The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-08-06
The Cincinnati Commercial Again.


| lcge Of abandoning position heretofore as
sumed, and OF rccanting opinions once uttered
for a special object; but it has not the power
to disturb the truth Of recent and familiar
history by any change OF front. Tho awk-
ward dilemma still remains.
The Commercial was opposed to the nomi-
nation OF GARFIELD for President, and IL dis
tinctly and emphatically impeached his in
tcgrity by associatng him with the "moth
contracts" and other iobbery at Washington,
in which he was VIGOROUSLY concerned.
We revived this fact, and the lame answer
now, with the files Of tho Commercial to sus-
tain our statement, Is: The ground Of oppo-
sition was an exaggerated apprehension OF
public prejudice. We did not charge GAR
FIELD with want Of integrity, but with mex
perlence In business that placed him in q dis
advantageous position"
If this explanation of a charge intended to
strike GARFIELD In vital point, and to hold
him up to tho country as unworthy Of conf
dence be the best the Commercial can make,
we will leave the able editor to enjoy what
ever comfort may be drawn from it. Espe-
cially when the explanation Is followed
by this ingenious admission: 1--WE were,
hONCNcl, vi 10 u
didate, on the grounds already stated, and
not because we did regard or ever had re-
garded him criminal!' :. :. sf'.s' B.
Inexperience in business" is n charming
definition for corruption in a public man.
GARFIELD was above all talker. There
was no end to his loquacity. He made more
speeches on finance, the tariff, native indus
tries, and foreign and domestic commerce
than any other member Of Congress. He
pretended to possess exceptional business "
qualifications, and the Commercial attempts
to excuse his venality by alleged "inexperi-
ence in business"
If Mr.. SAM WARD and other noted persons
who had large business" with Congress
seven or eight years ago would open their
budgets, the inexperience which the Com
mercidl attributes to GARFIELD might APP
pear in very different light from that in
which his organ would now have the world
see it. He kept sharp eye on legislation,
and he is personally responsible for the very
worst part of it during the four years
that he was Chairman of Appropriations.
Every corporation and every Ring chief knew
he was purchasablc; and his vote was sold
oftener than that Of any other one of the cor
rupt crew with whom he was identified. The
demands OF loose life constantly called for
money, and he cared little how it was pro-
cured. For it is time the truth should be
known, that, under the mask Of hypocrisy
and the cheap cant of affected religion, GAR
FIELD was as coarse profigate in morals
as he was constant iobber In legislation,
both being causes OF embarrassment and
misery to him.
All the attempts to extenuate the treachery
OF GARFIELD toward Mr.. CoNKLING will fail
like the miserable efforts to give false col
oring to GARFIELDs infamous betrayal Of
RosEcRANs, made doubly foul by being per-
petratcd under the sanctity Of his military
tent, while holding to him the confiden-
tial relations of chief Of staff, and while con-
stantly protesting the utmost devotion Of an
exceptional friendship.
What can be more shocking to the lovers
OF truth and Of honor than GARFIELD's let
| ter to RosECRANS denying that he had ever
betrayed him, and denouncing all who had
accused him of bad faith and Of duplicity as
liars and scoundrels? He supposed his cor
respondence with Mr.. CHASE had been de-
stroyed, and he sought to defend his baseness
by a sweeping asseveration OF innocence.
|
false declaration than it did to go before the
Credit Mobilier Committee, with tears in his
eyes, and to swear that he never had any in
tsrest in that job, and had never received
any profits from it, when he subsequently
claimed from CAKES AMEs larger share
than he had received, and submitted the fig
ures in his own handwriting to make good
the claim
He swore in 1874 that he made long study
and q labored argument for the DE GoLYEF
pavement, for which he received bride OF
5000 to secure for the Washington Ring his
influence on the Appropriation Committee
But when cornercd before the GLOVER Com
mittee he was forced to admit that the only
thing he ever did was to speak to Boss SHEP.
HERD on the subject, when 1t was the Boss
himself who had bought him through his
next friend, RICHARD c. PARSONS.
Everybody knows the Presidential cam
paign of 1880 was lost and almost abandoned
until Mr. CoNKLING came to the front and
virtually took charge of the canvass There
was no life in it, and no feeling OF confidence
in any quarter. The gloom OF the situation
was deepened by the defeat OF BLAINE a
home who had made the bargain by whicl
GARFIELD was nominated.
The Half Breeds had utterly failed to In
spire the least hope OF success, and GARFIELD
himself was assured, unless the method:
were changed, he would be badly beaten. tt
effect such a change, he came to New Yorl
early in August, 1880, before the election il
Maine. He had "a secret dread and inwar'
horror" of what was to happen in that State
Mr.. CoNKLING was at the Fifth Avenue Hote
when Gen. GARFIELD reached there and, fo
reasons satisfactory to himself, he went ava,
without meeting the candidate, much to GAR
FIELDS annoyance.
1t is wholly untrue that CoNKLINd pro
posed to meet GARFIELD at Coney Island o
elsewhere Why should he do so when the
were within speaking distance OF each othe
. in the same hotel, and could close the door
: for a private conference in the rooms of either
| il desired GARFIELD did not come In dis
r guise. His visit was open, and there was n
secret about its purpose,
, In the desDerata condition Of afTnirs n