Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1876-10-05
Our Washington Letter

WAsHINGToN, ID. C,Sept. p, ,'76.
1t must have occurred to ev-
cry man who is not fool, CT
whose vision is not altogether
blinded by his prejudice, that
the Republican politicians and
.Eorgans are in a bad way. They
have resOrted to all manner of
despicable and disreputable
tricks to make 1t appear that
Governor Tilden made false
return Of, his income in 1862,
and now this last poor straw is
snatched from the. grasp of the
drowning party. Judge Sin
mott, at the request of Mr.. He
witt, Chairman Of the Demo
cratic National Committee, has
examined this matter in al its
length, breadth and bearing, and
shows most clearly and conclu-
Isively that the hinge calumny
has not the least foundation in
fac, but was eenceixed in
knavery and brought forth in
falsehood and malice. I wish L
had space to give You Judge
facts and figures. 1t
rs clear and concise as the -na-
Iture of the subject Will admit,
and should be in the hands OF
all lovers Of truth and justice.
This outrageous slander origi-
stated with Chandler, Secretary
of the Interior, and was second
ed by the. Secretary of the
Treasury who prostituted his
office to the baSest. purposes by
sending to q partisan paper in
New York garbled extracts
from the public archives here,
TO be used in giving color to
base and malicious falSehoods
published for party purposes.
The manner in which the Re-
publican managers are carrying
on the pending canvass shows
they must have formed a very
low estimate Of the intelligence
of the American people. Next
to the wicked and slanderous
charge against Governor Til
den, which, if they had had any
sense, they must have known
would bedisproved and silenced,
are the arguments which arc
urged In behalf of the eIec-
tion of Hayes by the Republi-
can, organs and speakers, among
them the assertion that if Til
den be elected there is danger
that the Democrats will tax the
people TO pay the former slave
holders the value Of Tie cman-
cipated slaves and TO pension
Confederate soldiers. Now the
fact is it would be impossible
for. them to do Inyt1fihg of the
Kind, even If they were so dis
posed; for the fourth section Of
the fourteenth amendment to the
Constitution expressly stipu-
lates that s"neither the United
States nor any State shall as
sune or pay any debt or obli-
cation incurred in ard of instT-
ipction or rebellion against the
United States, or any claim for
the loss or emancipation ofaany
slavc," and any legislation in
of this provision would
be null and void. But even if
there was no eonstitutionaNre-
against paying the
vdlht'ofthe emancipated slaves,
he white voters ih the South
10 say nothing of flthe freed
mem Would onete1ofcohsent to
lnyn such proposition, foriat
Itd2t tKreeJf6ui;ths of them be-
r0fc othG war were nOn-slave-
fAdcr3;l. and itfs the height of
,oFy to Suppose that such anna
ioifGy would willingly submit
% be taxed -for-the benefit Of
Iipfr 5n1ore- lopulent hei9hbors.
Flat gqpeo9iQns howeYes was
settled tQr ap lime by, the adop-
ion Of the Fourteenth Amend
-b6Hf HtAtoi IiH .-.-i-..--E-'
The eafhpnignT in Indiana
yn0WsnwhrmcfrGydry day and
)Qlh parties are doing their ut
Aost. 1t is. g death. struggle
With the Republicans, ard they
top at rgthing However cor
uPt and fPadd6lciit, TO accom-
,lieh theip purpose. A letter
omPRiaadelphia published in
he New York World OF yes
erday gives a detailed state
nelit Of facts concerning over
ures that have Been made to
in that city, experts in
,tutfingy ballot-boNes and tho
lkefGau6s, inviting them to go
o Indiana and assist in the
omiug election. Judge Nib
ack, Of that State, who is most
authority, says that
ii Blue Jeans Williams will
.afi'y sho State byfuily'i fifteen
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