Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-10-11
TILDEN'S WAR RECORD.
Proofs of His DisIoyalty. and why Honest
Democrats Cannot Vote for Him.
BROOKLYN Argus dem y Sept o.


Proofs of His DisIOyalty. and why Homes
Democrats Cannot Vote for Him.
Brooklyn Argus (Dem,) Sept. 26.
BROOKLYN. September 26. 1876.
70 the Editor of the Brooklyn Argus:
and several friends desire such informa
ton as you can give us in regard to Tilden's
course during the War. If, as we have seer
asserted, Mr.. Tidens position was not that OF
good, patriotic citizen, we shall not vote TO,
him' although we are opposed to anything
Whlch bears the impress of Grantism Al
present we are TIr,DrN DEnocR ATs
We will endeavor to concisely answer
our friends, and make the answer docu.
mentary and indisputable upon every
point. -
Mr.. I1lden refused 70 sign the call
for the Union Square meeting in 1861,
the object of which was to raise men to
save the National Capitol from
falling into Rebel hands or from
being burned. We have been informed
that the paper was presented Mr. Tilden
by the Hon. Samuel Sloan, member
of Mr.. Tilden's own political party. MIR.
Sloan urged upon Mr.. Tilden the
propriety of signing the call, and sitter
onsultation, left il in Mr.. Tilden's
possession over night, Tilden returned
the paper unsigned. Of this fact Gov.
Dix bears testimony as follows:
SEAFIELD. FoRr HAMPTON, N. Y, July, 1876
DEAR sJR-Ycurs is received, and hasten
to reply to it. Mr., Tilden did not unite in the
call for the great Union meeting IN New York
after the attack and surrender of Fort Sumter
But he refused to attend it, though earnestly
solicited to by one of his own political friends
The meeting was called for the purpose of sus
tanning the government, and to provide for
sending troops to Washington, which WAS
thought TO be in danger of an attack by the
Confederates. am, dear sir, truly yours,
JOHN A. DIX.
Numerous and various efforts were
made during the four years of the war,
to raise money to furnish soldiers in the
hospitals with medicine, food, clothing
and nurses. We do not remember to
have ever seen Mr., TIden's name to one
of these subscription lists. Patriotic
citizens were frequently called upon to
subscribe money for taking care of sol
diers' wives and children. We do not
remember to have ever seen Mr.. Til
denis name attached to one of these sub
scription lists. Necessity frequently de-
manded of citizens that they should adj
vance money to pay bounties to those
who were willing to enlist to fight the
battles of their country. We think
that Mr.. Tilden's name cannot be found
upo2 one of these lists.
A record of individuals contributing
to the expenses of the War, in any
considerable amounts. was published in
1865, under the name of "The Tribute
Book" 1t contains copies of every
subscription paper known to have been
gotten up in the Northern States. Mr..
IElden's name IS not to be found IN this
book of 500 pages.
On April II, 1861, subscription
paper was started In New York to aid
in sending forward the Seventh Regi-
ment Forty gentlemen subscribed
500 each. Mr.. Tilden subscribed
nothing. He was then estimated to be
worth over $4,000, 900.
On the 22d of April, 1861, the "Union-
Defense Fund" was started. Mr.. Aston
gave $4,000, Mr.. Stewart gave $40, 900,
MIR. J. G. Bennett gave So. 900, Mr.. Bel
mont gave 81, 900, and 400 other wealthy
gentlemen gave large sums. Mr.. Til
den gave nothing.
About the sane time, the Bar of New
York called a meeting and raised sep
arate "War Fund" Mr.. Til zen, al
though he is now called an eminent law
yer, and was then the wealthiest lawyer
in New York City, did not attend the
meeting or subscribe anything for it's
purposes.
In May of the same year subscrip-
ton was started in New York to assist
Gen. Frank Blair, since then the Demo
cratic candidate for Vice President, to
raise a regiment in Missouri. Among
the subscribers are again found the
names of Belmont, Phelps, Hun,
Havemeyer, and other Democrats. But
Mr. Tilden's name is not found. About
this time Cornelius Vanderbilt donated
q steam ship worth $1,000 900 to the gov
ernm emit, and A. T. Stewart made an
other donation of $50, ZOO.
In March, 1864, great Sanitary Fair
was held in New York It requires
twenty pages of Tribute Book" to re-
cord the names of the contributors
several thousand. Stewart again gave
$4,000; James Lenox, $4,000; Morris
Ketchum, $4,000, etc. The aggregate
subscriptions amounted to over 81, 35l, :
600. Not one dollar was given by
Samuel j. Tilden, then reported to be
worth 100000.
Soon after similar Sanitary Fair was
held in the sister city of Brooklyn,
where Mr.. Tilden owned large amount
of property. Several hundred thousand
dollars were contributed-the wealthy
men of New York doing their share;
but Mr.. Tilden gave nothing.
It is estimated by the Tribute
Book that over $70,O0O,OOO was vol
unfairly contributed by the patriotic
citizens of the Northern States to pro-
vide for the soldiers and their families
during the four years of the most gi-
gantic rebellion recorded in the history
of the world,-a rebellion which armed
and equipped about 100000 men on
its side, and which called fer the enlist
ment of l,845,00 men to put the re-
bellion down.
Instead of affording assistance to the
Union soldiers, Mr. Tilden was specu-
lating out of their necessities, dafraud-
ing the government by issuing illegal
currency in Michigan, and by with
holding his immense income from taxa
ton; also, by defrauding the city which
gave him local protection, out of just
nro7,Ortiou of nia ta,yoc Roipo q fal1OxV