Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 May 1881 — PRICKED BY A PEN. [ARTICLE]

PRICKED BY A PEN.

The Bladder Punctured -Which Has Hitherto Held Garfield Above - the Siar-Houte Quagmire—The President Lett Floundering’ in the Muck with Brady and His Coparcener*— An Autograph Letter Virtually Authorizing the Ex-Assistant Postmaster General to Make a Levy* [Washington Telegram to Chicago Times.] On two or three occasions since Brady was bounced and the star-route scandal re-opened with redoubled vigor, his personal organ here, the National Republican, has contained dark hints concerning a mysterious writing that would cause other hearts to ache, and has intimated that its contents would directly implicate the President himself. These innuendoes were regarded as but part of a game of bluff which Brady and Gor ham understand fully, and it was given out, as by authority from Garfield, that he had never written a line to the exAssistant Postmaster General. This semi-official announcement forthwith strengthened the vertebras of the administratibn organs, and immedi : ately it was published broadcast that the mail-robbers’ ring, inspired by Brady, was loading up, and would soon fire untold quantities of filth at the sacred person of the President. Extraordinary pains were taken to' impress on the public the importance of the maxim that forewarned was forearmed, and that anything said against the integrity of the man of Mentor would be but the work of baffled scoundrels. The large majority of the correspondents hen honestly took this view of the matter, the denial of anything inculpatory having CNer been written by Garfield to Brady being hardly less explicit than the denial of the Morey letter.

To this extent they were not deceived Garfield did not .write a letter to that decapitated official; and, in so far as can be ascertained, that gentleman has not in his iminediate possession a line of Presidential manuscript; but in August last he did write 'a letter to Hon. J. A. Hubbell, member of Congress from Michigan. This precious document youi correspondent has been permitted to copy, and, as a valuable contribution to current literature anent the star routes, it is given to the public. As prefatory to the introduction of this damaging document, a brief retrospect is necessary. It is dated Aug. 23, 1880; and about that time there was despair in the Republican camp. It was feared by the leaders that the defection in Maine might be fatal, and there were discouraging rumors with regard to the number and dimensions of the barrels about to be put on tap by English, oi Indiana. There was a lamentable lack of the sinews of war, the usually liberal donors in New York apparently taking little interest in what seemed to be a desperate cause, while the noble army of office-holders sought shelter behind some mythical civil-service rule or other, and failed to respond when assessment. 1 - were called for. It was indeed a dark time for the Republican party, the tide being low and all ebb, while all efforts to raise money . seemed unavailing. At this crisis, Hon. J. A. Hubbell, Chairman of the Republican Congressional Committee, fully realizing the danger, called upon the Second Assistant Postmaster General, Thomas J. Brady, and asked that he raise in his department, from contractors principally, the sum of $50,000. This Brady, at first, absolutely refused to do. He said, in effect, that he had just been pulled over the coals, and, according to his range of vision, Republicans were the most active in stirring up the manifestation, and now to come to him for money to carry on the campaign savored strongly of cheek, and he would have none of it. The Michigan Congressman continued to press his claim in the persua sive manner for which he is noted, and finally Brady agreed to raise the sum if President Hayes would give his consent, as he didn’t propose to haul out the chestnuts alonfe. Hubbell at once hastened to the White House, but its occupant was not feeling kindly toward the world, and didn’t appear to care a continental whether “ the party of honesty and great moral ideas ” was successful in the pending struggle or not. In fact, he left the impression upon the Congressional intellect that he .was perfectly willing that a Democrat should draw the Presidential salary for the next four years, monthly, in advance, and peremptorily declined to authorize the levy. The Michigander was very mad, to state it mildly, but, being a versatile genius, he was not discouraged. With a determination to bleed the star-route con tractors still unshaken, he returned to Brady, and reported no progress, but asked if he woulcTsecure the money on the request of Garfield. After some ’consideration, he consented to the proposition, but on the condition only that his approval of the plan should be made in writing. A long head had that Hoosier !

That night a detailed account of the situation was started westward, and that it was regarded of the utmost importance may be judged from the fact that the return mail from Mentor brought an answer. This answer is in the handwriting of Gem Garfield, it evidently having been considered of too much moment to be intrusted to an amanuensis, as was the case with nearly all of his correspondence at that time. It is in the following words: [Private.] Mentor, Ohio, Aug. 23, 1880. Mv Dear Hubbelj, : Yours of the 19th inst. received and contents noted. Please" say to Brady that I hope he will give us all the assistance possible. I think he can help effectively. Please tell me how the departments generally are doing. As ever yours, J. K. Garfield. Hon. J. A Hubbell, Washington, D. C. This damning letter—it is but fair to say it is not in the hands of the gentleman to whom it was written—has been shown to but four er five, all of whom are thoroughly familiar with Garfield’s handwriting, and all unite in saying there is not a shade of a shadow of doubt as to its authenticity. But an hour ago the original was shown to a Senator who happened to have one of Garfield’s letters in his pocket, and, after comparison, he quietly remarked : “ There will be no talk about Morey or hunting down rascals when that letter is shown.” Among the few who knew of the exis tones of this letter there is blan£ amazement that, under such circumstances, the President should have permitted Brady’s removal in any event. “Perhaps,” suggested one, “Brady did not raise the money, as requested, and Garfield has a grievance on that account.”