The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-08-31

WEAT TILDEN HAS DONE,
IN BREAKING RINGS.
The True History of the Downfall OF
the Tweed and Canal Rings.
The Tweed Ring.


did not attack the Tammany Ring until
its doom was apparent; that he waited
long enough to make sure that he was
not attacking power that might yet de-
stroy him. The truth is exactly the re-
verse of this. 1t can and will be shown
that Gov. Tilden attacked the Tweed
Ring while it Lad control of all depart
ments of the State and City governments,
owned both parties in the Legislature,
and had willing or ignoralt tool in the
New York Times, which years afterward
published facts which came into its pos
session with regard to the Ring, and has
since attempted to seize the credit Of the
destruction of that gigantic conspiracy
It's claim is false and impudent, The
overthrow Of Tweed and the Tweed ring
is due to Samuel J. Tiden and Charles
0'Connor.
In the first place, it is to be said that
at no time has Gov. Tilden ever prefer
red claim to recognition as the man
who had achieved thisr result. In all the
testimonials and exhibitions of popular
rejoicing which followed this work, he
has always stood in the background, and
urged that the chief recognition be be-
stoyed upon others, Democrats as well
as Republicans, who had aided his la6ors,
and who had shown, like himself, an un-
selfish determination to break up this
corrupt organization, no matter what
party or individuals might be hurt
The Tweed ring originated in the
Board of Supervisors, created in 1857 by
a Republican Legislature and Governor,
but it did not reach its full organization
and growth until 1869, when Oakley Hall
became Mayof, The New York Times
published two half years later accounts
largely fraudulent amounting to Sll 900
600 of which one-third were passed in
1869 nearly twO-thirds in 1870, and the
remainder in 1871 In 1869 the open at
tacks of Mr.. Tilden upon the ring and its
return blows at him began, long before
the Times ceased to be its ally, for at !
that time many seemingly respectable |
paners and men suCcumbed to its corrupt |
and dreadful influence, So far from Mr.
Tiden being hand and glove with these
men, as Republican newspapers charge |
the hostility between them began as soon |
rs the ring began to form. Mr.. Illden |
opposed one of their schemes of plunder |
as early as 1868 years before he was
made Chairman of the State Committee,
and they became bitterly hostile to him
in consequence. During the rule OF the |
ring Mr. Hilden usually appeared in State
conventions as a delegate from his native
county, Columbia, because the ring would
not allow him to 90 from New York city.
Mr.. Tilden has himself stated why he
took the position Of Chairman OF the
State Committee:
81 desired to save from degradation the
great party whose principles and lradl-
tions were mine by inheritance and CON
viction; and to make it an instrument Of
a reaction in the community which alone
could save free government. Holding
YEARLY the end of rope, because | fear
ed where it might go if l dropped it, l
kept the State organization IN absolute
indeyendence. | never took favor OF
any sort from these men, or from any
man distrusted. had not much pow
er in the Legislature on questions which
interested private cupidity; but in a State
convention, where the best men in soci-
ety and business would 60, because it was
but for day or two, those with whom |
acted generally had the majority"
At this period neither Mr.. Tiden nor
the general public could sustain any def.
mite charges against members of the
Tweed ring. He had no faith in them,
and they feared him. They determined
to Get rid of him as Chairman of the
State Committee, and get the organza'
ton into their hands. They made their
attempt in the State convention of 1869;
Mr. Tllden fought them and carried sew
en- eighths of the convention to their one.
Before this he had denounced in the
Courts the orders of the infamous Judge
Barnard, in certain cases in which Tweed
was interested, Tweed's son being also
Barnard's receiver, in the terms they de-
served, and had begun the movement Of
judicial reform, which ended in the i'm
peachment or forced resignation Of
Tweed's worst judges.
The elections of 1869 gave the Demo-
crats the law making power for the first
time in "a years Ihe Tweed ring would
rather have had Republican Legisla-
ture. The latter they could always cor
rupt, while the control Of Democratic
Legislature might be taken out of their
hands through the party machinery
The infamous Tweed charter for the city
of New York finally made its appearance
in the Legislature of 1870, and its prog
ress was rapid. 1t was well understood
that it would pass, because it was known
that a very large sum of money would
be expended to carry it. 1t was said
that ST 100000 was taken to Albany to
crry this charter much of which doubt
less was pocketed by the people who
handled the money, Notwithstanding
the certainty Of its passage, Mr.. Tilden
went to Albany-this was in the spring
of lS70-and denounced it in a fearless
speech before Tweed, who was himself
chairman of the Senate Committee on
Cities, which was to pass upon the char
ter. He branded it as a charter that
would put self government in New York
CITY "in abeyanCe for from four to eight
years" creating Mayor without any
executive power, Legislature without
any legislative power, and elections with
out any power in the people to affect the
Government for that period" This
speech enlaged Tweed, who vowed that
he would depose Tilden from the State
Committee, but was warned by promi-
nent Democrats not to attempt it, and
thought better off The charter passed
with the vote of every Republican Sena-
tor but one, and received large Repub
lican vote in the Assembly. Judge Noah
Davis, leading Republican judge, was
the authority given for the statement
subsequently, that six of these Republi-
can Senators, the leaders, received So
900 each for the charter, $4,000 each for
similar bills that year, and $4,000 for
like services the following year. The N
Y. Times pronounced the passage of this
Infamous hill-apainst which Horace |