The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-29
GOV. TILDEN'S WAR RECORD
COMPLETE REPUTATION or THE
CHIRGE OF DISLOIALTY.
The Testimony Of one of President Lincolu'a
Assistant secretaries Of Wnr-tiiving his
Influence ani Mems to the Cause.

The Testimony Of one Of President LincoIu'a
Assistant Secretaries Of Wnr-Giving his
lnhucnce aud Mems to the Cause.
Nom Spec, s1 iiS, Rg bs'cr 'rs,'oa ds'sered
FELLow-CITIzENs OF AsurABuLA: APP
pear before YOU in compliance with the request
OF several Of YOUR number, to tell what know
personally having bearing upon the inf nous
charges nude against the character Of Samuel
J. 1idcn.
have known Mr.. Tidon for more than twen-
~ years, aud up TO two wears AGO, when he he
came candidate for election TO the Office "
| Governor Of New York. he was generally recog-
nized, without distinction Of party, ono Of
the most estimable citizens. as one Of the ablcst
ana most trusted LAWYERS, and as a scholar of
exceptionally thorough and broad culture In
political science and administration.
| When The war broke out as many Of you
I know. was residing In Washington City. where,
for fifteen years. had been diligently practising
my profession, unconrectod with political par
ties or ofilcc, but not altogether an unobservant
or an unnterested spectator Of public events,
ana it 50 happened that was among the first
to realize that rebellion WIS organizing and
would surely break out and II fell to my lot. IN
! an humble way to coOpefate with men Of abil-
! ity and eminence to ascertain what probably
| would be the muster moves first attempted by
/ the rebels, and then to organize the most enec-
| tive means available for defeatng thom.
| MIR stanton went into oHire as Secretary Of
| War in January 1862. and his appointment wae
received with the greatest favor by the Demo-
/ cra &c - wei as tue Republican press. as the
evidence OF a Curdi. union OF all PARTIES In the
great WORK Of sustaining the national Govern.
ment, and because he was then nerallv he
| II, we'd 70 poescss those nigh qualities which
! attelward made HIN such sic mite 1gu IN
the history o. the tunes. Before and after this
period Mr. lilden was He'd o Washington to
| counse' With both the President and the Secre-
! tary OF Wa; and to the latter, at that time. he
/ wac especially welcome, hecause. although he
| had opposed the war IA long as 1t seemed pos
! site to avert T., and until It had actually gone
Nohd recall, IN which no was In full symp thy
| with The Pre- ident and many other dsttn-
sulshed Republicans; yet. now that there was
no escape from 1t, he urged earnestly Its more
vigorous prosecution, the most effective
| mean. OF bringing ~ TO speedy end, aud So re-
strctina It's Unavoidable woes aud enormous
| expenditures 10 the naffowest practicable CONF
pass.
| When. In 1852, the Government concluded
| that prudent precautipn against possible war
with England required that the iron manufac-
| turers OF our country should be able to supply
us with gun barrel iron. 10 asked them to essay
| It's production expermentay. and To supply as
| II was wanted, GOO tons, at price that coud
| not Yield much profit. This uuerous. but patri-
| olc duty was undertaken Nv an establishment
| ~ which Mr.. lidcn was tten dir ctor and a
| large stockholder. and to accomplish II they
| stopped other highlS remunerative work, there
| by sacrificing hundreds ~ thous rds of dollars
| the price, rs 1t turned out. nting too low to
| cover the cost OF production. But neither he
| nor any ~ his associated have ever set up or
| eNuu llAluuttu n desire " make any Clatm Tor
| indemnify. as | earned in Washington last
! winter Neither hos he or they asked the Gov
| eminent 60 icceivc tie balance Of IRON uudely
| cred under the contract, although not more
| than o-ihirds ci II had been called for " hen
| the war ciDsed, a. which time. owing to the SUD-
| uch IAN ~ prices the profits on the residue
| would have been very iurae; but tie Govern
| mtnt No longer needed the iron, and It's credit
| was stretched 10 the utmost TO provide Tor war
| debts. Mr.. liiden AID his friends therefore for
| bore to make any claim to the large amount
| they might justly have ask, u In this matter.
