Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-07-08

OF inc grOSSeSC frauds. MI. llluen SOOu
became satisfied of this, from the fulfill
ty of the answers received from the city
officers when questioned about them and
from other sources, and reached the con-
clusion that the city had been the victim
of frauds far transcending anything ever
suspected. He Immediately formed his
pan, for the execution of which-as it
involved the control of the approaching
state convention-the cooperation of
several leading democrats was first
secured. He accepted an arrangement
by which he was to be sent to the con-
vention from his native district, Column
bia county. which had always during
the ..''Ring" ascendancy afforded him
that opportunity of being heard.
Early in September he issued a letter
to some seveEty-siN thousand democrats.
reviewing the situation and calling upon
them "to take a knife and cut the cancer
out by the roots" But before the meet
ing Of the convention an event happen
ed which could not have been foreseen,
but which was pregnant with the most
important consequences.
To the eternal honor of the democrat
icjparty of the city and state, on the is
sue thus made up bv MI. Tildeu they
gave HIM their cordial and irresistible |
support. The result was overwhelming,
and not only changed the city repre-
sentation in the Legislative bodies of the
state, but, in its moral effect, crushed
the Ring"
Mr. Tilden was. one of the delegates cho-
sen to represent the city in the next legis-
lature. In Difference to the views of his
principal coadjutors, Mr.. Tilden devoted
the six weeks interval between his cleo
ton and the meeting of the legislature
| to the prosecution OF its investigation in
the City departments and in preparing
the vast mass of accurate information
which was the basis of nearly all the Ju-
dicial proofs that have since been employ
ed successfully in bringing the members
of the Ring to justice or driving them
into exile.
| Mr.. Tilden gave his chief attention
during he session of the legislature to
the promotion of those objects for which
he consented to go there, the reform of
the judiciary and the impeachment of
the creatures who had acquired the
control of it under the Tweed dynasty.
Mr.. Tilden had thus by his bold acts
made himself prominent in the work of
reform, and recognized rs the man to
lead it in the state Prominent friends
of reform urged him to accept the NOM
ination tor governor. They said he
could be nominated without difficulty
and elected triumphantly, and in his
triumph the great cause of adminlstra-
tive reform would receive an impulse
which would propagate it not only over
the whole state, but over the Union.
Mr.. Tilden ultimately consented to
take the nomination for governor, his
objections to which were overcome by
single consideration. 1t was the only
) way in which he could satisfactorily
demonstrate that 4 course of fearless
and persistent resistance to wrong will
be indicated and sustained by the
masses of the people that honesty and
courage are as servlceable qualities anc
3 as well rewarded in politics rs in any
other profession or pursuit in life. Ht
) was unwilling to leave it in the power
r of the enemies of reform to say that ht
! dared not submit his conduct as re
e former to the judgment OF the people
to say that his course had ruined his in
t fluence; that his name should be :
1 warning to the rising politicians of tn
3 country against following his example
+. He felt that, whatever might be the re
II SulL Ol Ills CiAC Ahoi q
= effect of his election would be advan
: tageous, not only in his own state, bu
e throughout the country. But for thes
d considerations Mr.. Tilden would hav
L allowed himself to be made The candi
= date of the democratic party for tn
e Senate of the United States, a positio
It more congenial to his tastes, and 10
h which his personal preferences wer
: well-known.
e He was nominated and elected, an
: whatever lessons or eloquence could b
expressed in big ma jorities were no
d wanting to lend their eclat to his tr
n umph. Mr.. Tilden's plurality owe
If John A. Dix, the republican candidate
If was 53,315. Mr. Dix had been electe
n two years previously by plurality c
So, ,451.
If The first message of Governor Tide
Il foreshadowed with distinctness the col
= trolling features of his administration
Il First-Reform in the Administrator
of Second-The restoration of the final
0 cial principles and policy which tt
le umphed in the election of Jackson an
is Van Buren,, and which left the countr
IF without a dollar OF Indebtedness in I'll
world and credit abroad with whiC
~ In furtherance of his policy OF az
II ministrative reform, ne recommende
e revision of the laws intended t
= provide criminal punishment al
civil remedies for frauds by publ
T. officers and by persons acting i'll con
er plicity with them. These recon
8 mendations, during the same sessio
'l carefully wrought iutO the leglslatiO
Y of the state, bore especially upO
al those forms of administrative abus
G. which the exposure and arrest {
IL William NJ. Tweed had recently r.
eI vealed, and also upon another al
10 kindred class of abuses in the MAJ
20 agelnent of our canals, with whit
Is Is the governor was already acquainte
II, but Of which the public as yet hs
LII only an imperfect realization.
ne But the feature Of the messat
y which produced, perhaps, the mu
III profound impression, not only upt
OF his own Immediate constituents, b
III upon the whole nation, WAS th
pc which related to the financial pole
OF of the federal government. A ge
sr- Grafton had grown up who had new
Le, seen or used any other money th,
no q printed promise of the gOvernmei
IL and 1T had become widespread CO
ne viction among the aspiring poh'
ed clans of both the great parties til
ry the current public opinion in favor
lat an Inflated and irredeemable curren
II would Overwhelm and destroy al
Ia public man who would attempt
he stem il. No convention of eth
us party in any state of the Uuion b.
on ventured the experiment; the acti
IN leaders of both parties had eth
avoided or yielded to the currel
ed Mr.. Tilden deemed it his duty to 10
Ter no time in advocating the only tina
OF cial policy which ever had lnsur
he or can insure Il substantial and c
Its during national prosperity.
ere On the 18th of March, and as SO
nd as he had secured from the legis
lad ture such additional remedies
he official dclinquencies y. were requ
MS ite for the purpose, the Governor
iry a special message invited tho atte
the iion Of the eg,slature to the misma
II agement of the canals.
to He pointed out in this commune
on ton with considerable detail
raj fraudulent processes by which
BON an indefinite period of years the sta
,ht. had been plumdered, its agents I
of bauched, its politics demoraliZed a
or, it's credit imperlllcd. The fulne
l at boldness and directness of his sta
ory ments produced Il profound impr
Ids | siou not Ouiy throuuhOut ihe sta