The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-09-29

Special Dispatch to tho Times.
NEW York, September 20, 1876.
The following statement, embracing Co
vernon Tilden's answer to the charges of the
New York Times touching his income returns,
is given for publication by the Hon. Abram
S. Hewitt, chairman of the National Demo-
cratic committee:
TO the Public.
The New York Times, which for years
prior to 1875 had been the oulogist of Gov
ernor Tilden, Immediately after he became
formidable candidate for the Presidency be-
gan series of as aults upon his private
character. AT length these assaults culminat-
ed in the charge ofmaking false statement
of his income in 1862. by dint of rcitera-
tion and fabricated specifications of items
and details, having the semblance Of actual
accounts, some well-meaning persons were
disturbed. 1t therefore occurred to me to
apply to the Secretary of the Treasury for
certified copies of the income returns of
Governor Tilden and of Governor Hayes,
and on the second day of September made
such an application. The copies applied for
have not been furnished, nor indeed has my
letter received the poor courtesy of an ac-
acknowledgement. Meanwhile, the adversaries
of Governor Tilden have apparently had free
access to these returns, and have even been
permitted to photo-litliograph so much of
them as suited their purposes. submit this
fact to the American people without com
ment Meanwhile, receiving no reply from
the public authorities, who seem to regard
the documents in their custody as held in
trust for the Republican party, and not for
the whole people, addressed note to Judge
James p, Sinnott, who was the confidential
law clerk of Governor Tilden during the
whole period in which the law imposing an
income tax was in force, asking him to ex-
anime the pretended account of Governor
Tilden's income during the year 1862, pub
lished by the Times, and furnish me with
such explanations in regard thereto as his
necessary familiarity with the details would
enable him to supply l have this day re-
ceived his reply, presenting full and entire
ly satisfactory refutation of the charges of
the Times.
His answer, herewith submitted to the
public, shows that out of thirteen pretended
items of income amounting to $4,000,
eleven items amounting to $S4 900 are wholly
fictitious, while of the other two only one
of 81 900 is entirely true and the second of
S25, 900 is only partially true.
There is therefore no ground for the as
sertion that the sworn returns were not
just and accurate statement of the net in
come of Governor Tilden after making such
deductions for losses, interest paid and
other charges as the law authorized him to
make.
If exception be taken to Judge Sinnotts
letter on the gDund that it does not con.
tain a detailed statement of the several
items upon which the return of 1862 was
made, it is proper to state that the regula-
tions Of the departmental not require such
detailed statements, and very few profession
al men made such statements, or could now
recall the items or have kept the memoran-
da upon which their returns were made.
If Governor Tilden WAS not in nomination
for the Presidency, do not know of any
man in this community whose mere state
ment Of n fact would have been more gener-
ally accepted as the truth, and | fail to see
why the eminent position in which he has
been placed by large body of his fellow
citizens should DO held to detrac. from the
| sanctity of his oath.
ABRAM S. HEWITT
Chairman National Democratic Com
mittee.