Arizona weekly citizen., 1884-07-26
DID GARFIELD MAKE A MIsTAKEq

Only Washington and Lincoln have to- day the precedence of Garfield in the honor which the American people bestow upon the memory of the llustrious dead. Now, Garfield had been in Congress many years. He be- came leading member of the House, ss Blaine had been before him. The two men were intimately acquainted. prohaby Garfield knew Blaine as thoroughly as any man in the House. When the former became President he sal-e.ed Blaine for the office of Sec retsry of State, and his chief adviser. The two men continued their personal and political intimacy. The choice of Braipe gave mortal Offense to Conkling. The latter became the political enemy of Garfield. as be had been of Blaine. The latter accompanied him to the depot where be was shot by an assassin. The last office of Blaine for his friend WAS the delivery of the splendid eulogy on C irfield by appointment of Congress.
 IT Blaine was fit for Secretary of State hs Is certainly fit for the office of Pres iient. Garfield had himself been sssailed during the canvass. Lying letters, base islanders, forgeries, had been manufac- tured without limit. The country was flooded with the Mercy forgery. Gar field was charged with political corrup- tion and held up to public repreneDsion as a double-dealing, tricky, ambitious and altogether interruptions man. Yet be came out of the heat of that canvass without the smell of fire on his gar ments. There is not to-day in all this land an honest man who believes that Garfield was corrupt or that any of the charges made against him were true. He lives to-day in the memory of the people as great and noble man who was wise in tue councils of the nation and brave on the battlefield.
 Did Garfield make mistake in select ing Blaine for the office of Secretary of
 State? It has never been seriously
 charged that he did. Has it ever oc- cured to those who are now engaged in the business of maligning Blaine that incidentally, they maign the character of Garfield? The latter was not ignor- ant of his man. He knew him through and through, and knowing him, he gave him the most important trust in his ad- ministrsticu. That was a national in- dorsement. Blaine is to-day just the kind Of man he was when Garfield selected him for Secretary of State-no better and no worse. Did Garfield select charlatan, a corrupt man, a mere t-lckster; or did be select one of the ablest men in the country-a statesman of good character, the equal of the President wherever he had been tried in public office?
 or all the defamers of Garfield, there is not one to-day to repeat the miserable islanders so rife during the canvass-not one who, if alive, believes them in his heart. The Mercy letter forgery was device of base and interruptions men. It was a campaign of falsehood and def- amation. When it had closed, 1t was hoped the country would never know another such campaign.
 But it is now more than probable that the pending Presidential canvass VIII be distinguished by equal defamation, lying and forgery. It may be well enough to note that the defamation Of Blaine, which has already begun, IS also the defamation of the dead Garfield. It Is aa impeachment of his judgment and hls honesty. Because all the grounds for the accusations now made against Blaine existed when Garfield made him Secretary of State. The msrtyred Pres ldent decided that there was nothing ID She charges winch affected the standing of Blaine. The former had been through the fire and knew just what was at the  bottom of the base purpose to destroy personal and political reputation. II Garfield was right in his estimation ot Blaine, who is right now? Not the gllo tongued slanderer who takes up old and stale charges and undertakes to reha- bilitate them and make the pubic be- Have tbot tlav- frua
 Cannot the spirit ot the Presidential campaign be elevated above this low and vulgar tirade against the private and political character of candidates: II George Washington were to-day candidate for the Presidential ofhcei probably many of those engaged Tn the miserable business of defamlng the character of Blaine wonld turn as readily to work of defaming the character of the illustrious Washington Now this wholesale defamation does
 not destroy character which Is Wor't
 Deserving. Blaine will emerge iron
 the canvass very much the same that h'
 Was when he went into it, as did tar
 field, his predecessor. But a canvass II
 which such defamation is not only pos
 slble, but which is considered by op
 posing politiciars as legitimate, tha
 politics are pretty low down Tn thu
 country. The worst phase of all IS tha
 'als trade of personal abuse, ot lyipt