Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-08-17
Democratic BattIe-Cry--"TiIden
and Reform

Last week, Mr.. Tilden was summon
ed to appear before Court to answer to
sworn charge of embezzIement to the
amount of one million of dollars. Nice
model standard-bearer, and 'REFORMi
candidate! But-say our Democratic
refermers-Mr. Tilden is no worse than
his Republican neighbors; as Belknap,
Babcock, &c. Well, Republicans do
see and weigh all these men and the
charges against them; and while under
charges, true or false-Whether made
for political purposes, or for just cause
whether made by Railroad compa-
mics, mining companies, or even by
Democratic committees, with closed
doors, in secret star-chamber conclave,
for months, in absence of the party
charged, in violation of every principle
of law, of rule of trial and evidence, of
right of citizen, and even the rules of
Common decency-they will nominate
none of them for high offices. Repub-
licans refused to nominate even Mr..
Blaine, while they knew he was pre-
fectly innocent OF the charges trumped
up against him for political partisan
motive, and nothing else; and this, too,
while cleared by the oath of the only
witnesses competent in the case. They
had plenty material for Office against
whom even Democrats can't bark.
Now, how very different are the facts
in regard to Tilden. Malicious Repub-
licans are not prosecuting him for po-
litical purposes, either before the civil
courts or Congress, on charges of viii
lainy. Have politics anything to do
with these charges of embezzlement?|
They were instituted by Railroad COM
panies, not for political purposes, as
were the charges against Mr.. Blaine,
by slander-fshing, star-chamber, polit-
ical stockholders. And then, were they
not instituted long before Tilden was
known by the Republicans to be even
suggested for Presidential nomination.
Did not the Democratic press, ,and hum
dreds of prominent Democrats protest
against his nomination on the ground
of these very charges of slippery dis
honesty? Hear-"A MAN EDUCATEDl
IN CUNNING, IN HYPOCRISY, IN M
oUITY," &c. So goes Democratic testi-
D1O1ly!
Here our Democratic friends sheuld
not evade facts, but weigh them delib-
erately. Then reflect. A large body
of citizens, both Democrats and Repub-
licans, knowing themselves swindled
by q slippery man, swear to the char,
ges of embezzlement, and in law form
prosecute the swindler. They prose-
cute him without the remotest refer
ence to political issues, just as injured
citizens usually prosecute felons at the
bar of the law. Railroad corporations
are not in the habit of prosecuting can
didates for Office as mere campaign par
ty measures. Rather, do not all mon
eyed corporations prosecute for pecuni-
ary considerations only, while they
use the patronage of all without regard
to political parties? What does COM
mon sense saye
And then, why do political newspa-
pers of the Democratic party so studi-
ously keep from the people the grave
charges of swindling, regularly made
on oath before the regular courts of jrs-
tice, where law and facts must meet face
to face, when political gossip can have
no hearing? These prosecutions are
matters of common news, in which the l
whole people have common interest.
Not one Democratic voter in ten can c
learn through Democratic journals that c
Tilden is under sworn charge for the '
crime of embezzlement. Political lead il
ers hold back from the people ON a
Ehe one hand, and on the other fill "