The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-08-21
Unfortunate, Indeed.

~ uoW appears tnat Congressman deWlLCS
statements in defence of Candidate Tilden's
loyalty and patriotism during the war are in
exact. Failing to show that Samuel J. Til
den uttered word of encouragement TO the
Union cause during the four years of terrible
war or that he gave bis name to strengthen
the Union sentiment Oh any occasion, Mr..
Hewitt declared that Mr.. Tiden contribute ed,
as member of Tammany Hall, to fit out the
regiment bearing that name. This looked
very plausible. 1t might be that while scores
oil men of both parties, even the Woods and
Tweeds, were responding 10 the calls of the
Union Defence Committee, Mr.. TildeD, from
motives of decacy, might not wish to have
his name appear in connection with public
contribution. True, the Astors, the Stew
arts, the Van1erbilts and the bankers and
merchants of the metropolis generally were
not deferred by such considerations. Mr. Til
den has not been noticeable for excessive
modesty. When, therefore, Mr.. Hewitt
declared that Mr.. Tiden was large contrib
utor to the regiment raised by Tammany
Hall bis friends congratulated themselves
that their candidates record of patriotism
was as good as tha. of Fernando Wood, who
dc give $500 to the Union cause. But this
proves to be falsehood. Some one has been
looking up the records, and they show that
the entire expense of raising three regiments
iacluding the Tammany, pos paid By the city
fo Ne,u York!
Mr.. Talbot is in the same deplorab!e condi-
ton. While the patriotic people we're con-
tributing to help the Union cause during the
war, he, an ex Buchanan official, refused and
refused, too, with bitter, sneeripg prophesy
calculated to dishearten hundreds of people
who regarded him as man of ability and
Judgment. Now this wretched candidate,
with that despair which causes drowning
man to grasp at straw, attempts to prove
his devotion to the national cause by saying
that he let Crosby Shorey have his horse TO
transport troops in the spring of 1851 without
pay! 1t is his whole case. He offers no
other proof that he was patriot. And even
this extent of this sacrifice is somewhat lin
tied by the statement of party associate of
Mr.. Talbops, that the candidate did not let
his horse to transport soldiers but to save his
cost of keeping.
These are all the proofs that the two gen.
tlemen who head the National and State
Democratic tickets can offer to the country to
show that they were patriots In 1861. Both
were men of local Importance, both accus-
toned to speak in public and capable of
welding wide influence. Yet, in all those
four years of terrible war, when millions were
moved by patriotism to place lie itself upon
the country's altar, these two candidates, Til
cen and Talbot, cannot show that they per-
formed an act which they can now offer to
prove that they were even in sympathy with
the Union cause. THEY CANNOT POINT TO
ONE EXPRESSION OF ENCOURAGEMENT, TO
ONE LOYAL SENTIMENT OR ACT TO SHOW
THAT THEY sYMPATHIzND WITH THE Gov
ERNMENT. On the other hand, their words
and acts as far as they can be recalled were
HOSTILE to the national cause. On the
ground, then, that those who were not open
ly for the Union cause in the struggle for ma
tional existence were against it, who can say
that Iilden, Talbot and Treason were not in
league :?