| IN. when
| genuy arose, tie Government called upon tue
sine gentlemen for aid II asked them q con-
| struct large number Of ponderous wrought
| irun machines. each weighing many tons, and
known IN military engineering as mortar beds,
| ana 10 accomrlisn the OBJECT IN less than one
| quarter Of the Iime which ne Ordn. nee Depart
ment aud engineers " oininence had declared
Reposing confidence IN the patriotism OF these
! gentlemen. IL was explained to them. that
| large number of these huge. unwteldy structures
had sudpeniy been called for by Gen. Grant, aud
not one was To be found IN our arsenals that
| Of eunbosts, required for the most important
| military cainpsign 90 be made in the West that
| winter USED. tie ADVANCE up the Tennessee aud
| the umD riHbd rivers TO capture forss henry
| and Duralusnn, and 10 destroy the Confederate
| a,hk tht'e gathering ana that q failure 10 sup
| ply he beds promptly. would greatly embar-
| Ia-s the expedition. ana might defeat Il alto
| geiher: " deia,iug uni;l tue waters OF tnese
| rivers feli TOO luw Tor n vigation ny gunuuats.
| N"oiy aid these gentlemen respond TO the con-
ndence reposed n them oy Their Government.
| Money 10 carry on TINS Wofk couid not then 90
| advanced, Tor the Treasury had none to spare, IL
was So far ~ arrears Tor soldiers pay. ana tive
| expenses or eulisting and Org 4nizng troops.
| But these gentlemen did not hesitate. They
opened their own purses. and as ii 10y m &c,
| summoned into instant activity a multltuIe u
skieG workmen in different shops and towns.
-itua In three different states, no single estAo-
| testament Or ritv being able to support the num-
ter o. artisans ana tools, ana the different kinds
| Of mat. rial VITA the prOmItness and ceieriy
| necessary 10 meet the emergency IL viii qratiiy
YOU to learn that this, under ;he circumstances,
| almost lupu-siule SIX was accomplished con-
siterahly within the time limited, aud en-
lad
| Of the * edition before tao day appointed.
| his WONDERFUL Performance was only achi we'd
| through HE Matches executive skiil of Abram
| ;. newt, VINO Organized ana directed the
| work, and who was one OF Mr. Iilden's a=soci-
| ave- NJ the Trenton Iron COMPANY. and Ike Air.
| lldeil' mas IN many NAYS an at Inherent times
| rendered great and loyin. service 10 his couu-
Try. hut never piraded his wol-doing. or sought
To make Of X Oliiical or Qtner merchandise.
Inc .ccount made oslt against tne Govern
! ment FOR performing this great feat OF nlcchani-
| cal Construction, enbr ced no change ior prom,
hlel csi, agency, clSOild service. use Of SHOPS
! tools. OF anything else, nut the actual money
| dishur ed for materials anu labor.
| Aitsr tae account was approved and voucher
| s.ed they had 10 wal, many mohths before the
! W. lie, were ueprccidting every cav. So that the
| money ~ viticl they were repaid was worth
| much less than the money thoy uishursed. Inns
| {, PIE iatiuu, together Win interest, use of
tous ana shops. ind tac V iHo ~ personal sery-
ices fendo red, would make very large loss, or
! ratflotic Offering, Nhi hcv-r ypu choose 10 call
| II. ia mi, single matter, FOR which tncN ask ID
| no indemnity, men or since and never COM
| them letter.
| = .ch patriotic itoralty, on the part Of Mr.
| lilden and his associates ~ tire Trenton Iron
| company. you may aaieh believe was enulnted
| o. none uI the neu who now axe loud ~ his
| detracuon. IL would, think, be diiliciut T.
| ma one Of ihom VINO IN the essential attributes
| on good ciiiz.n'hip IS worth! 20 unloose the
| Ter hey uf his shoe.
| Ii 70 were necessary cou,d 30 on Multiplying
! Instances ana evidence IN support ot my aver
| mont ~ YOU. that on my pers lnsl kn Jwledge
| the charge ot dI-ioYaity against Nr. lIuen is
! untrue ard have no con mat an the u her
tnarlt- mtue agar - him ere equals untrue,
| for tnFy are inconsisteOi with the hifh charac-
! ter VIII lie las borne throIgh a long aud very
active cuisines, life amt WIh the coraiai fell
| loWship ana es eem Of su many good nlru. VINO
vo-id scofn instead Of respecting MIN n he
| were the iculating villain which his political
enemies pint.
A MURDER DESCRIBED.