The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-08-08

continually striving 10 make impression
upon the country. He wss intensely vain,
and was as fond Of adulation as a woman.
Not to be talked about in any company in
which be mingled, msde him low spirited
for days afterward. Unfriendly criticism
wounded him ss ii every word was dagger
thrust. During HE long conf inement follow
ing Guiteau's fatal pistol shot he was eager
to know esch day what the people we're say
ing about him, and never tired of hearing the
papers read. all of them expressing
their sympathy for him and saying
pleasant things about him. He was an actor
by nature, with all the sctOrs love Of Sp-
plsuse. aud with = most remarkable genius
for developing the dramatic side uf sit1a-
tiOn. Perhaps he would have made a more
distinguished career Ol the stage than he
old as public man, for in MS character as a
public man he was deplOTably weak. He
was lacking in moral courage, aud could
easily be swerved from the path of cOnvic.
tion, even Dy intellectual interiors who
were not troubled by the pric king Of con-
science. He was never e money-gettsr and
never could have been su Hcessful IN the field
of commerce bu: he would have been glad
to fall into fortune by single stroke aud
never failed when in the company of very
wealthy men to express the wish that they
would show him how 10 make money; yet he
was afraid TO follow suggestions. time
and again given him, that involved
the prostitution of his office with certainty
OF large pecuniary profits. He was capable
OF doing wrong, but the wrorg once cpm-
mitted, he was miserable, unhappy, less from
a sense OF guilt than from a fear of exposure.
Had he been as bold as Blaine he would
never baye reached the Presidency, but he
would have been millionaire many times
over. His was the very nature to be moulded
Il m, fl,ax ~ a,1
lous men, and, as his nomination and cleo
tion were due TO the kno~ledge of his weak.
ness by the robbers and rogues who have
been using the powers OF the g Dvsrnment TO
enrich themselves from the first year Of
Grants Administration. so. il he had lived
out his term, his Administrat on wOn q have
been he most cOrTupt and scaldslous in our
annals. His death wes not a moment too
soon for his fame A man of Dorsey's vigor-
oUs intellect and kDowledg Of men could
not fail TO make an accurate
analysis of GSTiield's character on very
short acquaintance, aud in mis- bold enter
prizes TO get money ont of the Treasury for
his own aggrsnd cement, Dorsey was qnick
TO perceive ihs, 6 arlied could be msde . pow
erful Instrument M man can talk with
Dorey for an hOur without being strongly
impressed with the originality OF his mental
survey of public affairs and onblic men. and
of the large fund OF general Information he
from books. His personal appearance Is
egeinst him. The merest tyro IN the science
OF physiognomy wOnld hardy make the
mistake of seeing anything in his face sug-
gesting moral sensibilities He is ever sneer-
ipg at the application OF the ethical code to
oihcisl conduct. for which he should not be
coz b. DDed too hastily, especially by that class
OF mcrslists who teach the powerful inlu-
ence Of association on the formation of human
character. Under different auspices Dorsey
might have been very different man. and
much better one, II should
be remembered by his judges that he began
his career at a time when the doctrine s.inicht
mskes right was the accepted policy of the
United States Government In its treatment OF
the people of the South. Bold and audacious
by nature, he needed only the authority OF
The Government, freely delegated by the re-
construction acts TO the adventures, OF whom
he and kellogg are the most conspicuous
types, TO become as reckless OF the restraints
OF social and moral laws, and as defiant of
public opinion as If he were born to some
privileged and commanding station. Com
ing 10 Washington as q United States Sens-
tor in the height Of the sway Of Gran ism, he
found corruption in every branch OF the G W.
eInfuent. and that IN the struggle 10 Plunder
the Treasury there were no grades of respecla-
bility, but that everybody, from the cinting
bypOcriies who paraded in the public
eve as Christian statesmen, 10 the blunt,
ouispoken officials who made no con-
cealment of their purpose, everyb Ddy
was on the make and he went with the
crowd, his great abilities and remarkable
fertility in resources soon placing him in
the van, the acknowledged leader In the va
rious schemes Of predatory legislation which
make the era of GTantlsm the most Sickening
in our history. He liked Garfield because of
his intellectual and personal graces, aud had
real compassion for the weakness of the man
llue
on between bis ambition and his conscience,
and Garfield liked him in turn, and leaned
on him in more than one trying ordesl- /
have been told that when the Credit Mobil-
ier exposure was made Garfield went to Dor
sey in great distress OF mind aud in utter
dependency. for advice. "Tell the iruth,"
counseled Dorsey; tell the Committee that
You got The stock; that yon invested in it as
a business venture, and that il is none OF the
Committees business 20 inquire into your
private affairs" Garfield went away COM
forted, and determined to follow this advice;
but between his conscience and his fear that
such statement would involve him in
controversy that must subiect hm to bitter
criticism, he weakened, broke completely
down under examination, and his political
career would have ended forever had not
Blaine, Charley Foster audDorsey constantly
bOlsteTed him up. No Intelligent man
doubts that Garfield knew, in advance, all
diana. He knew that the State vas TO be
bought and how The money wa 70 De raised.
AS Dorsey says, "Gsrfietd was morbidly in
sane on raising money for campaign pur-
poses lie believed nothing could save
him from defeat but money. All the hae
maxims about honesty and purity 10 the
conduct of elections. SO numerous, and
breathing such exalted sentiments rs 20 have
been thought worthy OF being collected in
book FORM were forgotten in his lntense de-
sire TO win the Presidency. and IN his lack OF
faith in any other power than of money. be
was ready TO compound gith anybody TO
secure the coveted corruption fund. Gould
was appealed TO, and being informed of the
state of mind in which Garfield was 10. was
quick 10 seize an opportunity to place the
Executive Of tins great Nation under Obliga-
ticns TO him. As Dorsey puts it:
Gould was all business Whstever he dId was
only that that any man would do who had
enormous private interests that might be affected
by the action of the Executive
The acquiesence of. Garfield in the plan
which, it is alleged, involved the appointment
OF aJudgeot the Supreme Court of the United
States friendly TO Gould's varied interests, is
Enthusiastically justified by Dorsey when he
Saws:
II was the most natural thing in the world to do,
for the one who was mOnomaniae al the time on
his own election to cnltivate. and even Obige nim-
self TO- the man who had large means 10 bestow 10
further this end.
This oopduns Iooo not ctr;Ha n.reav aO ne