Middletown transcript., 1876-10-14
THE RECORDS OF THE PREsIDEN-
TIAL CANDIDATES.

When the Presidential campaign
opened, the proposition came from thu
Republican side of the house, that !,
should be conducted upon principles o
decency-that gross personalities should
be avoided, and that private character
should be respected by both parties. Sc
far as we have had opportunities for ob.
servation, this proposition was accepted
and respected by the Democrats, but nc
sooner were the St. Louis nominations
made, than every Republican journal in
the country-we make no exceptions
commenced pouring out columns Of
slander and vituperation to an extent
almost unparalleled hitherto. Governor
Tilden was made the special object o.
their dirty assaults. he was attacked
at every possible point, was charged
with nearly every crime in the calender
save murder, and there .is no telling
how soon that will come. Now, when
| it is remembered that Gov. Tilden is a
gentleman who. during long life, has
been held in the highest esteem by all
who had the honor Of his acquaintance,
and that until his nomination for the
Presidency his name was the synonym
for all that was honorable and upright,
the cruelty, malignity and falsity Of
these assaults become daily more and
more apparent. But, like rock Of
adamant, he has withstood them all
Not a single one Of the many scandal
GUS allegations Of his political enemies
has been sustained. One by one they
have fallen to the ground, and have
given him a more exalted position than
ever in the estimation of his fellow
citizens. This is but natural. The
American people are always fair mind
ed. They are always disposed to hear
before they strike, and not apt to strike
without good and sufficient cause. They
have heard the ISLANDERS uttered against
Gov. Tilden by the Republican party.
They have carefully weighed them
against his well-known character for
honor and honesty, and cast them aside
as unworthy Of further consideration
In the same manner the people are
now examining the record Of Governor
Hayes. They have the charges and the
denials, and those who have thoroughly
inspected the sworn statement as to his
income, and his explanation Of that
statement. Putting that and that side
by side, and comparing the two, the
conclusion is irresistible that he has
falsi6ed the truth, or in palmer words,
that he stands before the world in the
character Of perjurer. We use the
term reluctantly, but are compelled to
it by sense Of duty to truth. If such
language is unpalatable, if the private
affairs have been thus unpleasantly
brought to light, the fault does not rest
with the Democrats. The investiga-
ton Of his income returns was invited,
nay, forced BY his own warmest friends.
They have forced the fighting in this
and thus far they have evi-
dently got the worst Of it. As stated,
he has ATTEMPTED an explanation. It is
not only not satisfactory, but absolutely
condemnatory, leaving him in worse
position than had he permitted the
charge te 60 unanswered.
In like manner, when charged by W.
W. Harper, Chaplain Of the Thirteenth
Union Volunteers, Of West Virginia
which in 1864 was in Hayes command,
with having appropriated to himself
S4OO, the property Of an executed de-
serter, instead Of meeting the charge
fairly and squarely, be evades it BY
ignorance Of the disposition q
made BY him Of the money. He does
not deny having received the $400.-l
Indeed, such denial would be absurd,
for Chaplain Harper details every Incl
dent connected with the transfer Of the
money to Hayes, with such particular
ity as to leave him no room for denial. |
the wretched plea Of ignor-
ance as to what be did with it, whether
be paid it over to the deserter's friends,
paid it to the Government, paid it to
The regimental fund, or kept it himself,
places Gov. Hayes in position very
far from being enviable, and one from
which there is but one method Of extri-
cation, and that is to state clearly and
definitely what he did with the $400 be
admits having received from the ex-
ecuted deserter.
It is not at all reasonable to suppose
that man proverbially as careful Of
money as Gov. Hayes is known to be.
would receive SO large sum as $4O0
and not be able to tell what disposition
be made Of it, and more especially when
that money was not his OVID, but held
10 trust for others. Such plea is un-
worthy q man named for the Presi-
dency. It will therefore not be ac-
cepted as satisfactory. Gov. Hayes
must give categorical answers to both
charges. .-Philo. Chronicle.
THE WAY TO SERVE RELATIONS.