Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-03-22
Chicaqo HeraId. az.

George M. Scoville, the brother in-law
of Guiteau, lectured to one hundred and
fifty people in Fairbank Hall last night
on the political condition of the country
and the assassin's trial. His connection
with the Guiteau trial, he said, had
ceased, and he would leave for Washing
ton on next Tuesday to wind up his af-
fairs there. The bill of exceptions he
thought had by this time been signed by
the court, thus placing the case in such
a condition that any lawyer could take it
intelligently. Guiteau had funds sufi-
Gent to procure good counsel and would
be defended ably. He then drifted into
politics, and told his handful of hearers
what. in his opinion, should be done to
regulate existing evils. He thought the
people should have more direct control
over politics, and keep the professional
politicians in the background. The mu-
nicipal reform in Philadelphia demon
strated the evil effects consequent upon
the dominance of the Office seekers.
He suggested the foundation of political
clubs, which should hold the balance OF
power and regulate political affairs.
This was the only effectual remedy for
existing evils The speaker touched
somewhat on civil service reform, treat
ing his audience to more of the schemes
evolved from his own mind for the
government of the country. The office
seekers were roundly abused, and to the
system of official patronage he insisted
the death of Garfield was directly at
tributable. He described the workings
of machine with ramifcations existing
throughout the entire government,
+l,n dominant marty
with a rod of iron. That machine,
he said. killed Garfield, in that
Guiteau had been subjected TO the work
powerful influence had killed the Presi-
dent. The assassin's insanity was
secondary consideration in comparison
with the pernicious effects of the system
of official patronage. Grant, Conkling
and Arthur, he charged, were the instl-
gators of the assassin's heinOus crime, IN
| their fight upon the President for Official
patronage. and those men should write to
Mrs. Garfield saying: 1--WE feel our loss,
and the loss to the country, and regret
| the commission of the crime which wild
owed you; we deeply sympathize with
you in your bereavement, but we must
acknowledge that we were the causes of
the Presidents death. in making war
upon him on the distribution of offices.
The lecturer claimed that in his last
argument during the trial he was pressed
| by an unseen force, which, however, he
| could trace and locate among the highest
| officials of the government. These men
were aided and abetted by the govern
ment, and on every side he was harrassed
and trammeled by Instructions thrown
in his way by the government, and said
he had not been correctly reported in
some instances, particularzing the re-
marks he made upon Grant and COnk-
ling and their connection with the
troubles which led to the assassination.
The President was killed, he charged,
that the party might live. Mr.. Scoville
closed his lecture by deplOring the pub
LEGATION of cases of his fraudulent treat
ment of clients while occupying the pc
sition of Christian lawyer in Chicago.
He said it was as much as he could do
to make his argument in the case after
he had read the expose made in the col
umps of the Herald, and only did so by
the exercise of his strength, eXerted to
partially overcome the weakness caused
bv the articles. He charged shat this
paper was acting under authority from
| the government officials in Washington
and That on January 10Th telegram was
sent from headquarters at Washington
to the Herald saying, "Pitch into SEQ
Vile"