The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-08-04
Impo rtant Declarations of EN.Iieu-
tenant Governor Beach--lt1den's
OppOneuts HRrmOniEed.


presidential campaign. This gentleman
is among the most prominent Democratic
leaders i'm the State of New lork. For
a considerable time he was chairman OF
the state committee, and during term
of six years was closely identified with
Governor Tilden in the reorganization
of the Democratic party of the Empire
State. He occupied the position OF lieu-
tenant governor and presiding officer of
the senate at time when Tweed stood
as a great power in politics. Mr.. Beach
was a delegate to the st. Louis .conven-
ton, and is q member OF the state com
mittee.
Mr.. Beach has been in the front ranks
in opposition to MIR. Tilden's candidacy
for president of the United States. He
took part in the Albany conference
against the governor, at which were AS
sembled Messrs. Pruyn, Hoffman. Corn
ing and others. With Chief Justice
Church he agreed as to the unadvisabil-
ity of selecting Samuel J. Tllden. Mr..
Seymour was his favorte candidate. and
he voted for that gentlemen in the New
York delegation at the secret meeting
held at the Lindell house, st. Louis, the
day before the convention assembled.
Now the scene has changed. The DEM
cratic statesman OF Jefferson county
comes out most cordially for the reform
governor. In placing himself squarely
on this platform he also furnished the
He,ulTs representative with many i'm.
portant facts relative to Mr.. Tilden's po-
litical history and his connection with
Tweed. which will doubtless prove very
interesting at this particular time.
After some conversation in regard to
the excellent prospects of Mr.. Tilden's
election, the reporter said: Charges have
been made by certain Republicans that
Governor Tilden is sham reformer
that he was formerly in fellowship with
Tweed during his ascendency. Have you
any personal knowledge on these sub
jects ~
II certainly have. From the year 1867.
when Tweed was just rising into power,
| have as much knowledge on these mat
tiers as any other man in the state. Tweed
first took his seat in the senate in JAM
uary, 1868. In March of the same year
began to assist Mr.. Tilden to organize
the Democratic party OF the state, and
continued TO work with him for the next
six years. He was chairman of the state
committee. and most Of the time | was
chairman OF the executive committee. 1t
was well-known that Mr.. Tilden accepted
in 1866 for the purpose of keeping out of
the control of the state organization. the
man who afterward grew to be called the
ring From lsGS MIR. Tilden was
always in a state OF antagonism to Tweed.
growing out of the distrust he felt even
when there was no proof against the
Tammany Boss. and before the deprada-
tons began upon the treasury OF the city
of New York. Tweed had shortly be-
fore obtained influence over the patron
age of the street department as deputy
street commissioner. under an arrange
ment made with Mayor Opdyke. a Re-
publican. by whom the commissioner
was appointed, who then selected Tweed
| for deputy.
FIGHTING IN CONVENTIONS AND STATE
COMMITTEES.
I'm the fall OF 1865 a contest took
place in the state convention. My name
was presented as candidate for the Of
flee OF lieutenant governor. The Tam
many delegation, except two, opposed
me with all the power they could inilu-
| ence. Mr.. Tilden made a square
| issue with them and succeeded. In the
winter of 1865 Tammany organized a
movement to depose Mr.. Tilden from the
craftsmanship of the state committee.
He accepted the issue. The state con-
vention outside the city was SO unani.
| nous tor Mr.. Tilden that the Tammany
| delegation withdrew from the contest.
In the same year he openly denounced
| the abuses and wrongs committed by the
| Judges under Tammany influence. He
said to me that it was not safe for man
TO live in the city OF New York, and still
more unsafe to die there. In the le2isla-
| Il
ant governor, controversy in respect to
the city charter took place. After many
struggles the Tweed dynasty got up Q
charter which virtually put the whole
power of the city government for years
in their possession, without any respon.
sibility to popular elections and repeal
| ing the power Of the governor to remove
the mayor and everybody's power 10
hold the public officials TO account
| Tweed, finding himself unable 10 carry
| the measure by Democratic votes. had
arranged to obtain, almost the entire
| Republican votes OF both houses OF the
| legislature.
TILDEN'S LEGISLATIVE WARFARE.
mir. Tilden came up to Albany while
the bill was pending and made speech
before the committee of the senate, OF
which Tweed was chairman, exposing
and denouncing the bill. Soon after the
passage of the bill Tweed who was q
| member OF the senate OF which | was
presiding officer, said that they would re,
move Tilden from the chairmanship o.
the state committee. ! answered thai
they could not do 1.-THE country
was too strong for them. lie
said they could do it. told him he had
| better try aud see how he would come
out. In this contest the whole Repub
lican party went IN favor Of Tweed
and against Mr.. Tilden. They wer,
supported by the Citizens Association
The result was claimed as a victory from
prejudiced quarters, although it was ad.
United that division of Office and bribery
had been employed. 1t was said the DAY
before Mr.. Tilden made his speech Gov
Beach here quoted from slip in hi
handl that there was something to bt
bought and plenty OF money to buy it.
II was also said, BY habit and education
the strong men OF the ring worked habit
a ually in that way They are sagacious
= energetic, and maniiestly believe the,
are justified in the adoption of extraor
binary means to gain the end of a pro
e tracted term OF power
f This extract is from an editorial In
one OF the city papers fifteen months af
terward. There were a few indipnan
q protests against the scheme uttered b
such high-toned Democrats as Samuel j
Iilden aud others of his character. Blu
they were without effect. as Tweed an
Sweeny had the vote. already bougl
up. OF all the Republican senators, sen
, ator Thayer alone is on record as votin
. against it. And yet week after tn
passage of this new charter this sam
! paper hailed Tweed as a reform, and sal