Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1882-02-01
The Assault on Garfleld's Memory.

! from inc new tork bun.
A most strange discussion has been
carried on during the last two weeks
by the Cincinnati Commercial, of which
Murat Halstead is the editor, the New
York Tribune, edited by Whitelaw
Reid, the Commercial Advertiser of
New York, the Tribune and the Inter-
Ocean, two Of the most important news
papers in Chicago, the Cincinnati Ga
zette, and the National Republican.
A specimen of this dispute appeared in
our columns yesterday.
The essential theme Of the contro-
versy is not new one. 1t has been
reviewed and commented on with clear
ness and persistency twice before: first,
in 1873, at the time of the Credit
Mobilier exposures, and again during
the whole of the canvass preceding the
last Presidential election. 1t is the rec
ord and public character of the late
President Garfield.
Some of the journals named are
identified with the faction of the Re-
publican party known as the Stalwarts,
some are Half Breed in their character,
and some may be one or the other as
happens to suit their interest. The two
most steadfast, unwavering, and con-
sistent in their course are the National
Republican of Washington and the
Commercial Advertiser, both Stalwart.
The purpose of it all appears to be
an attack on Halstead and Reid. Hal
stead supported Garfield for the Presi-
dency after his nomination, and Reid
did also. They not only supported
him during the canvass, but when the
two factions afterward drew apart, the
Commercial and the Tribune fairly
out-did themselves in their endeavors
to annihilate the followers of Senator
Conkling. In their efforts to drive the
Stalwarts out Of all relations to what
Reid and Halstead and the rest of the
Half Breeds supposed would hence
forth constitute the Republican party,
they so fercely condemned, ridiculed,
and vilifed the pretensions of the Stall
warts, that any subsequent utilization
between the two factions must seem
utterly absurd.
Since tho accession of the present
Administration, the complexion of
these two journals has naturally enough
become changed, and the out and out
Stalwart organs, and those that never
regarded Halstead or Reid with friend
ship, salute their present attitude with
contempt. And unluckily for them,
the President seems to share this opin-
ion. In truth, this is perfectly natural.
With what other feeling than disgust
can Gen. Arthur or any other manly
mind, look upon the proffers Of recon
Citation and support which these and
other time servers like them, have
fawningly rendered ever since the Stall
warts were brought back to power Such
is the sentiment of the Stalwarts gen.
orally; but the mode of expressing it
adopted in their present warfare is
startling in the highest degree.
The weapon which the Stalwart news
papers use against these two unhappy
editors is the record Of the man they
all lately supported for President. At
the time Of the Credit Mobilier ex-
posures, when the success of their party
was not stake to bias their judgment
or influence their words, many Repub-
lican newspapers, the New York Tri-
bune among others, gave free express
sion to their condemnation of the Con-
gressmen incriminated. Halstead pub
licly maintained the same unfavorable
opinion Of them up to a much later
date than the rest of the Republican
press. These printed criticisms and
condemnations of those mixed up in
the Credit Mobilier bribery are now
flung in the face Of Reid and Halstead.
To show the absurd, the ridiculous
weakness in the characters Of these two
journalists who now seek once more the
smiles Of power, all these Republican
papers are printing again and again.
in very conspicuous manner, the most
discriminating statements against their
late President that were ever uttered.
For the sake Of splitting on two gentle
men who seem to be ambitious Of being
considered elements in the greatness Of
any Republican Administration, they
have given all possible publicity to
those incidents Of Garfeld's life which
rendered it disgraceful to the nation
that such a man should have been
made its President, and which now.
when he has passed away from this
stage forever, should be buried never
to be resurrected.
But what do they care for Garfield
now? In the heat Of the Presidential
contest, there was no disposition on the
part of one Republican newspaper to
force another that had once condemned
the party candidate, to explain its
change of heart or retrace its previous
expressions. There was no desire to
hold them up for consideration, but the
contrary. But now that the supremacy
of the party is assured for three years
longer, the Stalwart Republican jour
nails, whether from factions or personal
spite, do not hesitate to handy Gar
fields record among themselves and be-
fore the public, merely to prove that
two of their Half Breed antagonists
are either asses or knaves.
The replies that come from the other
side shed no agreeable light on the
character or history of Garfield. Reid
makes him out to have been of weak,