The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1882-03-09
TIE CHAIN OF EVIDENCE.

no
far future-for monuments TO the worthy dead
are of slow growth in America. 1t is i'tiie
more than eight months since he was shot, and
little less than six months since he died. YET MS
murderer still lives, and those in whose interest
he was murdered hold full control OF the Gov
ernment.
Most people believe that the expressions and
acts of a few men who call themselves the "stai-
vartr leaders, were the indirect cause OF the as
sassination of President Garfield; but not many
will openly say, whatever they may think, that
II was the carrying ont of plot having that re-
salt for its object. Let us go back, and follow
up the chain Of evidence.
One of the most desperate schemes ever under
taken in this country, was the attempt to nom-
mate Gen. Grant for q third term Of the Presi-
dency The plunderers who had grown fat on
the National Treasury, during his eight years in
Office. became ravenous in the succeeding four
years. One bad feature of the scheme was TO
foist Grant upon the Republican party by the
votes of delegates from Democratic States and
Districts. There was scarcely any Republican
organization in the South, and it was compara-
lively easy for adventurers, acting under the in
spiration of the promise Of public patronage, to
manufacture delegations for Grant. The South
came up Overwhelmingly for Grant. To secure
enough Northern delegates to compose majority
of the Convention, an attempt was made to dis
franchise the Republicans of the three great
States of New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois,
BY choosing delegates for the entire States in
State Conventions, packed by State Committees
in the interest of Grant, thus overriding the will
of the people of the Districts. The plot failed
only by reason of the revolt of number of dele
gates; but while the effort to nominate Grant
was defeated, there was no hope of nominating
any of the prominent candidates in the Conven-
tion against him. In this emergency, it was
found that Gen. Garfield, who a delegate in
the Convention, was the most available and pop
ular man to unite all the opponents of third
term for Grant. He was nominated, and the
conspiracy received crushing blow. Weeks
passed, and the heat Of the campaign arrived.
Conkling, Grant, and number of other prOmi-
nent leaders in the conspiracy, remained snllen
and quiet, until public sentiment would no Ion
ger permit them to conceal their hands. Then
Conkling made journey to Mentor, and had
private interview with Garfield. Enough has
been divulged to indicate what transpired there.
Conking made the highwaymans demand-youI
money OF your life-in other words, he demanded
certain patronage, a bride to restrain him
from defeating Garfield. What the precise term
were is not known, as COnkling is the only one
now living who can knowingly speak on the
subject, and his evidence is not reliable. But
the result was, that he and Grant got ont on the
stump. and did good work, and Garfield was
elected. Whether he could have been elected
without this aid, can never be known.
Garfield was inaugurated. He would have
been justified in repudiating all agreements made
to Conklng for promise extorted with knife
at ones throat, is neither legally nor morally
binding But he started out on munificent
scale with Conkling-appointng friend after
friend to high positions, until the number was
quite large. Then he thought it no more than
fair to give another wing of the party slight
recognition, and nominated Judge Robertson
to good position. Thereupon COnkling raised
an uproar as if the President had committed high
treason, and sold his country. Robertsons helm
Gus crime was, that he had repudiated Conkling's
dictation in the Chicago Convention, and had
voted rs his constituents had instructed him,
and had helped to nominate Garfield. To please
Conkling, il was demanded that Garfield should
punish man for assisting to nominate him for
President. Gratitude, decency, selfrespect, ev-
cry consideration, demanded that Garfield should
stand by his appointment, especially as Robert
son had been unanimously endorsed for the place
by the New York Legislature, including the votes
of many of Conkling's partisans Conkling's
next move was to impOrtune Senators to vote
against the confirmation of Robertson. Finding
his efforts upavailing, he resigned his seat, in
ducing Senator Platt to do likewise, and left the
Senate in the hands of the Democracy. The two
returned to New York, and asked to be re-elect
cd, rs an endorsement Of their fight against Gar
field and as n warrant from their State to con-
tipue the warfare. 1t was soon demonstrated
that the Senators could not be reelected, and 10y
the end of June, their friends had given up any
earnest effort to that end.
When Conkling found himself thwarted in his
efforts to coerce the President and shortly before
resiguing, he made the remark: 'lf / have to
choose between murder and suicide, it shall be
murder!" In other words, before the patronage
of New York should be taken from him, by means
of which he had perpetuated his power, he would
resort to murder.
The most violent paper in abusing Garfield and
his Cabinet, after the organ Of the Star Route
plunderers at Washington, was the st. Louis
Globe Democrat Blaine was accused of control
ling Garfield, and encouraging him TO stand out
against Conkling. On the 30th of May, the
Globe Democrat, published the following item:
We predict that Mr. James G. Blaine will not be
member of the Cabinet when Congress meets in De
cember.
Many expressions of like import were INDUCED
In by papers and by individuals, about that time.
That was just two weeks after Conklins's resig
nation By the beginning of June, it was known
~, He
spent most of his time in New York City, where
secret conferences were frequently held. Chester
A. Arthur, Vice-President of the United States,
was his almost constant attendant. About this
time, Charles J. Guiteau, according to his own
evidence, received an inspiration" to murder
Garfield. He invariably fixes the date at which
he lost all desire for Office at the hands of Gar
field, and felt the "inspiration' to remove him,
at the beginning of June. Guiteau was fire.
quent hanger-on about New York, and was
known to all the political managers on the Re-
publican side.
Cen Grant, who had been absent in Mexico,
ostensibly engaged in heavy railroad operations,
and who 1t was said, would be absent for many
months, about this time suddenly returned to
New York, where he was in almost daily caucus
with Conkling and Arthur. What the emergency
was that brought him home, has never transpir-
cd. To one not initiated, it looks as if he had
presentimeut that something was about to hap
pen, and that in the excitement of the hour even
the Government might tOtter, and that it wonld
REQUIRE q firm military hand and head TO seize
the reins, and establish ''strong" Government.
Did he have misgiving that Caesar might be
sssassinated, and that the Government might
fall into the hands of Triumvirate, Zone of
which he would be whom" if Conkling and Ar
thur were the other twoi
On the I'd of July, after dogging Garhelds
steps for several weeks, Guiteau shot him, at the
same time uttering the memorable words: 81
am Stalwart, Arthur is President!' That
was all there was to be said. Had he written
thousands of volumes, to explain his action, he
could not have made it more clear and complete
than he did in those seven words.
Conkiing and Arthur were together, when they
received the news of the assassination. Now,
their friends undertake TO explain why no mes