Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-02-22
GEN. GARFIELD'S FRIENDS
AROUSED.
THE sTALwART ATTEMPT TO BLACKEN
THE FRIENDS OF GARFIELD RESENT
ED-A STRONG LETTER WITH

THE FRIENDS OF GARFIELD RESENT
ED-A STRONG LETTER WITH
PROMISE OF MORE. -
Within the last two months sys-
tematic effort has been made by certain
alleged Republican newspapers, of the
stripe designated as 'stalwart of the
stalwarts' to belittle ex-Secretary
Blaine and to attack all the prominent
friends of the late President Garfield.
This is done for the purpose of killing
off Blaine as a candidate for the Re-
publican nomination for President in
1884. These 'stalwarts' assume to
represent the administration of Presi-
dent Arthur, whether by authority or
not is, of course, unknown. But it is
evident to all who are posted in cur
rent political events that all who do
not bow to stalwart rule are to be
ostracised and given back seats. The
latest attack from stalwart sources,
was made by the New York Com
nereial Advertiser, Conkling organ,
upon Thos. NJ. Nichol, of Chicago,
who was an intimate personal friend
ofPresident Garfeld's, and who has been
designated as general agent to secure
subscriptions for the Garfield mon
ument fund. The Advertiser either
for the purpose of preventing subscrip-
tions to the fund, or to crafty Its spite
against Nichol because of the part be
took against Conkling last spring in
the controversy over the appointment
Of Collector Robertson, makes a bitter
personal. attack upon him, and to this
Nichol replies: All you who glory in
the name of stalwart, and who took
part In the vili6eation and abuse ol
President Garfield last summer, who
sought to control his official action OF
degrade and destroy his character
and reputation, you are responsible fol
his murder. His blood is on the gar
ments of the whole gang of you, ant
you cappot wipe it off. You have
been dealt with very tenderly touching
your grave responsibility for this crime
but everybody knows you are guilty
and you feel it yourselves in your in
nermost souls. 1t was your abuse
and denunciation that inspired Gui
tsau to remove the President as a po
litical necessity and you will no
much longer be permitted to hide tn
stains upon your hands or distract at
tention from them by raising a dus
around the heels of Blaine; by throw
ing mud at Sherman or heaping ridi
cule on me. Your crime was not mere
ly the murder of man, it was tn
transfer of the Government by murde
to the hands of faction of the part.
which, if the question could have beel
submitted to the people at the time i
was done, would not have received ont
vote in thousand.
One would think that with such
fact hanging over your heads in tb'
clear daylight of public knowledge
you would have sense enough, though
destitute of all decency, to enjoy tn
lease of power the assassin gave yo'
while the law allows, without presist
emily vilifying the chosen friends ant
associates of your victim who was tn
Nations choice. Why, you are tn
most stupid fools in the world to keel
on provoking discussion of these oil
matters You stand as acknowledged
criminals, morally responsible for ant
guilty of Garfeld's murder, but agains
you, on account of your friends and tn
good name of the community, the pros
ecuting witnesses are loath to proceed
But when you treat mercy as coward
ice, you are no longer entitled to for
bearance. So now, if you want a re
consideration and full discussion to th
whole tune played over again, wit
occasional variations, in pertinent AM
truthful connection, which were omit
ed before, keep on calling for it, ant
it shall not be nay fault if you are no
gratifed with response.
And now, gentlemen, if you mus
abuse me, abuse me for this, and no
on account of my friendship for Gar
field or his for me-
THOMAS M NICHoL.