New-York tribune., 1872-02-13
TIE FOLLY or WILLFUL LIARS

! find the following in yesterdays NeU York
| Times:
"The fact established by Mr.. Wnsow that he voted
for the Tweed Charter at the nstgation Of Mr. Gree
ley greatly exasperates the latter. IL will be remem-
bered that prior TO the vote the Charter, Greeley
Judge Nelson j. Waterbury to Mr.. Winslow with
letter In which he urged the Importance OF an honest
Election law" and besougt Mr. Winslow to "hear and
heed" Judge Waterbury. who would point out to him
what necessary to be done in order to accomplish
that end Greeley now reproduces this letter In THE
TRIBUNE. and upon the assumption that Judge Water
bury anti Tweed Democrat, attempts to draw
from 1t the inference that nothing could have been fur
from the mind OF the writer than to urge the pas
sage OF the charter.
Now the facts In the these. Tweeds Charter
regarded by Judge Waterbury and the small clique
OF Democratic politicians whom he managed as provid-
ing Election law more acceptable TO them than the
at that time the statute book. This opinion was
osteDby shared by Mr. Greeley and the two both
earnest supporters Of the Charter willing to accept the
whole Of 1t the ground that they would then obtain
an Election law which would suit their purposes. Judge
Waterbury at the time professed opponent OF Tam
many Haalthough at the last election In this City he
gave all his influence to the support Of several OF the
leading Ring candidates, including the traitor Iedwth.
He went to Albany avowedly to support Tweeds Char
ter and labored earnestly in the lobby to is pas
sage. Greeley knew perfectly well lat this was Judge
letter which he sent to winsow expressly urges him to
listen 10 Waterbury's arguments in favor OF a part
Of that Charter. In his effort to shield himself from
the consequences OF that act he has GOODNESS to
parade tho former political Of Judge Waterbury
proof that tho latter could not have been supporter
Of the Tweed Charter. He might we'll that he
attempted 10 shield member OF the Democratic
Ring, and, when confronted with the proofs of his
vanishing Hail. try TO prove his assertion by claiming
that Hall was .Once Republican and hence could not
have been Tainmany leader. Whatever Judge Water
bury's previous political affiliations may have BEEN he
ranged the side OF Tweed In the support the
Charter Greeley knew it, and sentl him to winslow to
seoure the aters vote for tho honest Election law"
and all the rost OF that ingenious outrage upon the City
His defense is ranspareny false and If lie intends to
discuss this matter any further he had better abandon
the folly of arguing against established facts and
20 the graceful yituperabon In which he s so much ut
home"
do not insult tho public intelligence by
assuming or fancying that the above requires
answering. | cite it only to illustrate the
utter reckessness of truth and decency where
with the Senators and journals subsidized by
Tweed in 1870 to pass his Charter attempt to
brazen it out.
Mr.. Waterbury called on me in March of
that year with the draft of an Election Law,
which, on casual examination, approved. He
said he was going up to Albany to
urge its passage, and asked me for
letter to some Republican Senator.
gave him one to Mr.. WinslOw. That
note of introduction is at length in print, and
tells its own story. 1t says nothing of Tweeds
or any other Charter; in fact, am confident
that said Charter had not then been proposed.
1t introduced Mr.. Waterbury as "an anti
Tweed Democrat" which he then was. The
Tines now asserts that he ultimately favored