The Morning herald., 1876-09-27
10 nE AIlERIcAs PsoPLR


Hon. Abram S. Hewitt as Chairman Of
the National Democratic Committee sub
mits the following to the American peo-
ple which is worthy oil sound consid-
GRAFTON
The New York ''Times," which for
wears prior to 1875 had been the eulogist
of Governor Tilden, Immediately after he
became a formidable cdndidate for the
Presidency, began a series Of assaults up
on his private character. At length these
assaults eliminated in the charge Of
making a false statement of his income in
1862. By dint OF reitel alton and f.brica-
ted specifications Of items and details,
having the semblance Of actual accounts,
some well-meaning persons were dis
turbed. 1t therefore occurred to me to
apply to the Secretary of the Treasury for
certified copies of the income returns OF
Governor Tilden and Gavernor Hayes,
and on the second day of September, ]
made such an application. The copies
applied for have not been furnished, nor
indeed has my letter received the poor
courtesy of an acknowledgment. Mean
while, the adversaries of Gov. Tilden
have apparently had free access to these
returns, and have even been permitted to
photo lithos raph SO much Of them as
suited their purposes. I submit this fact
TO the American people without comment
Meanwhile, receiving no reply from pub
lie authorities, who seem to regard the
documents in their custody as held in trus,
for the Republican party, and not for the
whole people, l addressed note to Judge
James P Sinnott, who was the cenhden-
tial law clerk of Governor Tilden during
the whole period in which the law i'm
posing an income tax was in force, asking
him to examine the pretended account Of
Governor Tilden's income during 1862
published by the Times" and furnish
me with such explanations in regard
thereto as his necessary familiarity with
the details would enable him to supply. l
have this day received his reply, present
ing full and entirely satisfactory refu,a-
ton OF the charges of the Times
His answer, herewith submitted to the
pu,ic shows that out Of thirteen pretended
items of income amounting to $4,000,
eleven items amounting to $4,000 are
wholly fictitious, while Of the other two,
only ore of 600 Is entirely true, and the
second OF S25, ,)90 is only partially true.
There is therefore no ground for the as
sertion that the sworn return was not a
Jus, and accurate statement Of the net IL
come of Governor Tilden, after making
such deductions for losses, interest paid
and other charges, as the law authorized
him TO make.
Ife1cep,ion he taken to Judge Sinnott's
letter on the ground that it does not con-
tain detailed statement of the several
items npon which the return Of 1862 was
made, it is proper to state that the regnla-
tons of the Department did not require
such detailed statements, and very few
professional men made such staten ants or
could now recall the items or have kept
the memoranda upon which the returns
were made.
IfGoyernor Tilden were no. in nomina-
ton for the Presidency, do no, know OF
any man in this community whose mere
statement of fact would have been more
generally accepted as the truth, and l fail
to see why the eminent position in which
he has been placed By large body Of hi:
fellow citizens should be held to detrac,
from the sanctitv of his oath.