The New York herald., 1875-09-20


generally capable of any outrage upon the
laws of evidence and any insult to the
common sense of the people, but it is in
credible that in this case a verdict of not
guilty should be unanimously rendered. If
the investigation should have such a termi-
nation we might as well bid farewell to any
hope of Indian reform so long as the present
administration is in power
Mr. BigelOw n Democratic Candi-
date.
A pretty political comedy in two acts, with
Mr.. John Bigelow as the hero, might be writ
ten by some dramatic genius with cleverness
enough to sketch the conversations which
took place between him and the republicans
who offered him a nomination at Saratoga,
and between him and Governor Tilden, who
persuaded him to be democratic candidate.
A witty writer might make great hit by
feigned dialogues between Mr. Bigelow and
the parties who have successfully courted
him. Had he accepted the republican offer
the comedy would have been exquisitely di-
verting. The Chairman of Governor Tildens
Canal Commission, running on the repub-
| lican ticket, would have been equal to the
fable of the hen that sat upon ducks eggs,
and was thrown into a clucking futter when
the supposed chickens straightway took to
the water. This amusing feat did not sue
ceed, for reasons which are beginning to be
understood. Governor Tilden had estab-
lished right of pre-emption on the coveted
candidate. His claim upon Mr.. Bigelow was
prior to every other. Had the republicans
understood the personal relations between
him and Mr. Tilden they would not have
pressed him to accept place on their ticket
When, in 1850, Mr. Bigelow went into the
| Evening Post as associate editor and part
proprietor, he needed pecuniary assistance
and that assistance was given by Mr.
Tilden. There was nothing dishonor-
able to either in that affair The
Post, in 1850 was an accepted democratic
organ; Mr.. Bigelow was dem ocrat who had
been appointed to Office by Silas Wright and
who belonged to the political coterie with
which Mr.. Tilden was associated. Mr.. Til
den is wary in pecuniary matters, but as the
EUeaing Post was a valuable property and
~
was a safe as well as a friendly act to give
him the needed help 1t is creditable to Mr.
Bigelow that he never forgot this service of
his benefactor, which gave him his first start
in an honorable career. The fact to which
we have alluded explains great deal which
might otherwise seem mysterious.
| The severity of the republican journals on
At ID: - 4
nomination is not quite justifable in view
of this old relation between him and Gov
ernor Tilden. A personal friendship Of q
quarter of a century, with obligations on
Mr. Bigelow's side which he has never before
had an opportunity to discharge, accounts
for Mr. Bigelow's recent conduct. Had the
republicans been cognizant of all the facts
| they would not have offered him a nomina-
ton. Their journals accuse Mr. Bigelow of
| political tergiversation, and it must be con-
fessed that he has not been as frank and open
as some other men might have been in the
same circumstances They accuse him of
masquerading as republican after he had
deserted the party. When Governor Tilden
appointed his Canal Commission he pro-
two democrats and two republicans, Mr.. Bige-
low figuring as one of the republicans, The
republican journals now assert that the
non-partiHn pretence was sham, since Mr..
Littlejohn, who proposed Mr.. Bigelow's name
in the Syracuse Convention, indorsed him as
a democrat, and stated that he voted tho
democratic ticket last fall. Assuming that
AhD tOI1 fIo
seem to be some ground for the republican
charge oftergiversation. The Albany Journal
asserts that prominent republicans had con-
ferences with Mr.. Bigelow on the 9th and 7th
inst, previous to the meeting of the Saratoga
Convention, and that although they urged
him to accept republican nomination, he
gave them no intinlation that he had aban-
doned the party. If we credit these allega-
tions we must admit that the conduct of Mr..
Bigelow and Governor Tilden has not been
square" We await explanations.
Meeting OF the Legal Tender Club.
The New York Legal Tender Club are to
hold an important public meeting next
Thursday evening at the Cooper Union.
Mr.. Peter Cooper will preside, and Mr.. Wen
dell Phillips, General Banks and Mr.. Pen
dleton are named among the speakers. 1t
occurs to us that the exigencies of the Ohio
canvass may keep Mr.. Pendleton at home.
But if he should not be able to appear in
person the club might do well to cause one
of his ablest speeches to be read by some one
with good loud voice The speech we have
in mind was delivered by Mr.. Pendleton in
Congress in 1862. In it he opposed the
creation of legal tender notes by the govern
ment as unconstitutional, and then gave the
following admirable description of their ma
ture and effects upon the public prosperity =
But even II believed this bill TO be constitutional in
both aspects | yet enough In IL to merit rs think