Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-08-02
Tiidenfand TWeed-The Facts.
ALBANY Evening Journal

Tiidenyand Tweed-rhe Facts.
II Albany Evening Journal.
The relations Of Mr.. Tilden to th'
Tweed. .Tammany business may b,
very briefly and conclusively indicat
ed. The simple statement of decisive
facts in their chronological order set
ties the matter. Mark these points
l. Mr.. Tilden was chairman of the
Democratic State Committee from
1866 down through 1867, 'G8, go, '7(
and III, the very hey-day of Tweed.
Tammany thievcry, and during all
that time he never, by word or act
did anything to oppose or check this
rascality. As Chairman of the com.
mittce he could not be ignorant Of it,
ii he was not in actual completely
yet he raised no arm to stop it.
III. As Chairman of the State Com
mittec he received and acknowledged
the money of Tweed for political pur-
poses, when he knew it was stolen
from the public treasury and in 1868
his name was associated with that of
Tweed in the fagitious scheme to
cheat the people Of their rights and
their chosen officers by gigantic frauds
upon the ballOt-box. He sent out the
famous circular which asked the
Democrats of the interior to telc-
graph Immediately on the close of
the polls the probable vote of their
localities in order that Tweed might
know how much he would have 10
count up in New York to overt ONE
it.
III. Though thus prominent in
public affairs, he did not oppose any
of the infamous Legislative measures
of 1870 and II, under which the most
stupendous rObberies of the Tweed
Tammany ring were pcrpetrated. We
say exactly what we mean. He did
oppose the charter, but that was not
the fountain of the robberies at all.
The robberies were committed under
the Board of Audit bill, the tax levies
and similar measures, and we chal-
lenge the production of word from
Tilden against any Of them. During
these same years of 1870 and II, he
stood side by side with Tweed in the
State conventions, and neither said
nor did single thing in opposition
to his interests.
". The great explosion against
Tweed and his confederates occurred
through the publication of the Times
figures in July, III. Long before that
time Tweed's immense thefts were
known to every intelligent politician,
and if Mr.. Tilden had been an
"honest reformer" he should have re-
sisted them. But even if there had
been any possibility Of excuse for in
action before, there certainly was
none after the Times exposure. That
gave crushing proof; it fixed the
brand of thicvery so that every man
could see it; it sealed the doom Of
the Ring. From that moment Tweed's
overthrow was inevitable, Yet, still |
Mr.. Tilden was silent. He had not
lifted finger to strike at Tweed, and |
he did not even then.
V. The great meeting of the citi-
zens of New York against the Ring
was held September 4th, 1871. 1t was
called out by the startling exposure
of the Rings colossal robberies. 1t
was irrespective of party. 1t was the
meeting where was appointed the
famous Committee of Seventy, which
organized the campaign for the over
throw of the Ring. Every prominent
citizen of New York of either
party who was allied to the cause of
good government, participated. Mr..
Tilden was asked to take part in
his anti-fing reform meeting, and he
He did not. yet, in spite of
he popular movement, feel that il
was safe to declare himself against
Tweed aud the Ring. In the State
Convention of the Democratic party
which was held at Rochester month
ater, Tilden united in refusing to ad-
nit the reform delegation which was
10 Tweed. into the conyen-
ion, and pursued the course that
Tweed desired.
VI. AT last, years after Tweed's
was fully known, months
liter the overwhelming exposure,
weeks after the great popular upris-
certain, Mr.. Tildem took a
;ure position against him, and render
ID some service towards his punish
nent. He was instrumental in pre-
enting the accounts in such way
hat they aided in securing the legal
conviction of the culprit. But this was
lot done until the last OF October,
ong after the overthrow of Tweed
lad been assured.
Such are the plain indispuiable
acts. They show that MIR. Tilden was
Chairman of the State Committee
luring the long period of Tweed's
worst rule: that he co-operated with
nm in political work that he made
10 opposition to his thieving schemes;
hat he did absolutely nothing toward
he overthrow of Tweed; and that
ne never did aught against him until
his downfall had already been seen.
We give Mr.. Tilden all the credit he
deserves. After Tweed was down he
did something to punish him, but he
did nothing to put him down.