The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-08-31

To the Editor of the Neac- York Times:
Your articles distinctly charging 5. j.. I'LL
den with perjury, in relation to his taxable in
come for 1862, necessarily and properly excite
Il painful sensation in the minds OF honest
Democrats. Nor can the Democratic Party
afford to stand by the man. even though he Is
their candidate for the Presidency, il he is
guilty as charged. Nor can the party safely
ignore the charge and lefantly vote for him,
as they did for the william Tweed after the
proof Of his guilt was made as clear rs the sun
light
The New York Herald of this morning pub
fishes a paragraph from Albany, i'll Which it
says Mr.. Stebbins, the private secretary of
Gov. Tilden. makes this explanation in refer
encc TO that charge, on behalf Of Mr.. Tildcn:
ut would be remembered that Il
lawyer might work for long time before he
got his fee, and q conscientious man would, of
course, consider the work he haG done from
year to year rs Il case progressed, and that the
fee, though received in one year. was. not his
income for that year; it had been, in fact,
earned each year during the progress of the
case. That was all there was. about it,
Ii sthat was all there was about it." and if
that is the best explanation which the Cover
nor through his confidential secretary, can
make in reference to the facts stated, then as
lawyer and "a conscientious man," | say
that Samuel 7. Tiden was guilty of willfu,
deliberate perjury when he swore to his tax
able income in the year referred to. leaving
that sum of $4,000 received that year from
the Tcrre Haute Railroad Company out Of his
statement. Will Mr.. Tilden or Mr.. Stebbins
or the New York Herald, or any one else for
Mr.. Tilden, pretend that if Mr.. Tilden had
omitted to collect the interest due on his bonds
and other securities for q number of conSecu-
tive years, and consequently made no return
years, and then had, in one year, collected the
aggregate amount which he had allowed to ac-
cumulate 'from year to year," (as Mi. Steb-
bins supposes to have been the case in refer
ence to Mr.. Tilden's fees in the case lat bar, J
and in the latter year had made sworn re-
turn Of his income, Intentionally emitting
therefrom the amount of such aggregate inter-
est, he could shelter himself behind such q
state of facts from charge Of perjury for false
ly stating the amount of his income for that
year, or that he could safely rest defense
upon that state of facts, to q charge OF having
defrauded the Government of its dues? And
yet that is the defense which Mr. Stebbns,
the confidential secretary OF MIR. Tildcn, at
tempts to make for him. Ii 'that was all
there was about it, il that is the measure OF
Mr. Illdcn's Interpretation OF the term honest,
and his measure of the requirements to constl-
tute an honest and truthful man and public
officer and administrator, he falls too far short
Of what I, as u private citizen, a lawyer, and
an honest Democrat, regard as the necessary
quantum OF moral sensibity to make him
worthy the confidence and support OF any true
man or sincere and honest Democratic reform
CT. And his party should at once and en-
masse demand that he retire voluntarily from
the position Of its candidate for the Presiden-
cy. Or, in default thereof, that the party inn
mediatcly cast him overheard and select an
honest man to take his place. Ii no better OK
PLANTATION CAR be made for Mr. ridden in this
matter, then indeed has the Democratic ship
enrolled among its crew and promoted to its
command q Jonah who must be cast forth
headiong into the sea OF public reprobation, or
they will find it struggling with an ocean
storm of public indignation Which will more
certainly insure its destruction than did the
storm mentioned in sacred writ threaten de-
struction to the ship which numbered the
Jonah OF ancient record among its occupants.
DEMOCRATIC REFORMATION.
New York, Friday, Aug. %, 1876.