Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-10-20
The Comedy of the Campaign.

! Upon the whole, the most amusing in
cident in the campaign is Mr.. August
Belmonts vindication of Mr.. Tilden's
"war record" 1t is the more amusing
that it took place in New York, where
Mr.. Tilden's record in the war is as
familiar as Mr.. Belmont's. The wiser
course for the latter gentlemen would
have been loftily to dismiss the whole
subject as a past issue and bygone,
But the consciousness that it is not and
| cannot be past issue whether a candi-
date for the Presidency IN 1876 was true
TO the country during the war that closed
in 1865 constrains Mr.. Belmont to at
tempt a defense. He said, according to
the report: fiFFif III,
During all the trials Of our civil war, and
in our darkest hours of probation, Samuel j.
Tilden was steadfast, true and unwavering in
his devotion to the cause of the Union. OF
this had frequent and ample proofs during
the long time was honored with the Chair
manship of the National Democratic Com
mittee, stretching over a period of twelve
years, from 1860 to 1872. My voice and eff
forts from the very beginning of our national
troubles were ever loud and uncompromis-
ing for the vigorous prosecution of the war
for the Union. My bitterest enemies have
never been able to point to single word or
action of mine which the most perverted
ambition could mIsconstrue on that point
and am proud to say that on all the great
and stirring questions which agitated the
public mind during all these trying times
always found Mr.. Tilden hold the same
opinions with myself.
Mr.. Tilden showed how steadfast,
true and unwavering he was by refusing
to sign a call for Union meeting, as
Gov. Dix distinctly states, and as
Mr. Hewitt's explanation does not deny,
by declaring the war a failure, and, while
Sherman was still upon his march to the
sea, helping to nominate to the Vice
Presidency George III. Pendleton frank
and resolute opponent of the war. Mr..
Tilden further illustrated his devotion
to the Union and the war for its
maintenance by publishing for circula-
ton the speeches of the most malignant
COpperheads" in the country. If they
were true and unwavering friends of the
Union, so was Mr. Tilden. If Vallan-
digham and Pugh and Fernando Wood
were SUnion mem and "loYal men" and
war men, so was Mr.. Tilden. The
pamphlets his society published and
issued were such as Jefferson Davis
would have selected and Robert Toombs
approved. Mr.. Tilden'spublished views
of the Union were such rs Calhoun
would have applauded Mr. Belmont
might as wisely insist among New York
ers whose memories 60 back dozen
years that Mr.. iFildenis ten feet high as
that he was not a." Copperhead" of the
war. &A y. Gg e. Ef Hb w
If Mr., Belmontiwas not thes same thing,
he did himself great injustice. He may
truly say that he always found Mr.. Til
den holding the same opinions upon the
subject as himself. But had the opinions
of Messrs. Belmont and Tilden controlled
the Administration, liberty in this coun-
try would have been lost and the Union
destroyed. Mr.. Belmont's zeal for the
Union was well illustrated by the Incl
dent which was notorious and repeated
ly published at the time, that Lord Hart.
ington Haunted rebel badge in his
house unrebuked by Mr.. Belmont. A
Union soldier, not Mr. Belmont, called
the Englishman TO account. There can
be nothing more ineonceivably ludicrOus
than Mr., Belmont's coming forward
solemnly TO assert that Mr.. Tilden WAS
not Copperhead. Mr.. Hewitt, who
is not so vulnerable upon this score, we
believe, as Mr.. Belmont had attempted
the defense in Congress, and with the
most ridiculous results. Mr.. Manton
Marble, who was the editor of the World,
In which the letters of Druid" APP
peared, and who was one of the first sec
retaries of Mr.. Tilden's Diffusion of
[Copperheadl knowledge Society, has
also volunteered defense of the war
record Of Mr. Tilden. These gentlemen
should invite Henry Clay Dean and
George III. Pendleton and Fernando