The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09
GARFIELD,s TREACHERY TO
JOHN SHERMAN.
More Light on the Intrigues That
Preceded the Republican UOnven-


More Light on the Intrigues That
Preceded the Republican UOnven.
tiOn of 1880.
Washington Special to New York Sun, 26th.l
81 never could understand" said
Senator Sherman to a friend, not long
ago, why Garfeld's district, the nine
tenth Ohio. went against me and for
Blaine in $780,"
Possibly the senator really under
stood the matter more clearly than he
was willing to admit. Certainly in
the light of recent revelations he can
SET that the election of Blaine dele
gates from the district which was
represented and bossed by Sherman's
chief spokesman at Chicago was a
part of the plan of treachery which
was consummated in the national
convention.
Garfield was at the head Cf the
state delegation from Ohio, instructed
for Sherman, and pledged to him.
Garfield was chosen to make the NOM
mating speech for Sherman in the
convention. His influence was polit-
ically omnipotent in his own district:
yet when the convention of that dis
trict was held to elect delegates to
the Chicago convention, controlled by
Garfield's friends and confidential adj
viSers, it declared in favor of Blaine
and elected delegates who were bit
terly opposed to Sherman, and who
would not vote for him under any
circumstances.
Gen. Garfield was one of the owners
R0Unnn0
leading Republican paper of the
district, and its editor was one of his
most intimate friends. 1t opposed
Sherman with great vigor throughout
the canvass, supported Blaine, but
declared that its first choice for the
nomination at Chicago was Gen. Gar
field.
The Warren Tribune, another lead
ing Republican paper of the nine.
teenth district, and a supporter OF
Garfield, had leading editorial in its
issue of April II, 1880, on Seen. Gar.
field and the Presidency" in which il
was argued at length that the Grant
Blaine and Sherman factions would
kill off each others candidates, and
that the result would be the nomina.
ton of Gen. Garfield. Its line OF
thought was almost identical with
that OF Gen. Garfield's private letter
written three days afterWard april
2O), to Wharton Barker, of Philadel.
phia. In that letter, as quoted by Mr.
Barker, Gen. Garfield said:
1T is becoming every day more anC
more apparent that the friends of thu
leading presidential candidates are be
coming embittered against each othel
to such an extent that, whichever O.
the three may be Nominated, Their,
would be much hostility of feeling il
the conduct of the campaign. 1t will
be most unfortunate if we 20 into tn
contest handicapped by the animosit,
OF the leading politicians. 1 shall b
glad to see you on your arrival il
Washington"
: For some months previous, accord
ing to Mr.. Bankers testimony, b
and MI. Garfield had been in CORES
pondence in regard to a secret move
ment to nominate Garfield; and il
Bankers letter, to which Garfield re
: piled as above, the scheming Phila
delphia manager detailed his plan t
beat Grant:
: This move, am quite sure, vii
end the Grant movement the coun
try over, and so far will be a grea
gain; the move will at first aid MI
Blaine, but believe l understan,
how to move so as to kill him, and a
the Chicago convention / hope tn
: nomination will go as we want t
3 have it."
In another letter Mr.. Barker dc
l plored the firm attitude of Mr.. Shel
- nXnrQCCaI h. q
didate for whom Garfield was pre-
; fessedly working might stand in tn
| way of Garfield's nomination.
3 Thus, by evidence furnished by Gal
fields own intimate and truste
friends it is shown that, while he wa
ostensibly leading the movement flo
Mr.. Sherman he was in secret CORES
pondence with personal friends, VIII
q were scheming for Sherman's defeat
!. Can the senator continue to wonde
why Garfield's district went agains
him?
. When Garfield became president, b
professed great regard for Senate
= Sherman, and consulted him in RI
. gard to his political policy. On tn
!, evening before Robertson's nominf
! ton was sent to the senate, Presiden
Garfleld, accompanied ny Gen. Swain
, called at Senator Sherman's residenc
and asked his advice in regar
to the New York collectorshiI
The senator strongly advised hiI
not to remove Merritt, not to appoin
! Robertson. Garfield, in response t
the senator's earnest and urgent reI
, reservations of the fatal impolicy O
nominating Robertson, assured hin
that the nomination would not b
made. Next day, when the nomina
!, ton of Robertson was sent to the sen
ate, the establishment of Arthur an
Conkling was no greater than that O
Sherman.
Afterward, in speaking of it to
friend, the senator said: 1.-THE nomi
i, nation of Robertson was the fata
mistake of Garfeld's life, and it wa
, Blaine's influence that caused it."