The Portland daily press., 1876-08-30
Perjury and Swindling.
More nbout Tilden's False Oa,h.

The New York Times presents the following
summary of the case against Mr.. Tilden, in re-
gard to his evasion of the income tax, TO which
the attention of Democratic organs Is cordially
invited:
81. 1t is of no possible consequence whether
the services for which Mr.. TildeB was paid in
1862 were spread over ten years or twenty. In
point OF fact, the second ten. thousand
dollars were paid for services rem
dered between 1859 and 1862.
2. So far from the dates of the services recon
Cling anything, and so far from the fixing of
a return of income with reference to the date
when it was earned being a well settled con-
struction of the law, these dates reconcile
nothing, and the law has by variety of decis-
ions been settled precisely the other way. A
mans taxable income in given year was what
earned it that year or not The merest tyro IN
law knows that, and Mr.. Tilden as certainly
not Ignorant of the fact
8. Do Mr. Tilden's apologists seriously wish it
to be understood that the fee from the st.
Louis, Alton and Terre Haute railroad was Mr.
Tildeu's sole item OF professional income in
1862? He was standing counsel for half
dozen other large corporations, of which this
was the poorest; he was President and Trustee
of tie Balance Dock Company in this city; he
held large mining interests in Michigan and be
owned fair share of the bonds and stocks of
the broken-down railway corporations which,
according to Mr.. Hewitt he was engaged be-
tween 1857 and 1860 in reconstructing. It is
very safe assertion that in 1862 Mr.. Tilden's
income was nearer 100000 than 10000. It is
moreover. an insult to public understanding
to pretend that Mr.. Tilden, who is to-day re.
puted to be worth from five to seven millions
did not defraud the Government in placing his
taxable income in 1862 at S7I1a, for It is admit
ted even by Issdefenders that his most impor-
tant professional work was done before that
time.
4. Now that the Tlden organs have rashly
attempted the business of the ex-
PLANTATION, they must tell us how IL happened
that their candidate made no return of his in
come during the eight years between 1868 and
1872. His gains aud profits from all sources
certainly exhibited a steady Increase during
that period. and yet after the imposition of the
50 per cent penalty for failure to make re-
turn he paid tax on an average income of only
5000 year! Either Mr.. Tilden has earned
nine-tenths of his fortune during the last ten
in which other people have been growing poor
er, or he has grossly swindled the government t
out of its dues during all the years when the
income tax was public burden.
5. His answer in the Terre Haute suit not
only proves him perjurer in 1862. but admits
the subsequent receipt of bonds to the amount
of from $4,000 to 100000. on which no income
tax could possibly have been paid"
The Albany Times, Democratic paper,
speaks thus frankly of the necessity fora COM
plete refutation of the charge:
1.-THE charge has been made that Mr.. Tilden
has 'pefjured himself, in that he has made
contradictory affidavits on the subject Of his
| income. That charge has not been met by
those organs in which the public would natu-
| rally look for an explanation. Mr.. Tilden
| stands before the country as the great reform
| err seeking the suffrages OF the people as an
honest man who will rout fraud and co:rup-
| ton wherever they are found. Whatever may
| be true concerning Mr.. Tilden, we deem it bnt
| fair that reasonable time should be extended
| to him in which to meet this charge with q
| specific denial. Mr.. Ottendorf OF the Stats
| Zeitupg has the true conception OF the case.
| and expresses it as follows; IF Mr.. Tilden
| cannot give satisfactory explanation in this
| matter be is certainly not q fit candidate for
| the Presidency We will only add that delays
sometimes prove dangerous. 1t should be re-
membered that this is an aggressive cam
/ paign,' and the people may not accept the face
/ tious remarks of journals as an answer to the
/ charge"
| A Democratic lawyer comments as follow,
upon the semi-oficial explanation given by the
Governors Secretary:
"If ''that was all there was' about it, and Il
that is the best explanation which the Govern
or, through his confidential Secretary, car
| make in reference TO the facts stated, then as Q
lawyer and "a conscientious man., say thai
Samuel j. Tilden was guilty of wilful, deliber
| ate perjury Wueu NC SWOIo W ulo tdAdOte IN
come in the year referred to-, leaving that sun
of $4,000 received that year from the TER,
| Haute Railroad Company out of his statement
Will Mr.. Tilden or Mr.. Stebbins or the New
York Herald, or any one else for Mr.. Tilden
pretend that il Mr.. Tilden had omitted to col
lect the interest due on his bonds and other sc
| curities for a number of consecutive years, ant
| consequently made no return of any incom
from such sources during those years, and thel
| had, in one year collected the aggregat
| amount which he had allowed to accumulat
from year to year (as Mr.. Stebbins supposes :
| have been the case in reference TO Mr.. Tilden'
fees in the case at the bar, and In the latte
| year had made sworn return of his Income
Intentionally emitting sherefrom the amour
| OF such aggregate interest," he could sheite
| himself behind such a state of facts from
charge of perjury for falsely stating the amoun
| of his income for that year. or that ne couh
safely rest a defence upon that state OF facts
10 a charge of having defrauded the govern
ment of its dues? And yet that Is the defeI Q
which MIR. Stebbins, the confidential secretsr
of Mr.. Tilden, attempts to make for him.
that was all there was about it, if that is th
measure of Tilden's Interpretation of the terr
honest, and his measure of requirements
constitute an honest and truthful man and pub
lie officer and administrator, he falls too ia
short of what 1, as private citizen, lawyel
and an honest Democrat, regard as the nece'
sary quantum of moral sensibility TO max
him worthy the confidence and support
| any true man or sincere and noneSt DemS
cratic reformer And his party snould q
| once andl en- masse demand that ne retir
voluntarily from the position OF its candidat
Tor the Presidency. Or, in default thereof, thu
the marty Immediately cast him overheard an
| select an honest man to take his place"