Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-10-28
MACVEAGH ON ISSUES
DOODLE AND BRIBERY DENOUNCED By
GARFlELD'S ATTORNEY GENERAL.
The Moral Evils of McIxinIeyism-De-
bauchery of Elections Goes Hand In Hand
with the Tariff Monopoly-A Burning
Denunciation of Modern Republicanism.


Hon. Wayne MacVeagh, attorney gen.
eral of the United States under Garfield,
spoke in part as follows:
l dislike the Mckinley bill and all the
abuses to which l have alluded, but to
my mind they are as the dust in the bal
ance compared to the farreaching moral
issues which underlie them, and for
which, for veal or woe, the result of
this canvass is of such tremendous i'm
portance. Upon subject so grave do
not let us, beg of you, commit any mis-
take we can avoid, or cherish any mis-
understanding. Standing here
tonight l can honestly say have not a
single particle of i'll feeling toward any
living creature. I would be very un-
grateful and unreasonable person if
had; but, ladies and gentlemen, the SOL
emn truth of God remains-his truth
many men of the class to which you and
| belong are today probably innocently,
mistakenly, without bad motives, but
none the less absolutely, poisoning the
very wells from which the people of
During the last twenty years, by very
slow approaches, large numbers of
wealthy men in this country have per-
suaded themselves that they are at lib
erty to pervert government from its
noble and lofty function of securing the
greatest good of the greatest number
into the base and degraded function of
fho fu i,, Nd {O
over those taxes as bounties to such per-
sons as in return for those favors will
contribute large sums of money to carry
elections. When the doctrine is stated
in that naked form, even the gentlemen,
who, by their wealth, energy and public
spirit, give distinction to the Manufac-
turers' club, would shrink from accept
ing it. But l am firmly resolved that
there shall be no ground of difference
between them and me upon the facts of
this matter.
distinctly allege that they are now
making themselves parties to system
attic corruption of the ballot in the
hands of the American voter, and that
whoever collects or contributes money
treason to the institutions our fathers
founded and upon whose continuance in
their strength and purity the welfare
of our children depends. And in prov
ing this assertion would scorn to rely
upon the statement of any political ad-
versary, however honorable or trust
worthy. I propose to convict them of
the offense allege they are committing
out of the mouths of their own trusted
political associates.
And now comes the canvass of 1892,
and the wealthy and respectable men,
bers of the Manufacturers club, looking
over the whole list of Republicans in
this city, select Mr.. David Martin to
represent them in the pending election
in the cities of New York and Brooklyn,
and shortly after Mr.. Martin arrives at
the scene of his labors the chairman of
the Republican state committee of New
York issues a confidential circular to
such Republicans as could be trusted
with it, asking for such services as will
call ttfor the exercise of caution and the
ability to keep secret. Are you will
ing to undertake such duty to help secure
Republican success? If you are willing
to do so, send me the name of Demo-
crat among your acquaintance who you
believe can be induced to vote the Re
publican ticket this fall. If more than
one, give their names, and place their
names in the inclosed envelope"
So far from deriving any pleasure from
laying before you these evidences of the
political corruption which is undermin-
ing the foundation of our liberties, they
cause me nothing but pain. The men
implicated in them, Irepeat, are certainly
my peers and probably the peers of any
of you, and desire to express no words
Of harshness or bitterness concerning
them, but against the system and against
its continuance desire to enter here my
earnest and solemn protest, and with
full sense of my responsibility for the
words utter, declare to these gentle
men who contribute the money for the
corruption Of our politics that as be-
tween the two crimes l would much
rather place money in the hands of
burglar to bribe a watchman to allow
him to rob bank of some of its surplus
wealth than to contribute money to be
used in 'politics" by Mr.. Quay or Mr..
Martin or Mr.. Hackett.
The one hateful crime now more in
danger of spreading than any other
among respectable members of Ameri-
can society is the crime of corrupting
our politics. As to the past, / am quite
willing there shall be not only forgetful-
ness and silence, but the amplest char
ity, and if the men now engaged in this
work will stop l will promise never
again to allude to it. On the other hand,
if they persist in continuing their evil
work, as they are continuing it today,
then while life and strength are spared
me I will continue to denounce them.
If they profess religion will denounce
them as the enemies of the religion they
dishonor by their hypocrisy, and If they
do not profess religion will denounce
them as enemies Of the nation they are
destroying by their crimes. =
Let us, therefore, if necessary, dis
agree about the reform of the civil SER
vice, about the tariff, about trusts,
about pensions, about silver, but do not
let us pretend to believe that Gods
moral laws can be suspended at our will
simply because we desire to add to our
wealth, which is now probably greater
than we can wisely use. Let us all
come as loyal American citizens in
common accord upon one common plat
form-that the manhood of each man
shall be sacred in the eyes Of every
other and that nna Of tho lnffioaf