The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-07-27
TIE GARFIELD NOMINATION.
Interview with Wharton Barker,
the Man Who Suggested 1t.
Correspondence Between Garfield and
Barker.
PHILADELPHIA telegram


The publication of the Dorsey disclosures
In the New York Sun has brought TO the
front Mr. Wharton Barker, of Phila-
delphia During brief interview, Mr.. Bar
ker admitted that the management OF the
Garfield campaign at Chicago, before and
after the convention OF June, 1880, was
wholly in his hands
@The oft-repeated charges" he added,
shat the late President Garfield was not
true to the Hon John Sherman know toD De
absolutely false But as some day propose
TO write history Of the movement which
led to Garield's nomination and election, 4
can to day only produce copy OF connected
memoranda prepared by me eighteen
months ago, but never published"
The memoranda referred to comprise o
batch Of con- espondence, forming com.
plete narrative OF the events that occurred
conclusively that the movement to bring
Gen Garfield TO the front as the Republican
candidate for the Presidency had It's origin
in Philadelphia, and was brought about at
the suggestion and through the influence OF
manifested itself as early as May,
1879, in the editorial columns of
the Penn Monthly, a periodical
controlled by Barker 1t was not un-
til Dee. 20, 1879, however, that Mr. Barker
fields possible candidacy. On that date he
addressed letter to the General himself
and after q personal conference with MN
early IN January, $50, active steps were taken
for immediate organization Under date or
Feb. z, 1eSO, Mr.. Barker wrote TO Gen Gar
field, stating among other things:
"The opposition TO you here year or two
since was very great, under the behef that
you were free-trader; but your letter TO me
called out by short article in the rem
A.a.fL xfxxsv xxrhxy ltnVa
would not do, and why you would do, has
changed the opposition into support. In a
word that letter Of yours, stating how you
became a member OF the Golden Club, In
my hands, and those of such men as l saw
fit to place it, has worked the change"
Mr. Barker, on April 10, addressed letter
to the late President, in which he SAID:
AT my office this morning, had q con-
ference with the Hon Wayne MacVeagh and
Mr.. James McManes, which / believe will
result in public declaration on the part or
Mr.. McManes, the whole Philadelphia dele
CATION and of many country delegates to the
Chicago Convention This move, L am quite
sure, will end the Grant movement the
country over, and SO far will be great
gain. The move will at first aid Mr.. Blaine;
but be ieve 1 understand how to move 80
as to kill him, and at the Chicago Conyen-
ton hope the nomination will go as we
want to baye it."
In reply TO tins, Gen. Garfield said:
1T is becoming every day more apparent
that the friends of the leading Presidential
candidates are becoming embittered against
each other, to such an extent that which
ever of the three may be nominated there
would be much hostility of feeling in the
conduct of the campaign 1t will be most
unfortunate if we go INTO the campaign
handicapped by the animosities of the lead
ing politicians
On May - Mr. McManes received this note
from Mp. Barker:
Il want to see you before noon, If possible
You can make q move in Illinois that will
without doubt destroy Grants chances, and
make your voice almost supreme at Chicago,
JuneZ. Please let me know when can see
you / shall be at my office all day"
On July IL, after the Chicago Convention,
Gen. Garfield wrote as follows to Mr.. Barker:
More than month has now passed since
the Chicago nomin atoms, and on the whole
think things are looking as well as we can
expect, in view of the great disappointment
many of our friends felt in failing TO receive
their choice. l think, however, that the
party is settling down to earnest work, with
many elements in our favor that have rarely
worked in harmony. 1t will be a close
struggle, and we have fighting chance to.
win. We will need all the wisdem and e.
fort of our best men to make it successful
On Oct II, Gen Garfield wrote again,
saying:
Next to defeat, the most dangerous
thing is partial victory. The victory in
Ohio and Indiana was not partial In so far as
those States were concerned, but it can only
be utilized by pushing the enemy at every
contested point Now is the favorable mo-
ment to ask for further exertiion, and ]
hope you will not relax any OF the fine en-
ergy you have displayed hitherto until the
contest is ended
Gen. Garfield again wrote to Mr. Barker
on Jan. I, 1881, as follows:
yours OF the LIST inst received note
what Won saw in reference IN tho oil
conflict now pending in Pennsylvania ANY
ntlmation or pretense from any quarter
that have taken part is without the least
foundation. The vely essence of good gov
eminent requires the free action of the
people and their represe natives in their
election of Representatives and Senators.
The visit of Senator Cameron here had no
reference to that subject If / am quoted
by any one as having expressed any pur-
pose TO interfere, he has done me wrong.
Please tell me TO what you allude when YOU
say dangerous promises have been made
with seeming authorityy'"
Mr.. Barker wrote on Jan 10: an answer
to your question, have to inform you that
Senator Cameron, on his return from Men
tor, began taking an active part in the SEN
atorial campaign. 1t wes then given out
that he had been called to Mentor, that il
was matter OF choice for him whether he
accepted for himself or one OF his friends a
seat In your Cabinet: that voters need ex-
PcCV hotnlnB from washington Tor them
selves and their friends, for the old distri-
button OF patronage was to be revived, I'm
less they gave their votes for the Cameron
nominee"
The last letter of the batch is from Gen.
Garfield, on Jan IL, 1881. In this he saws:
The report to which you refer is absolute
ly without foundation The gentleman
named came here of his own accord on bust
ness not at all connected with either of the
topics to which the report referred / am
quite confident he could not have author
lied any such report The cause OF sound
pontcs everywhere requires the utmost
freedom OF action in regard to the choice of
persons to hold Office, whether to be Sena-
tors or members OF the Cabinet"