The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1876-09-29
OF Carroll County.
Gov. Tlldcn's Income Tax.

Gov. Tilden's Income Tax.
In these dsys the moment man becomes
II candidate for public office, he is subjected
to the most malicious ISLANDERS. No matter
how pure, exemplary and honorable his pre-
vious private and public life may have been,
no charge is too absurd, no lie too egregious,
to fail of finding ready believers. A mans
past record, with such people, goes for moth
ing, and when calumny is uttered against
him, he is required instantly to prove it false,
notwithstanding it may refer to transactions
of years long gone by and to events which
the rapid whirl of business has almost oblte-
rated from his mind.
OF such character is the charge brought
against Governor Tilden by the New York
Times, that in the year 1862, he dcfraudcd
the revenue by stating his income at small
er sum than it actually amounted to. The
Times alleges that in 1869 Governor Tilden's
income was $10S,000, whereas he only re-
turned, under oath, and paid income tax ON
$711S.as his true income. The charge was
made specific and in detail. 1t was no loose
assertion, but was apparently supported by
display of items, purporting to be list of
Governor Tilden's fees, which, if they could
be proved true, would break down the fair
fabric of his well earned reputation for honor
and show him more fit for the pcnitentiary
than for the Presidency.
Fortunately for Governor Tilden, and for
the vast body of American citizens by whose
representatives lie was selected as their can
didate for the Presidency, the charges were
made long enough before the election to per-
nit the truth to become known, and Cover
nor Tildens character now shines out clearer
and brighter for the vigorous criticism it has
undergone.
The SANDER having been made in detail
it was proper that the answer thereto should
be equally explicit, and cover every point
alleged against him. This has been done
most clearly and satisfactorily by Judge
Sinnott, who in 1862 was Mr.. Tilden's conf.
dental law clerk and perfectly familiar with
his business. Judge Sinnott contradicts the
statement of the Times fatty and fully. TAX.
ing up the various items amounting in the
aggregate to $1Os,000, he shows that the most
of them are entirely destitute of the truth
and that Mr.. Tilden's whole net income earned
in 1862 was really as he stated it, $7,11S, and
no more.
Governor Tilden was counsel for the St.
Louis, Alton and ere Haute Railroad, and
in certain suit swore that lie received in
1862, from the railroad, 100000 for services
which were commenced prior to the year
1869, and which were rendered during pc
Rod of three years. This is one of the prin-
cipal features in the charge brought by the
Times, and unless explained was well calcu-
lated to place the Governor in false light
Receiving as one fee 100000 and returning
his net income as a little over $1,000, certain
ly of itself constituted serious charge. The
question is whether it should have been in
cluded in Gov Tilden's income or not. The
Times assumes that it should The instruc,
lions of the Commissioner of Internal Reve.
nue. are clear and explicit that it should not
be included. He decided that a merchants
or lawyers income should only cover the
business of the single year, excluding that Of
previous years, Gov. Tidcn's services to
the railroad were performed prior to and
during 1859, 1860 and 1861, and therefore
under the rulings of the Commissioner, he
only returned what the law required, his
earnings for 1S82-not what he had earned
and failed to collect in previous years, and
which came into his hands after the imposi-
ton of the tax.
Governor Tiden's yindication has been so
complete-the charge having been utterly
annihilated- the Independent press and
candid Republican newspapers acknowledge
the fact.
The deliberate resort of the Republican
press to the manufacture OF mendacious SLAM
dcrs against the Democratic candidate for
the Presidency shows most clearly the des-
peration of their cause. A fair and just com.
parison of the two candidates is so unfavor-
able to Governor Hayes, that they hope to
degrade Governor Tilden in the eyes of the
country by vilifying him. Their efforts are
futile. They can not detract from the splen-
dor of his services to the people of the great
State of New York. They know, and all the
people know, that to whatever task Cover.
nor Tilden's energies have been bent, whether
in tie tangled affairs of mis- managed cor.
poration, or in the more important work OF
purifying State government, order has
come out of chaos, and people have wondered
at the clear head, the sagacious wisdom and
tie iron nerve that could successfully grasp
and cope with questions and responsibilities
whose magnitude dismayed feebler minds.
When elected, as we believe he will be, he
will carry into the affairs of the nation the
same regard for the interests of the people
and the same ability to protect those interests,
which have so signslly marked his admins
tration of the affairs OF his State His mar
yellous success there mark him ost pre-emi-
nently as the man to bring back the govern
ment to its old paths and restore the shatter
ed prosperity Of the country.