The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-08-21
MIR. TILDEN'S DEFENSE.
SDeech OF the Hon. Abraham 8
Hewitt OF New York.

la the closing hours Of the session Mr..
Kasson, OF Iowa, made violent and I'M
Just attack upon Gov. Tilden. The fol-
lowing IS the reply Of tho Hon. Mr..
Hewitt, of New York, which was so rap.
turously spplsuded BY his fellow-mem'
bers:
Mr.. Speaker, 10 me the speech which
the gentlemae from Iowa delivered this
evening was q painful surprise and q
melancholy experience. If l had not
heard it, l could not have believed that q
gentleman Of his intellectual endow-
ments could 80 far abdicate his own sci .
respect aud forfeit the good opinion of his
ieilow.members in this House as to have
INDUCED in the partisan and, am sorry
TO add. the malicious statements be has
made in regard to Governor Tilden. l
confess that do not intend to make any
elaborate reply to what he has said in
this House, l approach the subject as l
would take hold of shiny snake, with a
desire to get rid of it at the earliest posi-
bic moment. But charges were made
against one whom | have known for g.
many years and with such intimacy thai
it seems to me have no other course to
take than to brand the charges as utterly
false before this House and before the
country.
Mr.. Page. Which charges does the
gentleman from New York mean?
Mr. Hewitt, of New York, will state
the charges: l WAS going to state them,
The fret charges was that Governor Til
den had been 4 secessionist, and there
we're quoted as authority for that asser
ton statements and passages from an
open letter to the late Judge Kent, dated
in 1860. The gentleman from Iowa pos
sesses only extracts from that letter. lie
was good enough to allow me to look ut
those extracts. Now, l have only to say
in regard to that letter that neither the
gentleman from Iowa nor any other per,
son can understand the true purport and
bearing of it without having the entire
letter before him and without having
some reference TO the circumstances ul-
der which it was written. 1t is hot say
ing much that since 1860 a great many
people in this country have had their the
cries of government changed and their
ideas OF political duties enlarged. 1t is
possible that in 1860, before the late strife,
Governor Tilden my have entertained
views in common with Jefferson, Madl-
son and jackson. and other great men
who have given constructions to the Con-
stitution and government of this country
which now would be modified. But all
that can see in the extract which ne
read relates rather to that era OF the gov
eminent when the states were bound to-
gether, not by he Constitution, but by
the articles OF confederation. The next
charge that the gentleman made aguinss
Governor Tilden was in exactly these
words: That he was disunlonlst.
When the question WAS pressed home TO
him he travelled around the point little,
bot still the charge remained that he vs.
a disunionist. l do not know upon what
he bssed that charge. / can only say
that at the outbreak Of the rebellion L
was in daily and almost in hourly COM
munion with him, and know no more
loyal or patriotic heart beat in the U ni,ed
States at that date: and when the gentle
men from Iowa challenges his friends to
ssy when and where be ever made any
contribution 10 the Union cause or ever
assisted . soldier 10 the war, l answer
him by saying that when The FIRST call
for troops came Tsmmany Hal. which
had not then fallen into the hands Of the
ring, raised q regiment and the Grand
Sscbem OF Tsmmany Hall. VIM. D.
Kennedy, was colonel Of the regiment 1t
was Differed mostly By members Of the
Tammsny Society, and being myself q
member and from the state of my health
unable TO 20 to the war, although l rem
dered other services, I sent my nephew
As one Of the officers Of Il At regiment.
Mr.. Lapham Will the gentleman al.
low me to ask him question?
Mr.. Hewitt. Yes, sir.
Mr.. Lapham. Does not tie gentle
man know that the call for the meeting
at Cooper Institute, Immediately after
the fall of Fort Sumter was presented to
Mr.. Tilden for him to sign, snd be re-
fused to sign 1t, and refused TO attend the
meeting? -,
Mr.. hewitt, Of New York, l will an
swer ths, question that it is not true that
he refused to sign the call, and that it Il
true that he did attend the meeting, lsp
plause] and I defy tina. gentleman &c
bring any authority for the charge he ha'
insinuated.
Mr.. Lapham. 1t is fact Is we'll known
in the state Of New York - any other
fact in its history.
Mr.. Hewitt, Of New York. 1t h moi
30. Mr.. Samuel Sloan, the present pres
ident of the Delaware and Lsckawanns
Railroad Company, then . member OF
the union safety committee Of New York
applied 70 Mr.. Tilden at time when be
va, engaged in the trial OF . case before
q referee TO afiix his name 70 the call
and be said I am very busy just nov;