of his taking Off," ant
how ready the nation may be to crown him a
a sainted martyr, his pablo career is common
property, and at least in the estimation of pc
l. litcians Of the stalwart label, open to promp
and mcrciless criticism, even before the eartl
is dry upon his grave. Such al least is the in.
ference enforced by what has been the all en-
crossing theme of the "big dailles" for the
past week or two To state the matter "in or
der" it runs IN about this way:
: During the presidential contest of 1880 the
New York San threw out sundry innuendos
that there was a letter from Garfield to the
late Chief Justice Chase in existence written
during the war while he (Garfield) was Chief
of Staff to Gen. Rosecrans so unjust to his
commander that if published it would be more
injurious TO his reputation and prospects OF
election than the famous Morey letter would
be If proved genuine. Rosecrans, who was a,
the time a candidate for congress IN Callfor.
MIA, became restiye under these innuendoes
and appears to have written to Garfield about
them. The latter promptly replied in letter
which is now printed tor the first time in the
New York Heratd, saying among other things,
"Any charge, whether it comes from Dana or
any other liar, to the effect that was in any
sence untrue to you or unfaithfu to our
friendship, has no particle of truth in it," On
the contrary he asserts that when Stanton, IN
1863, was on his way to Louisville to remove
Rosecrans, he met him and earnestly defended
HIM ltosecrans). against the assaults of his
enemies, &c.
The matter was allowed to sleep here until
few weeks ogo Blaine came to pronounce
his eulogy on Garfield. In that he undertook
to crticise the Tennessee campaign of Rose
Grams IN 1868 and his action at Chcamauga,
and to intimate broadly that Garfield, though
occupying to him the confidential relation of
chief of staff, had made no secret of his disap
pOintment at the manner in which the cam
paign was managed. This brought out a
prompt note from Rosecrans, denying that
Garfield had ever cherished or given u.terance
to any such disapproval.
it was now In order for Dana, of the New
York Sun, to speak, and he did 80 by publish
ing the alleged letter from Garfield to Chief
Justice Chase, finding fault with the manage
ment by RosecranCe Of the Tennessee cam
paign IN 1868. The letter Is dated at Nash.
VILE July 27th 1863, and IS quite lengthy. r.
is true, 1t is ''private and CONFIDENTIAL but
aside from the military egotism and seif.praise
it abounds in, 1t is filed with reflections on
Ian uktDL nt,,I,, h.,'
defended rs either proper or honorable in an
officer holding to him the confidential relation
of chief Of staff and close personal friend, and
which, besides, were grossly unjust
The publication of this letter created de-
cided sensation. Rosecrans at first declared it
could not be genuine, and many facts ana in
cidents were recalled to show that it must be
forgery Why as late as 1864, such was Gar.
fields protessed friendship for Rosccrans, that
he headed an earnest movement in the rcpub.
HIM placed on the ticket with Lincoln for
vice president. Then, however, other facts
came out. One, among many others like II,
that shortly after the removal of Rosecrans
from the command of the army of the Cum
berland IN 1863 dinner was given by +. =.
Blair, IT,, III Washington at which Garfield
| was present, and the removal of Rosecrans
being mentioned, Garfield inveighed SD loud
| ly against it, that Montgomery Blair went to
Lincoln, repeated what Garfield had said, and
tried to persuade him he had made mistake.
"And Garfield said thst?" asked Lincoln.
Yes" Why" replied the President, ut was
upon Garied's statement of facts ana repre-.
sensations more than anything else that Rose
cranss removal was based"
Dana, of the New York Sun, also now AYERS
and in this he is backed by David w. Schuck
er, who was private secretary to Chief Justice
Chase, and who admits having gwen Dana
the letter of Garfield TO Chase, that this was
not the only letter that Garfield had written
against Rosecrans, but that he had written
several others, and through them was TIT
chief instrument of procuring Rosecrans' re
moval.
Such proof uf course, H"cuhula'ing :" ra
pidly, have convinced Rosecrans as we'll a
every body else of the genuineness of thu
Garfield. Chase letter, and Gen. Kosecran
thereupon IN an interview makes free to say
81 had no idea at the time that / was harborinl
a person capable Of such falseness and doub
, dealing, or there would have been court
martial at once / did not look tor such al
Exhibition of Gen. Garfield's character as thi
and am sorry that the letter ever saw the light
/. But il should never have been written, for, a
!. have said, it is compound of untruths an'
, exsggerations."
9 Chauncey /. Filley, OF St. Louis who claim
: to have had the promise of Garfield to h