Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-07-21
The Candidates Compared.

A TERRIFIC ARRAIGNMENT OF HENDRICKS.
Ex-Judge Dittenhoefer, President of the
German Republican Central Committee, of
New York, has written letter accepting
Judge Goepps resignation Of membership
in that Committee, which is lively reading.
He says among other things
What has always been the practice of the
Republican party-to oppose the appropria-
tion of the peoples money for the support
of sectarian schools-was declared in Cir
cinnati to be the creed of the party. The
Democratic party has always advocated
such corrupt appropriations the ST. Louis
platform, by its silence sanctions the prae-
tice, and it is capable of proof that the peo-
pie are to-day suffering more from the bur
dens imposed by gifts of money and property
for sectarian purposes than from the cor
ruption of public officials.
But you are just as unfortunate in what
you say about the Republican candidates.
You call Gov. llayes-the successful Union
officer during the war of the Rebellion, who
was thrice elected governor OF the great
State Of Ohio, defeating in memorable con-
tests such distinguished Democratic a-pi-
rants for the Pr, sidency as Thurman, Pen
dleton, and Allen, who was sn Industrious
and able representatiss in Congress, and
who has enjoyed tn -cI sienee OF the peo-
pie, and Especially 81 the German popula-
ton of Ohio, for his honesty, and the tidei-
ty with which he has discharged the duties of
every Office he has flled-an obscure man.
What a misconceptiOn of language. Why,
Rutherford B Hayes was hOnored as a Union
soldier and civil magistrate when your
present fayorite. Samuel j. Tiiden, was
known only TO the politicians as the
Chairman of the New York Democratic
State Committee. How can the welfare
of the Union be promoted by the cleo
ton of a man who in the hour Of its sOrest
trial did nothing to defend it, and who,
should he become President, Judging from
antecedents. would on the recurrence of
similar danger act Just a. did the last Demo
cratic President, James Buchanan. Nor Is
Gov. Tilden entitled 10 The credit Of having
alone undertaken "twostupend0us contests,
much less ''Of having triumphantly carried
them through" His zeal for reform first
broke out after Tweed, for years his politi-
cal confederate, had been unmasked, and
had been made politically and socially harm
Il
was undoubtedly good political move, but
should not blind YOU to the fact that he
never disapuroyed of Tweed's plundering
laws while they were being enacted in the
| legislature that up to within a late period
| he failed to detect these wicked schemes,
| either from want Of intelligence, or Of eOur-
age to prevent their eonsummatiOn. Nor
would the canal swindlers have assumed
their great magnitude had Mr.. Tilden, a
| Chairman OF the Democratic State Commit
tee, not encouraged the canal contractors in
their course by accepting from them contri-
buttons for running the Democratic ma
chine.
On the same ticket, yoked to the hard
money IIlden, Is the sOft-m0ney Hendricks,
who in 1868 at Shelbyyille encouraged de
serters TO resist, denounced the enlistment
| of negro troops, hOoted at the Emancipation
Proclamation, predicted that the South
would succeed unless additional guarantees
were given to that section and who
consistent thrOughOut-vOted in Congress
against the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amend
ments to the Constitution, and voted for the
same land grants now denounced in the St.
Louis platform; and as Governor of Indiana
favored sumptuary legislation, condemned in
the same platform. by signing what Is known
as the Baxter Temperance law.
Thrice has it occurred in the history Of
our Republic that Vice-Presidents have been
called upon TO fill vacancies caused 10y the
death of the Presidents You seem either TO
have forgotten this, or you must have
been placed in possession Of some
guaranty that Gov. Tilten, if elected,
will not die before the expiration OF
his term, for | am not sure that whatever
else you may advocate, you do not desire To
see Thomas \. Hendricks, the great cham
pion of dishonest rag money, in the Presi-
Dental chair. Long before election dag
shall have come | feel sure YOU viii have
become satisfied that the American people
are not yet prepared to transfer the Govern
ment from the party that saved it from de
struction to the party that betrays it, inca
pecity for reform, and its inherent dishon-
esty, by nominating on the same ticket, for
the purpose Of catching votes, a hard-money
man for President and sott-mOney man for
Nice-President. With the battle-cry ot
Hayes and Reform. Honest Money and Free
Schools, the people will rally to the support
of the Union party, and triumphantly elect
Its candidates for President and Nice-Presi-
dent in November next.
Yours, very respectfully,
A J. DIITENHoETEE.