The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-08-09

our differences, If we have any, until
we shall have settled finally with the
common enemy in 1884. 4.-Har1ssourg
(Pd.) Patriot.
Struck 'Em Like Cyclone.
The astonishing statements attributed
to Mr.. Dorsey have struck the Kepub-
lican press like cyclone. The atten1pr
is being made to discredit the story, but
it will hardly succeed. Who is DorseyP
An answer to that question will throw
some light on the probability of the
story. Stephen J. Dorsey came to the
political surface during the s. recon
struction " period, being sent by the
negro Legislature of Arkansas as a SEN
ator to represent that State at Wash
ineten. Of course he was stanch
and stalwart Republican. He was SO
familiar with corrupt and desperate
political measures that. he was soon
placed on the Republican National
Campaign Committee and eventually
became its Secretary. During his term
as Secretary he became familiar with;
the methods of getting and carrying
out the contracts for carrying the
Federal mails He engaged In that
business and invented, the scheme for
robbing the Treasury commonly called
ssthe Star-route robbery" By this
means he accumulated large fortune,
part of which he has invested in cattle
ranches and silver mines in New Mexico.r
When the Presidential contest OF 1881;
opened it was speedily discovered,
through the Republican defeat in Maine
early in the simmer, that the geniai
Marshall Jewell, of Connecticut, Chair
man of the Republican Committee, was
wanting in something, and that their
cause was lost unless the most desperate
measures were resorted to. In this dlre
emergency the Republican leaders IN /,
| stinctively turned to Dorsey, gave him
the management OF the remainder Oh
the campaign and begged him to save
the grand old party. Dorsey accepted
| the task and went at 1t with character
! istic ardor and unscrupulousness. The
keystone of the contest was Indiana. Ii
he could wrest that from the Demo-
cratic ranks the Republicans might
elect the President. This he succeeded
in accomplishing. Hancock was de.
feated. Garfield was elected. r.
Every intelligent politician was aware
that Indiana had been carried for the
Republicans in October of 1880 by the
the lavish use of money. Indeed, Vice
President Elect Arthur, at the famous
Delmonico's. banquet in New York,
given in honor of Dorsey, openly and
shamelessly lauded Dorsey for the exs
ceedingly able manner in which he car
ried Indiana by the use of documents
and soap.' When Garfield was
elected he offered Dorsey the position
of Secretary of the Interior, but Dorsey
declined. He had ''better thing" in
the postal route frauds. All he desired
was to shape the Administration so that
he would be allowed to steal with lm-
punity. This it was agreed should be
! done. But to Dorsey's great disgust,
i President Garfield attempted to take
! care of Dorsey and at the same time
! play the part of great reformer. he
| put James and McVeagh into his Cabi-
l net. They happened to be honest and
hence they prosecuted Dorsey, the
savior of the Republican party, for the
t Star-route frauds. Garfield was shot
4 by Republican statesman named Gui-
q teau. James and McVeagh were put
e out of the Cabinet of President Arthur
to make the task of saving Dorsey
v easier. But there was the Star-route
n prosecution, like white elephant, LEFT
$ on Arthur's hands. Arthur found him
1 self in an embarrassing position. Ht
t became seized with the desire of being
+ elected President. He tried to carr.
g water on both shoulders. He deter.
o mined to be reformer-just httl'
e one for cent-and he ordered the pros
u ecutions against Dorsey to proceed. .
e course Dorsey was to be saved in thu
l. end. The trials ended in Dorseys ac
= quittal by the jury. Before the bar o
J. public opinion, however, he was foun'
% guilty. The trials cost him great dea
l. of money. The Star-route stealing wa
'e broken mp. Dorsey was out OF job
l. He felt that the Republican press, In 1t
1t anxiety to shield the party from respon
/ sibility for Dorsey, had dealt seyerel
y with him. He doubted the fidelity
N Arthur, though his acquittal ought t
l. have saved him that suspicion
o. He became soured and angry an
.. determined that in his fall he woult
like another Samson, drag dow
the pillars of the Republican temple. 5
he has told the story revealing the il
Id side plottings of the Republican can
at paign of 1880. The story hurts gres
er many Republican leaders. 1t retiec
SIS on the character of Garfield. This
cy unfortunate, for Garfield is dead an
III can not answer lOE ulluScA. Dub DoicS
$. could not leave Garfield out of his stoI
T. for the reason that he was the centr
ty figure around which the drama revolve'
nd 1t is not necessary to go into the detail
OF of Dorsey's exposures. We publishe
IL the main facts of the case yesterda
ur not with the purpose of maligning al
in person, whether he be dead or aliv
be but because this story is part of tt
hit political history of the country whic
rs every citizen ought to be informed G
o. The story is not Democratic campais
n ellie" No campaign is in progress: III
W story does not originate with Democrat
le- 1t is told by Dorsey, once Republics
to Senator, and but few weeks ago Il
Secretary and actual manager of Il
lc- Republican National Committee. If
IN is not true, let the Republican leade
ne who are living disprove it. For Il
ng sake of the National credit we earnes
he ly hope it may be completely refute
30, But that refutation should come spec
ad ily. Delays are dangerous. Dorsey
lrs story tallies well with the known fac
of of the late Presidential campaign.
he will take very strong evidence to owe
es- turn its inherent probabilities. 1t W
ote not do for the Republican press to d
ef.t miss it with assumed contempt and
lat call it q piece of Democratic mali
ose nity.'' The story has nothing of th
to nature about it. Ii is an official stat