National Republican., 1876-09-19
TWENTY YEARS ACQUAINTANCE WITH
TILDEN.

Ex-Governor Underwood, OF Vermont,
in recent speech, thus told the people
what he knows about Tilden:
II have known Mr. Tilden for twenty years.
have debated this question with him per
sonally, and know that he holds the opinion
that the war was unconstitutional. 1 hearu
him declare, in conversation with myself, near
the close of the war, that every man OF the
United States army that marched across SOUTH
ern soil was a trespasser and liable to suit for
damages in an action for trespass. l asked him
if he undertook to talk such treason as that,
and if it was his opinion as lawyer that this
Government could enlist men, put arms in
their hands and send them to the protection of
the Government against rebels, and then FUR
nish tribunals to try its own soldiers as tres
passers, and he said that it was. / was
Indignant, and we had it pretty hot for
time"
This is the man for whom loyal citizens
are asked to vote for President of nation
that would to-day have had no existence
had his counsels been followed. Not only
were these his opinions but, unfortunately
for him ard his fame, his conduct during
the war corresponded with his sentiments.
Though every patriot in the land felt every
energy of his soul aroused to defend the
Republic in its hour of peril, Samuel ].
Tilden raised not his arm in his country's
behalf, spent no part of his large gains in
relief of our suffering soldiers, gave no
words of cheer or sympathy to their noble
cause. He syly and quietly went on
amassing his huge fortune, cheating the
Government out of IFS lawful share of his
gains, wearing falsely TO their amount, or
AIn to hpx1r
his taxes ought to be.
There is not particle Of evidence that
he is any more in sympathy now with the
Government as it is since the Constitution
was amended than he WAS with its policy
when it was struggling to maintain its eX-
islence and had right to the sympathy
and active aid of every man under its pro-
lection. We can well understand how
Southern Democrats can vote for him if
they consider his record on the rebellion.
But how honest men, Northern or South
ern, can vote for man against whom
charge of falsehood and perjury has been
made and proven to demons tration, and
to refute which no attempt has Eeen made,
manifestly because none cGn be successful,
passes our comprehension. Add to this
his manifest duplicity on the question Of
the inacial policy of the Government and
his character is stripped Of every requisite
for the high office he seeks. A sly, cum
ming, sharp, hypocritical lawyer, long an
associate with and director of the worst
class Of New York city Democrats, when
they were plundering the people as never
before people have been plundered,
separating frcm them only when
public odiun had been fastened
upon them so strongly that his only
refuge was to go out from among the
gang and raise the cry of 'stop thief upon
his late associates, riding into political
power upon a wave of popular Indignation
SO strong that it carried everything before
it, regardless of everything but opposition,
apparent or real, to Tweed and his associ-
atcs in crime, he bas practically carried out
no signal reform in any direction, unless it
be called reform to bring numerous suits
against wrong -1oers which have been bar
ren of results. In the time of the war a
sympatbizcr with rebels and de,rauder of
the Government in time Of peace a ma
nipulator of caucuses aud conventions of
the most thoroughly Machiavelian type
on the financial questions expressing his
opinions so ob~curely thLt they may be read
one way or another. hard money or soft
money, resumption or reputation, he has
no single characteristic of en- upright
statesman.