The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-08-16
The Sham "Reformer,, Uncovered.

After calling attention to the campaign sheet
of the New York Times. the Brooklyn Argus,
an able and influential Democratic paper, pro-
ceeds to say: 'No reference whatever is made
to the release of Tweed, to the non-prosecution
OF the thieves who stole millions Of dollars from
the New Capitol funds; the appointment of
Ring convicts to lucrative offices; the alliance
made with the Brooklyn Ring; packing the
State Convention; the character of the dele
gates whom Tilden selected to represent him at
st, Louis; the inconsistency of his specie pay
ment law; the seizure of the New Lebanon Dis
tillery, SC.
But the Times has made one thing quite
clear. that Tiden defended and did not expose
the New York Ring until long after he knew
of their depredations, and until. for self-secu-
rity, he was impelled to do it. After being
deserted by almost every respectable Democrat
in the city, aud when he saw that 1t would be
not only harmless thing but stroke of
policy to jump on to dead mems graves, he did
80. Samuel j. Tilden was more responsible
for the Ring robberries in New York from 1866
to 1871 than any other man outside the gang of
thieves. During all of that time he was an
o-~SOA Az AAnkJ WIN 4WcCu anu
Sweeney, which organization. controlled all
local power. During all that period he was
also Chairman of the State Democratic Com
mittee, which committee gave representation
to the plunderers in State Conventions aud
control of the Legislature.
Tilden was then responsible for continued
robbery in New York, as he now is for the nou-
punishment of robbers in Brooklyn. He was
IN political Office, through which he could
have crushed the robbers, had he been disposed
to do so. He is now in the Executive office,
with jurisdiction extending into every city,
town and ward in the stats-with laws ample
to punish thieves, and an oath which makes it
obligatory upon him to protect the interests Of
of the people. Yet what do we see in Brook
lyn? The Ring which has impoverished the
city, and which good citizens, without refer
ence to party, have been fighting for years. are
to-day Gov. Tilden's right hand men. and not
one of them has been brought to justice y the
sworn officers of the state. Only yesterday
Tilden's organs, owned and controlled by the
notorious Kingsley and Kinsella, two of Til
denis selected delegates to the national conven-
ton had the impudence to inform the people
of Brooklyn that Gsv. Tilden would have
nothing to Idoswith prosecuting thieves. The
following is their language:
Neither Gov. Tilden nor his Attorney Gen.
eral has had anything whatever to do with the
business prosecuting thieves) The gang of
city as 'Reformers' expected Mr.. Tilden to
aid them in securing political status which
the voters have not seen tit to give them"
This is an endorsement of the Argus fire.
quent declaration that Governor Tilden had
made terms with the public plunderers of this
city, which we hardly expected. 1t is an adj
mission which the despoiled people will do well
to remember. They should cut the above ex-
tract out, label it. "The rogue's admission that
Tilden opposes Reform" and put it in their
pockets. There is nothing new to us in this
fact, for we have heard Governor Tilden say
that "these Brooklyn plunderers were worse
than Tweeds gang, and that he would see
on their road to Sing Sing, they were his re
form delegates to the st. Louis Convention
Some of these delegates now come home and
assert through the columns Of the most cor
rupt newspaper published in the United States
| that Governor nlden refused gentlemen like
Harrington, Backhouse, Woolworth, and 9TH
ers, ito have anything whatever to do with the
business furnishing thieves! Can any one Dc
| surprised after this, that the Argus does not
support the sham "Ref0rmerY But the above
l evidence of Tilden's utter lnsincerity and nn'
| scrupulousness, is but a small part of other
| evidence in our possession.
Tilden was as much of a conscript in the
| reform ranks of New York as is the man taker
| from his home, gwen musket and forced into
i the army. Dean Richmond died in 1866. Sam
| mel j, Tilden succeeded Mr.. Richmond TO the
| craftsmanship of the Democratic State Com
| mittee which position he helduntil he became
| Governor 10 1875. The debt of New York CITY
in 1866 was $45, 1877 900. The vouchers wer'
destroyed and the Ring burst up in July, 1871
But their debts were not paid for some year.
afterwards. When Mr.. Tilden vacated the
Craftsmanship of the COMMITTEES, December 81
1874, the debt was S141, ,803, ,0OOl This was OIL
increase in the debt of a singls city, during tn,
seven years of his administration. of S96 GIG, 600
Besides cash expenditure of over $4,000, ,00(
per apnum collected in taxes, there was year
" addition to the debt of Is, 100000, or tota
yearly expenditure of $SS,0OO,0O0. Mr.. Tllder
Is fond of boasting of his reforming the Stat,
expenditures, which reform was brought abou
J By the adoption of amendments to the Consti