Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-08-14
Ispecial Telegram to the Globe l

tiuence ex-senator Matthews became, after
a long series of vicissitudes. an associate
justice of the supreme court of the United
States is still an open one, and between
the conflicting statements, accusations and
denials respecting the parts played by
President Garfield and Jay Gould in that
transaction, the public mind is necessarily
confused. No one will seriously question
the legal qualifications and abilities of
Mr.. Justice Matthews, since he is undoubt-
eddy the peer of his fellow Justices in all
the essentials of legal learning. The only
importance attaching to this matter lies in
the charge of a corrupt bargain alleged to
have been consummated between President
Garfield and Jay Gould, by which a rail
road attorney was seated on the
woolsack of the supreme court
of the United States, with the Interior
object of controlling or affecting the deci-
s1ons of that court in railroad cases. The
following history is narrated by gentle
man connected directly and Indirectly with
all the events of which he treats, locally
corroborated and sustained by documents
in his possession, which, if necessary, are
open TO public inspection whenever de-
sired.
Said the gentleman: 81 was in tie SER
vice of the government and stationed at
Cincinnati during the summer and fall of
1879 pending the exciting gubernatorial
canvass between Charley Foster andGeneral
Ewing. The existing condition of affairs
politically was largely in favor of Foster,
whose election by substantial majority
was foregone conclusion, but in view of
the fact that the Democratic legislature
had gerrymandered the Legislative districts
of the state, his success by no
means guaranteed the election of
Republican legislature which
would be called upon to choose a senator
to succeed Senator Thurman, whose term
expired March 3, 1881. became warmly
enlisted in this campaign, and made quite
a number of speeches in southern Ohio in
aid of the Republican ticket. To my
utter establishment it subsequently tran
spired that my warm advocacy of Gen.
Garfeld's election to the senate had given
Matthews great offense, and that a con-
spiracy was on foot, originated by Presi-
dent Hayes, Warner NJ. Bateman, Ben
Eggleston and others, to defeat Garfield
and elect Stanley Matthews to the senate.
had no idea whatever that Mr.. Matthews
aspired to be again chosen to the senate,
for the reason that I had been appraised
when he was elected for the two years I'M
expired term of John Sherman, and when
the latter resigned from the senate and
entered the cabinet of President Hayes, a
solemn com pact had been entered into by
which it was agreed that if General Gar
field woald Withdraw his candidacy at that
time to succeed Mr.. Sherman, Matthews
would not thereafter be candidate
against General Garfield. There was
such compact, and General Garfield him
self subsequently declared it to me. 1t
seemed that President Hayes, Stanley
Matthews and his friends argued that
Matthews proper place was in the senate,
that the years he had passed in that body
was only an aggravation, so to speak, that
General Garfie!d's true position was in the
house, the popular branch, where he was
conspicuous as a leader and speaker,
and that he had already received, by
continuous elections to congress, all
the political rewards and honors to which
he was fairly entitled; that Matthews was
infinitely Garfeld's superior mentally,
morally, physically and politically, if not
religiously, and therefore should be chosen
senator for the full term of six years.
President Hayes was willing to use all
the power of the administration patronage
and break the Garfield compact to elect
Matthews. am particular about giving
these facts because of their subsequent
bearing upon Gen. Garfeld's action when
he became president. was relieved from
duty in Cincinnati shortly after the can
vass in Ohio, and ordered to Washington,
where I was transferred to another branch
of the public service. This transfer had
just been made when I was officially in
formed that 1 was in trouble, and
my resignation suggested because Presi-
dent Hayes had received complaints of my
interference in Ohio politics., In other
words, MIR. Matthews and his friends resent
ed my activity in Gen. Garfeld's election
to the senate, and demanded my removal
as The penalty. was confdentially advised
that Secretary Sherman was my friend and
Gen. Garfeld's friend, but under the cir
cumstances he was embarrassed, from
which he hoped I would relieve hin.
A1OoOO3 l. AOAAOHS0 CAAAo dOhiOCs dCCllGSO lL0
offer and stepped down and out.
II ascertained that Stanley Matthews,
accompanied by Warner M. Bateman, of
Cincinnati, had arrived in Washington and
was on the senatorial war-path. 1 imme-
diately committed all the facts to Col. A q.
F. Rockwell, Gen. Gariield's immediate
friend, who at once saw Gen. Garfield, with
the result that I was notified by
letter from Rockwell that Gen. Garfield
requested me to call at his house at my
earliest convenience.
called at Gen. Gsrfeld's house the same
evening, Nov. 10, 1879, and held an extend
ed interview with him, in which narrated
all that I had ascertained respecting
Mathews candidacy for the senate, the OPP
position to him, end the action taken in
regard to myself. Swain and Thomas
Nichol were present during part of the in
terview. At that time Nichol had been
taken up by Secretary Sherman, who turn
ed him over for temporary keeping to
Gen. Garfield. Gen. Garfield was astound-
ed at these revelations and became much
excited. He said he conld hardly credit
that the solemn compact entered into be-
tween President Hayes, Stanley Mat
thews and himself. by which
he was to have an open
| field for election to thu senate in the event