The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-10-09
A STRONG LETTER.
A Republicans Reasons for Sup
porting Ttlden.

THE following letter was written oy an
eminent Republican merchant and phil.
anthropist of New York to brother re-
forming Republican. 1t has been re
ported that the writer is William T..
Dodge. We do not know whether that
report is true, but it is a remarkably clear
and intelligent statement of the reasons
why u reform Republican feels compelled
to vote Tor Tiden.-ED. HERALD
New YORK, July q, 1876.
NV Dear Friend: You ask me so many
questions hardly know how to begin to
reply.
had so full an esteem for you and
YOUR goo works, and so entire conf
dence in your motives, that l can speak
in perfect confidence.
| do not know Governor Tilden intl-
mately, nor is he the man to wIh ones
enthusiasm like my 'frst love-" Henry
CLAY. But l have very high regard for
him and a very great belief in his ability
and character The more l have seen
and known of him the more these have
increased. and l find those who know
him best, and whose opinion l value,
have the deepest regard for him in all
ways.
Judge him to be very strong in his
opinions, very wise and able. l have
never met man who has studied so
carefully the institutions of the country
or had a higher ideal, apparently, OF what
the United States might be under wise
government, or what true craftsmanship
is.
believe him to be entirely honest and
bigh-mInded, and determine 10 do what
he thinks is right, regardless of the con-
sequences to himself His courage in
alternating. Tammany Hall, Wickham
" Co., in the city, and the Albany r
gency ring in Albany, rather than max
appointments he believed to be wrong, L.
proof OF this.
He is cold, exact and perhaps not Iowa.
BILE.
| think ne did good service in the
Tweed times, and his administration OF
the State government has been good.
| have never heard him accused of
meanuess or want of generosity by those
who have most wanted to find fault with
him. | know he is in sympathy with
every good thing for the country. he
has a pew in the church / attend, and my
| old pastor and his, DIR. Adams, has 4
high opinion of him. l think he has Of
ten. against his party majority, given
money, name and influence to the cause
of reform" l know he has quietly done
good services in societies and charitable
enterprises in which l have been inter
eSted
So much for your questions.
am not a defender Of Governor Til
den or his party, but OF two evils, his side
is so greatly TO be chosen that | can
hardly see how one loving his country
before his party can fail to see the neces-
sity of sustaining him.
The Republican party, with which so
gladly worked when it was pure and had
and object, is now (aside from Grant, a
hopeless failure, and cannot be galvan-
lied into safe life again. Its record for
the last few years you know as well as l..
Its Southern policy cruelty and failure;
no tac., or craftsmanship, or Christian
charity. Its civil service an outrage and
laughing-s,ock. Its financial policy
crude. ignorant and fatal to the interests
OF the country. Its revenue service an
sbsurdlty ana u fearful tax upon all in
du.try. Its policy controlled by bad,
self-seeking, corrupt men. A complete
moral paralysis pervading everything.
Good men going into office have either
been obliged to shut their eyes and fol-
low blindly and cowardly, like Freling-
huysen and others, or, it they dared to do
right or speak word, kicked out con-
temptuously like Bristow, Jewell and
their friends; and this not by Grant alone,
butby the connivance of Conkling,
Chandler and the party managers.
believe Hayes to be a good, true man,
but utterly helpless with Zach. Chandler
tine friend of civil service reform) as
chairman of the general committee man
aging the campaign, with Cornell (who
rebuked the "impudence" OF the Union
League) as chairman of the executive
committee, with Morton, Conkllng and
the like controlling everything, Hayes
is now, and would be, as President, help
| less.
We need new party more than we
did when the Republican party was
formed. Failing this, it must be put out
of power to be purified, or the country is
in danger.
NV own duty is perfectly clear. As u
friend of the country AMI 3 warm friend
of the best elements of the Republican
marty as it was. l feel that there must be
change. Hardly anything can be
worse than at present.
| believe Tllien and his friends would
give US wise, ecomical, conservative ad-
ministrstion, and the good old party, as
the opposition, would do twice the good
as if continued in power. l do not pro-
pose to be owned, body and soul, because
once voting with party, and 1t Is just
because the leaders now 10 power believe
that good men will stand anything rather
than 90 with the opposition that we are
where we are.
HAYES is held up to keep us quiet. as
photographers hold up a toy before chill
dren when seeking to keep them quiet.
Whatever course you and other friends
take, l shall respect their motives, as l
am sure you will mine:
I am, verv cordially, -.