The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1876-08-29

Tilden and be were in sworn fraternity
in Tammapy Hall as when Tweed was
In the psnitsntiary. But when, in
1871, the New York Tires published
the specific proofs Of his vast william
ies, the courts. grand juries. aud every
man in public life were compelled TO
take notice. and then Tilden. as mat
ter OF self-preservation, jumped over
the fence. turned States evidence. aud
rendered valuable service as prosecu-
ting witness aud attorney, as he knew
where 10 find the evidence and TO put
his finger on the different transactions.
II tho criminality Of Tweed and his
Tammany gang had not been notorious
for years, or il Tilden had turued
prosecutor and witness before their ex-
posure, his character as q reiormer
would stand better than il does.
Is 1T PROBABLE or RvRs POSSIBLE?
To me il seems highly improbable
that a man who has for 80 years been
the associate and counsel for the stock
gamblers of Wall street, who for many
years lived with Tweed in sworn fra
ternity in rammany Hall and was his
co-operatnr in the foul politics of New
York, and who has wrecked 30 many
railroads, can be conscientious md
patriotic man. II the published. aud
so far IA know, the uncontradicted
account of his manipulations of the
Chicago and Fond du Lac. the 0alena
aud Chicago, Kenoshs and Richford,
Grand Rapids, Harlem extension, the
n n,.hsnan nj athnK
railroads that might be named. are
true, he aud a small ring with whom he
operated, have under the forms OF law
taken from the companies and stock
holders millions Of dollars. IL seems
impossible to- distinguish the Omit
mental Improvement Company, of
which he was the originator. from the
Credit Mobilier, and the evidence Of
Oakes Ames before the Congressional
Committee in 1873 reveals Mr.. Tilden
as the original adviser and counsel of
that notorious ard deadly institution
known as the Credit Mobilier IL IL
asking too much of human oredullty
To believe that man who has thus
lived and flouri-hed, and grown rich
and gray, can have the spirit of true
reformer or be governed by any other
motive than the lust OF power.
CHICAGO CONVENTION.
Tilden AMI Hendricks were both
m ambcrs Of the Chicago Convention in
1854, held in the m!ds: of the last
great struggle with the rebel army,
when il was apparent that the Rebel
lion was doomed unless rescued from
the North, aud united in framing aud
that reasonable declaration that the
war was failure and ought to be
abandoned. That declaration made at
the time and under the circumstances
was q political crime Of the first mag
pitude, and in any other country in the
world struggling with armed traitors
would have been punished as high
treason.
oRREsBAcKa
When greenbacks were first created
a. a war measure in 1862 they were
violently opposed by the entire De-
mocraey as unconstitutional, which
they held as 10 everything calculated
to help put down the Rebellion. Mr..
Hendricks stated in 1868 that the paper
of the State banks was better cur
rency, when he knew the war could not
be carried on with that paper. In
1867. after the war was over, Mr.. Pen
dleton conceived the idea Of adopting
the greenbacks aud issuing enough to
pay the National debt. THIS would at
esss --r-..l.-.o -tha- laht and dsatrsy
the greenbacks aud kill OF two Of the
hated agencies in putting down the
Rebellion. Hendricks accepted this
idea aud made his race upon il for
Governor in l56S. as will appear by his
speech in convention on the Stn oil
January OF that year. In 1870 Chief
Justice Chase delivered the opinion OF
majority If the Supreme Court OF
the United States that the legal tender
feature Of the greenbacks was uncon.
stItutional. The Democracy again
bobbed around and hailed the decision
with delight. The next year a major.
ty Of the court reversed this decision,
and the Democracy with one accord
charged Grant with having packed the
court ~ sustain an infamous war meas
ure. After that they again bobbed
around aud said that greenbacks we're
tue best currency the country ever had
that all banks ought to be abolished
and the Government alone furnish
money to the people.
FINANCIAL RESOLUTIONS.
To clap the climax of their shutting
aud see saving on this subject at the
late st. Louis Convention, they adopt
ed the following resolutions:
"We denounce the failure for al
these IL years of peace to make good
the promise Of the legal-tender notes,
winch are a changing standard IN value
| in the hands of the people, and the
| non-payment OF which ~ a disregard
of the phghted faith Of the Nation"
/ After thus arraigning the Republican
party for having failed to force specie
/ payments, in the next resolution they
| demand the repeal OF the act providing
| for the resumption Of specie payments
| on the Ist OF January, 1879. giving al
a reason that the act stands in the waI
I of resumption. The necessary mean
/ ing of this resolution is that the ac
put off resumption, aud but Tor It W.
could have specie payments at once: =
/ OF course a party talking thus bold,
must have some measures or remedy Il
propose by which the Government cal
az once redeem the greenbacks in coil
according to promise. Bat the mex
resolution shows that il is only Snug
the ioiner, and not the lion, who Il
roaring aud reveals the silly hypocris,
of all that is said by declaring tha
specie payments can be brought abou
only by proper economics. wise financ
and official retrepchment; or in othe
words, that nothing can be done, sns
the whole subject should be dropped
The fact il the hrst two resolutions ar
intended for the East aud TO show tha
the Democracy are determined to hav
specie payment, at once, aud the thir
resolution for the West, ana to sho'
that the Democracy do not intend :
have specie payments at all. Thl
part Of the platform has wonderful
familiar look and leaves the impressio
that il may have been prepared by on
Of the candidates on the ticket. Th
position of the Democracy upon th
currency question illustrates it's mor'
and intellectual condition Throughout
We find an utter want Of conviction
and total absence Of measure, policies
OF anything wearing the semblance {
patriotism, and we find only cunnin
vacilation aud hypocrisy. They al
for and against specie payments, I,
aud against greenbacks. for aud again
banks, for and against imitation, just !
} the varying prospects OF the hour il
! dicate the gain or loss Of votes. III
, vane upon the church steeple does NJ
point the direction OF the wind vii
more industry than do the Democrat
turn their battered and deformed fa'
! To the popular breeze.