The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-09-11
The rnsufhciency of Gov. Hayes's De-
tense.

An omiuous disinclination on the part
of the Grant papers in this city to explain,
defend, or fight the humiliating evidences
of Gov. Hayes's malversation lends more
gravity to the situation in which the can
didate for the presidency finds himself.
Gov. HAYES has evinced keener APP
probation Of his danger. lie has issued
a temperate and apparently frank con-
tribution to the controversy in the Column
bus Journal, in which he makes the
points more in detail which were presented
at his request in these columns. Gov.
Hayes's denial is, of course, very properly
entitled to commanding weight. He has
heretofore borne a clear if not conspicuous
character. His neighbors respect and
honor him; his political adversaries have,
with marked unanimity, reirained from
any animadversions on his personal
character until the suggestion of taxes,
aroused by the grotosque terturlng OF Til
den's returns, put the curious cOntradlc-
tons of his lists before the public. With
every desire TO do Mr.. Hayes impartial
Justice, the Times is constrained to aver
his defense incomplete and inconclusive.
The governor says that he didn't have the
costly pianos, carriages, and horses which
his neighbors assert; that he did not have
the usufruct OF any considerable fund in
his hand as trustee and heir of the
Orchard estate; that the cause of a
sudden diminution in his taxable return
the year after his accession to the fortune
came through the obligatory debts that
the estate had beer involved in.
Going further than the governor, his
party friends in Fremont as the dispatch
hot arfa Ghnml TINT
the recording of Orchards list was a
clerical errorl That he really never paid
so much of n taxi This apology is more
damaging than the half defense of the
governor in the Columbus paper, which
admitted the taxes paid by Orchard, but
claim the debts as the cause Of the ex-
traordinary change To the absurd defense
of erroneous record is added also the
whimsical complaint that the auditor
books are taken away by the Democrats
and che Hayes people are not permitted
TO examine hOv much truth there is in the
charges. How idle an invention this is
may be understood by a glance at the
admirably clear statement of the Time
special correspondent in the town, who ma!
had no trouble visiting the records, anC
he is in no sense Democratic partisan.
be observed. do not cover the extraordi
nary exhibits which 60 to prove perjury
as the suhjoined specific evidence indi'
Gates.
In April, 1874, r. B. Hayes made Thu
declaration.
/ r b. HAYES do solemny affirm that to tn
best of my knowledge and belief, have listed o
exhibited to the all the personal property
MONEYS, credit, over and above my Indebtedness
investments in bonds, stocks, jont-stock compan
les or otherwise IN my possession or under NJ.
control n owner or holder, or as husband, parent
guardian trustee, executor, administrator, receiver
accounting officer agent, attorney, Lr factor, oi
the day proceeding the second Monday OF April
1876 which are subject to- taxation under the law
OF this state X. b. HAYES.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 2sd day
April 1874 john BECK, Assessor.
Statement of personal property, moneys, credits
etc subject 20 taxation In Sandusky county Tor IN
year 1874 belonging to X. Is. Hayes ana llsted D.
r. b Hayes:
4 Horses l. valued at ....................$ 3
,. Cattle, 2, valued at.................... o
g. Sheep 1, valued at ...... ........ -.
8 Pleasure carriages, wagons, ETC. :, val -
:. Value Of household goods and furniture
of every kind. gold and silver plate,
china-ware jewelry, books, farming
utensils, grain, wool, agricultural pro-
ducts OF every kind. lumHer. coal,
wood stone, steamboats,, canal boats,
Tor shares IN such bonts), and all other
articles Of personal property not in
cluded In any of the foregoing or sub
sequent items Of this statement..$ LOO
Total value of the FIRST seven items...$ LIS
s. Gold and silver watches, 1,Talued ats 30
q. (Pianos, none.)
or on deposit, subject 10 draft on de-
mand, with banks or others ....... III
IS. (Values Of credits, etc, nOne.)
~. Bonds and stocks ............'.'.' l'VO
IL Dogs, l............ .'''..'''''''''
Total value or all the items............ s2,5s