National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-09-23
THE NEW YORK CAMPAIGN.


All the indications from the New York
State canvass point to the defeat this fall of
the Democracy under. Mr.. Tilden, and to
the success of General Dix, who will IN
doubtedly be renominated by the Republican
party. In the frstplace, Mr. Dix has made
an excellent Governor; his administration
has been all that could be desired; free
from jobbery and corruption-standing out
in strong and pleasant contrast with the
impure, unseemly record of his recent
Democratic predecessor. The Empire
State has not been so well governed for
years. The interests of the people were
closely watched and protected the honor
and welfare OF the Commonwealth were
jealousy guarded. The bitterest partisans
cannot deny this condition of affairs hence
the certainty of Mr.. Dix's denomination
and reelection.
In presenting the name of Samuel ]. Til
den the opposition have undoubtedly NOM
mated the very best man they could have
nominated. He is gentleman-a man Of
ability-devoted to the interests of his
party a firm believer in its principles and
traditions. As chairman of the State Gen.
tral committee he has shown himself to be
possessed of no ordinary executive talent.
But the great objection to Mr.. Tilden, and
an objection which will be fatal to him, lies
in his associations. 1t is true that he helped
10 prosecute VIM. NJ. Tweed for the thefts
and forgeries he commItted-thst he was
one of the lawyers who sent the great
Democratic statesman to BlackwelPs Island
and that the prestige acquired in his
sturdy prosecution of the Tammany poten-
tate will make him strong with many peo-
pie who do not look below the surface of
affairs but larger number will not be
apt to forget that while Tweed was power
in the politics of New York, Mr. Tilden
was very far from being inclined to revolt
against his sway that as the official head
of the party in the State he never hesitated
to use the thousands of dollars which
Tweed so freely gave to advance the Dem
ocratic fortunes, elect Democratic Govern
ors, Democratic Legislatures, and found. as
at Washington, Democratic national or
gans.
Every honest man in the country sus-
pected the sources of Tweed wealth, that,
as subsequently proved, it was stolen from
the city of New York; but Mr.. Tilden
showed no hesitation, had no scruples about
accepting it. The question which moral
lists and thousands of the community which
was plundered by him will ask this fall is,
"Was not Mr.. Tilden the moral as well as
the political accomplice of Tweed? Is he
not in large degree responsible for the
magnificent robberies which he afterwards,
in q moment of remorse and from a sense
of awakened duty. so calamity helped to
punish?" There is another aspect to the
canvass which places Mr.. Tilden in a some
what uncomfortable and unpleasant posi-
ton. Although Mr.. Tweed is in the peni-
Tertiary, there is large number of his
friends who do not forget their old chief,
and who sigh for return of the old days
on the other side of the walls. 1t is hard
to make them believe that Mr.. Tilden was
exactly the man to do what he did in
bringing Tweed to justice. He had taken
the money which Tweed collected from
them and used it, to advance their fortunes
it is true, but, at the same time, he was
helping himself into the position he now
holds as the acknowledged leader of the
party in the State. This Tweed following
is an obstinate, thick headed one, believing
in men of the Tweed stamp rather than in
the silk.stocking politicians of the Manhat-
tan Club, and their reasoning, that if it
had not been for Tweed, Tilden would not
be the nominee of the party to-day, has
some solid sense at the bottom of it. Their
votes are, therefore, by no means to be
depended upon, not that they love Tilden
less, but that they love Tweed and them
selves more. What however, they may
do or think is of very little consequence,
for General Dix's second election is as GER
tain as any political event can well be.