New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-09-01
A DEMOCRATIC ATTORNEY.

III seems tQaL before the war MIR. Illden
was pursuing the instincts of small
Connecticut attorney. The records seem
to have been searched in vain for any
evidence that he sustained the Union
cause; nor is it evident that he put in
peril either his own reputation or fortune
through sympathy with the South or
even with the Crittenden Conservatives.
So far as glimpse is permitted into the
political tendencies Of Mr.. Tilden, he was
a friend and follower Of Van Buren,, the
Northern man with Southern principles,
whom the Northern people discarded
and the Southern people refused to ac-
cept. Mr.. Tilden represented those opin-
ions of free soil which broke up the
Charleston Democratic convention, di-
vided the Democracy, and resulted in the
civil war. So far as the political record of
Mr.. Tilden displays his further connec-
ton with politics, he was the friend and
agent Of Tammany. His political asso-
citation with the Tweed ring is patent
from their joint services in Democratic
committees and conventions.
When it became evident that the people
of New York city would bear no longer
the fragrant frauds of the Democratic
rings, when the real reformers, headed
by the New York Times, were right after
Tweed, Connolly, Harry Genet and
dozen other absconding Democrats now
enjoying life in their villas in Italy and
on the Rhine, Lawyer Tilden deter
mined to give away some of these pals
who had grown rich enough to emigrate,
and to rescue the Democratic party from
the just indignation of q plundered people.
The particular qualifications of an attor-
ney now came into requisition. We be-
lieve that the precise manner in which
Tweed was dragged down by Tilden after
having been brought to bay by the
persistant pursuers, was this: The
books and officers Of various banks in
which the Democratic plunderers had
kept their accounts were brought into
court by the process of subpoena duces
tecum which means, "Come and fetch
your books and papers along with you.
The zeal Of partisan efectipg salvage
Of his party by throwing overheard
dead and dragging weight. the knowledge
of political partner perfectly, though
informally, cognizant Of the frauds which
had been conducted SO successfully, and,
above all, the skill Of an attorney who
had just been in at the death of dozen
railroads reduced to insolvency by the
tricks of officers and com missioners, were
invaluable. Tweed threw up the sponge;
some Of his Democratic partners followed,
and he, after pleasant prison residence
of few months to conduct the common
defense and rescue the common plumber,
coolly rode out of jail under the auspices
of Democratic jailor, and will remain
in retirement until, like the scandalous
Queen Isabella of Spain, the moral at
shall be vitiated by Democratic
ascendency to point at which his
Remittance into Tammany |
will occasion no social remonstrance.
The success of Mr. Tilden as detec- |
tive gave him claim upon the national |
Democracy as a reformer, and upon this |
record of the captured Tweed he has
taken his stand as model of political |
virtue Unfortunately for this high pre-
tension, the architects Of politic-l ruin"
have gone to work to examine the growth
and ground plan Of Mr.. Tilden's reputa-
ion. They find that while all the men
On either side were giving their lives
and fortunes for or againss the Uaion,
Lawyer Tilden was busy getting rich.
As the retained attorney for railroads re-
ceivipg immense SUNS for the transporta-
ion of Union .ncn and material Of war,
he receive fabulous sums. As the pro-
fessional adviser OF the Credit Mobilier
Company, he drew the charters and acts
Of Congress and of the Legislature by
which public millions were distributed
among public men. Mr.. Tilden rs coun-
selor Of the C1edi, Mobilier ring knew as
much about their knavery, rs being in