Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-08-18
THE M0REY LETTER FRAUD.

The guilty cry out before they are hur'.
So soon as it was announced that Mr. Da-
venport's report upon the Morey letter
fraud was ready the Democratic Journals
began to declare that it would in no wise
reflect upon their party, and that the IN
fanny was the sole and unaided work OF
one man. They overlooked the fact that
there must have been some actuatlng mo-
tive for the criminal, and speaking before
they were accused they really confessed
their fears of the disclosure. 1t now ap-
pears by the voluminous report of Daven-
port, fortified by unquestionable proofs,
that the Morey letter was forged by Henry
II. Hadley, lawyer of New York, a Dem
ocrat and queer fish just such man
as could be employed to such dirty work.
At first the scheme was to print an alleged
interview with Garfield, but the plan was
changed and the letter to Morey agreed
upon. Morey was a mythical person.
Hadley also invented the fictitious John
W. GOodall the alleged executor of the
estate of H. L. Morey, and who, it was
claimed, found the letter and transmitted
it to Truth. The facts of the forgery and
as to who are guilty, we are told are so clear
and convincing that no one will be found
to even whisperingly question them. But
beyond all this the proofs fix what was
always suspicion, and in most mems minds
a firm belief, that the Democratic party was
the real criminal. 1t appears that W. II.
Barnum, the then and the present Chair
man of the Democratic National Commit
tee; General Este, w. l.. Scott, Abram S.
Hewitt Erastus Cleveland and 3. B.
Smalley knew of the letter prior to publ
cation, and that Barnum and Este knew
its fraudulent character, object and origin be-
fore it went to print, while the others united
with Barnum in giving the forged letter
publicity and wide circulation for the
purpose of misrepresenting the views of
the Republican candidate for the Presi-
denCy Even the New York Star, Demo-
cratic organ, is forced to say that no can
read the disclosures now made without
thrill of shame and Indignation 1t adds
apologetically but lamely; That the men
occupying the rank of statesmen and lead
ers in a great political party, whose past is
full of honor should be now arraigned, is
not the fault of the party. = - = If the
Judgment that must now be passed upon
them shall be their condemnation here
after they have themselves alone to
blame" The great significance Of the
Davenport report and disclosure at this
time after four years of almost constant
search into the matter, and the examina
ton of thousands of documents, is found in
the fact that the men responsible for the
political infamy are at the head of the Dem
ocratic column in the present contest.
With Barnum where he is, what may we
not expect? The public will not forget
that these men, knowing the letter to be a
lie, not only used it against the candidate of
the Republican party but stood silent, if
they did not directly procure the witnesses,
while men came forward and testified
falsely to all sorts of collateral matter, in
tended to support and give the color of
truth to the Morey forgery. 1t will not do
for the Democratic papers opooh-pooh the
matter-their National Committee was
guilty, and the head of that committee in
1880 presides over the committee of 1884,
and is the same man who introduced Had
ley as "our stanch and trustworthy
friend" The one thing the Democracy
can respond is, Why has it taken four
years to find all this out?" To that Mr..
Davenport's report will unquestionably give
an answer.