The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-08-01
PLEDGES OFGARFIELD.
An Abstract of the Budget of
Stephen w. Dorsey.
How Garfield Secured the Nomination for
Presldent-The Story of the October
Election in Indiana.



The sequence of some events that had
their beginning with the nomination of
Garfield, was ended with the verdict in
the recent Star route trials. Two of the
defendants In this trial were so inti-
matelv connected with the Republican
canvass i'll $780, and one of them, at
least, so connected because of his rela
lions with The Star route contractors,
that the very remarkable history of that
canvass has been in their power to tell.
They have both refrained from doing so,
because they were under fire, and be-
cause they knew they had the sympathy
OF many of the leading Republican poll
ticians. Both Brady and Dorsey have
over and over again received assurances
from these managers of sympathy, not
tnfrequently coupled with the assertion
that no case of iDgratitude Is known that
compares with that of the Administra-
tiOn which was not only willing but
anxious to secure all the aid these two
defendants could give during the can
vass, and then, having obtained that
AID, was willing to turn around and
persecute them. Whatever wrong there
may have been in the Star route con-
tract system, the Republican managers
In 1880 either knew or suspected, and
they were then ready to get such adyan-
taRes therefrOm as were possible. 1t is
not to be wondered at, therefore. that
thing but gratitude toward the party
they did so much to keep in power, nor
can the defendants in the recent trials
be held as specially unfaithful, If from
them some of the most remarkable
secrets of that very remarkable canvass
are learned. The canvass was involved
from the beginning with THESE two men.
Dorsey was the brains of the Republican
National Committee. Brady's know
ledge OF Indiana politics was constantly
brought into TeQuisitiOn, and he was
begged, pleaded with, and almost order
ed to receive money from these very
Star route contractors for the purDOses
OF the campaign. To both, Gen. Garfield
and the party managers constantly
acknowledged their obligation; to both
Gen. GARFIELD at least had expressed his
opinion that there was nothing unlaW-
Tnl In the Star route business; while to
both, other Republican managers, such
men as hubbell, Jewell, Gen. Arthur,
ana others had said that the Star rOutO
contractors ought to be required to con-
tribute literally, because they were
getting large sums for their work
through the favor of the Government.
To Brady and Dorsey the subsequent
course of the Administration seemed
ungrateful. They thought that the
party managers were entirely willing
to reap such advantages as could be OBJ
talned from the Star route contract sys
tenn, and having thereby succeeded in
remaining in power, they showed them
selves also entirely willing to get fur
ther party advantage by prosecuting men
for doing the very same thing that had
before been of such value to the party.
ii.
When the Congress ordered an investi-
CATION into the system of letting the
Star route contracts, Gen. Garfield, at
Gen. Brady's request, made very
thorough examination into the matter.
The result was that he assured Gen
Brady and Senator Dorsey, that he was
satisfied the system could not be de-
Tended, and he promised that when the
special appropriation for which Gen.
Brady asked would come before the House
that he would not only vote for it, but
would also defend it upon the floor.
Realizing Garfield's great influence, not
only with the Appropriations Committee
but also on the floor, both Brady and
Dorsey were satisfied that the accnsa-
tiOns against them would be satlsfac-
tOrily defended. They had received
Garheld's most positive assurance that
he would do all in his power to set them
right, and they had every reason to be-
lieVe his word. But when the matter
came up Garfield not only failed them,
put allowed his influence to dwindle in
to lnslgnlhcance by pairing with men,
Der of the House and leaving town when |
the matter came up. Dorsey was in
clined to forgive him for this not Brady |
The Second Assistant Postmaster GEN !
eral realized that Garfield had discover
ed that very large sums of money were
received by the Star route eOntractOrs
and he was inclined to think that Gar |
field would be disposed to make use of |
this knowledge at later day. There |
fore, Brady thought, Garfield did not care |
to go on record, except sufficiently To |
satisfy the men who had asked him to |
defend them. All this occurred some |
months before the Chicago convention. |
1t was we'll known that Brady favored |
the nomination of Blaine, while Dorsey |
prOfessed to be earnestly for Grant.
III.
In the winter of 1880 a club of the |
"better element" was organized in Phil |
adelphia by young man with political |
aspirations, named Wharton Barker. |
This club, among other great missions, |
undertook to prevent the nomination |
OF either Gen. Grant or James G.. Blaine |
Mr.. Wayne MacVeagh was a member of |
the club. He had a profound dislike for |
Blaine, having characterized him as the !
most dangerous man in politics. Mr..
Wharton Barker regarded the threaten |
ed nomination of Grant as dangerous |
innovation. The point was to find the |
man who could beat both of these in the |
OhAOo many udLu65 WbIb /
suggested. Sherman-he would mot do, |
he had no elements of popularity; Ed
munds-he would not do, because they |
would tell about the black bottle he |
kept in the committee room; Hawley-
oh, no; he came from an insignificant |
state, and was something of blusterer, |
and so on. At last, one evening Mr. Bar |
ker suggested the name of James A. |
Garfield. 1t was we'll received by all |
members of the club. Then thin man, |
with foxy face and an icy expression |
arose. He was Wayne MacVeagh. "The |
proposition" he said, "is absurd. Gar |
fields record is so bad the party could |
not afford to nominate him. The histO- |
Ty of the Credit MObilier case, of the De |
GOlyer business, and of other letters |
that have not yet been made public, |
would all come out. No, gentlemen, we |
cannot afford to think of Garfield"
Stephen w. Dorsey heard of this |
speech afterward, and Garfield heard of |
1t, and Wayne MacVeagh was always |
IL Il