The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-10-19
Governor Tilden's Warfare Upon the
Ring-Its Method and COnstancy.

Governor Tilden began his warfare
against the rings as far back as 1863
This year was marked for its injunctions
and receiverships. These began in The
prostitution of judicial power, which
touched the rights of every citizen.
The ring feared the ability and power
of Mr.. Tllden as leader, and their first
step in 1869 was an attempt to remove
him from the chair of the Democratic
State Committee. In this they were
badly defeated. Mr.. Tilden then began
his aggressive warfare in the Circuit
Court against the receiverships they had
multiplied. He was one of the most ac-
tive and outspoken in the formation of
the Bar Association, which was designed
to elevate the moral standard of the pro
fession, and to have direct influence
upon the administration of justice in the
courts; to follow corruption and bribery
in whatever form upon the bench, with
impeachment, if necessary. At its first
meeting, in which Charles O'Conor and
William NJ. Evarts were present, Mr..
Tilden spoke these bold words:e
If the bar will do its duty to itself it can
have areformed constitution and reformed
judiciary it can have the administration of
Justice made pure and honorable; it can re-
form the judiciary and bar until both shall
be once more, as they formerly were, honor
able and elevated callings.
When Tweed sprang his city charter
upon the assembly, in 1870, Mr.. Tilden
saw clearly the frauds wrapt up in that
instrument, and spoke in bold and
thrilling words to the committee that
reported, and Legislature that passed it.
He analyzed and denounced it before the
committee, and said:
No such grant sf power could be excusa.
Bile, unless under a temporary dictatorship
in apublic extremity.
He Joined hands with the Union
League Club and all good men of both
parties in denouncing it.
The object of the ring was to hold the
legislative power Of the State (the New
York City Senators and Assemblymen)
through the prestige of regularity in the
elections. Fo1eseeing this, Mr.. Tilden
stormed the central stronghold on which
their lines rested in the city. He made
the issue before the State Convention,
and declared he would oppose any man
or measure that did not go for making
the city what it should be, at any cost,
On this he staked his political existence
and broke the prestige of the ring in con-
trolling the State organization in their
own interest as regular. His time of &C.
ton was at the moment of publication
of what were termed the "secret &C.
counts" He believed in the potency Of
definite facts to impress the public. he
went into the bank where all the checks
of the ring had passed, and during many
days arduous labor analyZed their &C.
counts and traced out their division Of
plunder. Here he obtained the only
proof which would stand before ia ju
dicial tribunal. There were great legal
difficulties in obtaining proof or redress
The local authorities, having power tc
order civil actions, were in completely
the officials were their appointees, and
the Judges their instruments and crimi
nal proceedings were equally hampered
These steps of the Governor formed the
iron wedge which made the only en-
trance in the stronghold of the ring, anC
by which it was riven, and at length
broken into fragments.
He also bore most important part il
the impeachment of Judge Barnard, and
at critical juncture, saved it from de
feat by securing the appointment O
counsel land that only) which should b,
acceptable to the Bar Association.
In the interest of this great work, Mr.
Tilden relinquished all his professional
and private business for year and .
half, with large income, giving up al
his time to incessant and earnest labor
What better record?
In the passage of the Tweed Charte
in 1870, the power was given into tn,
hands of Tweed and his allies over tn,
entire machinery of the local govern
ment, and this power could not com,
back to the people till the election OIL
the 7th of November, 1871. This. MI
Tilden made the objective point, and t,
it directed all his efforts to recover tn
Legislative power of the State. The plal
of Tweed was to elect the Senators ant
Assemblymen from the city in favor o
his own dynasty, a certain number in tn
rural districts, and then to buy up mem
bers when required to control importan
measures. In the passage of this Twee
Charter of 1870, it was stated by lot
byist to one of the Judges of the Su
r preme Court that votes were bought q
: $4,000 and $4,000 each. 1t was unde
: this charter that Tweed and his assc
ciates audited and stole Sc. 900, 900 fror
t the City Treasury at a single sitting.
+ In a statement made in his own d.