The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1876-11-02
From the y. =. independently
Tilden and the Southern Democracy


Nothing IA more natural than that Mr.
Tilden should be a very acceptable eandi'
da,e to Southern Democrats but for
whose reasonable action there would
have been no rebellion and no war.
Those. however. who, like Rutherford b.
Hayes, fought and suffered to save the
Union. and, indeed. all who were true 10
the Government when its enemies were
seeking its destruction, place a very
different estimate upon the character
and conduct Of samuel J Tilden Being
a seccssionist in theory. he was negatively,
II not positively, a traitor in practice
during the war. His sympathies were
With the rebels. aud not with the Govern.
ment and this one fact, u thore were no
other objection 10 him. ought 10 settle
the question against him No man who
was not right IN that motlent Of the ma
tion's peril Is ft for the high Office to
which he now aspircs
The letter OF Mr Tildcn OF Oct 18th.
1860. addressed 10 the Hon William
Kent, then a Democratic clector In nom.
ination for the State Of New York. at a
time when Southern Democrats were
threatening TO dissolve the Union in the
event Of Mr. Lincoln's election, contains
n distinct avowal OF secession doctrine.
lie declared in this letter that. while the
trainers Of the Constitution did not for.
mally recognize or assert the right Of Sc
cession, they left revolution % Be or.
ganizcd when IL should be demanded by
the public opinion Of . state They
"left il a statel with power TO snap the
tie Of the confederation as a nation might
b.eak treaty. and 20 repcl coercion as
II. 80.
cially Il this true Of compact Of conicd-
Grafton between the states. where there
can be no common arbiter invested with
authorities and powers equally capable
with those which courts possess between
individuals for determining and enforcing
a Just construction and execution of the
instrument" Those are Mr. Tilden's
own words. Ills pen wrote them and he
gave them 10 the public when Southern
Democrats were declaring the purpose OF
rebellion in a certain contingency. John
e. Calhoun never wrote anything worse.
lie did not claim that tho Constitution
in express words affirmed the right Of
secession; but he did not claim that IL
left the right 10 be exercised by any
state. m its discretion. And this u pre-.
ciscly what Mr. Tilden said IN 1850. aud
not a word from his pen 90 lips has since
appeared to show that he u not % the
same opini.n still
This opinion was the basis nd i the
explanation Of his action when the re.
bcllion became IN appalling fact A
cod -picuous evidence % this effect We
have in his declinaturc 10 sign the call
for the great meeting in Union Square,
in this city. held April Goth. 1861 just
after the fall OF Fort Sumter and when
the City Of Washington was Ia imminent
peril Mr. Samuel Sloan solicited the
use Of his nafae a. one Of the Weep 'csi-
dents Of the meeting; and he curtlY ro-
fused 10 grant IL. saying that he would
do nothing TO aid aud abot this abolition
war" Mr. Sloan finally said 20 him
Mr. Tildcn. you will live 10 regret that
you do not do a. ! asked And be re.
piled II think not I have no sympA.
thy with it, the meetings object" Pub
lie feeling was stirred 90 IT, proio' ndcst
depths Prominent Dcmocra . al o zee
forgot their partisaa feelings and made
common cause with Republicr - ia he
purpose to support the Govern cnt aud
PIT down the Rebellion Yet samuel J.
T'lden. as be himself declared. had mo
syL.pathy' with this movement His
conduct az this crisis. though not tech.
nically an act Of overt treason, rendering
him little 10 punishment nevertheless.
bad OIL the moral properties Of the crime.
To elevate 10 the Presidency one who j.
stamped with such an inglorious aud ia.
famous record would be a disgrace from
which we hope 10 see the American peo-
pie spared.
Nor wa Mr. Tilden's course during the
war any improvement upon that which
marked him az tie outset lie was the
came Ian all through-wrong In the be
ginning and wrong at the end Of the
struggle. ID is well known that he was
very prominent organizer, member.
and supporter Of the Society for the
Diffusion OF Political knowledge. and
that this society, month after month.
Issued tracts and pamphlets IN criticism
OF the Government. in finding fault with
all is measures. in seeking 10 alarm the
people. in attempting TO prove that
slavery was right and that the South had
Just cause Of offcnss sgaiust the North.
aud in endeavorinr 20 destroy public
confidence in the administration of Mr..
Lincoln. whether the Government
would succeed or fail depended altogoth.
or upon this confidence Mr. Lincoln
was powcrlcss, except a. sustai aed BY
the people; and the business 20 which
this society devoted It, talent aud money
was 10 q idcrmine the nations trrst In
is great leader AID practically encourage
disunionists aad rebels Northc. men.
not a irw, to tacir everlasting sha ne and
disgrace. were engaged ia this very bust
ness; aud Samuel J. Tilden, the man
who now asks Northern people TO vote
for him. was oLe OF these rupstriotic.
false-heartcd "Coppcrhcads." deserving
the title he ca. ned a. richly A. ever did
Nallandigham.
Tho secessionist in theory and the rebel
sympathizcr and virtual traitor practice
was q member Of the Democratic com nit.
zee that drafted the resolution which
proclaimed the war a failure and de-
mandcd th the Government should
seek to negotiate with armed treason.
As a member of the Democratic Convcn-
ton OF 1864. he accepted this resolution.
lie did not oppose it II expressed the
doctrine OF the Democratic party az the
time. and the doctrine % Mr. Til8cn AZ
one OF It's prominent leaders Lore
infamous uttcrance never came from any
body Of men The people put their feet
upon the resolution and stamped IL into
the dust, a. they did upon those who
s,ood upon such an infamous platform
The soldiers in the field resented it M an
insult and spit upon Il with absolute con.
tempt They proposed 20 conquer Re-
bellion. and not TO negotiate With IL :
and this l. just what every true and loyal
heart proposed. and just what tte Demo
cratic party and Mr. rilden did not pro
pose.
So far as Mr. Tilden has any record al
al during the war. whether positive or
negative. we find them fundamentally
wrong-wrong in theory and wrong IN
practice. There is no difficulty Ia nsccr.
t1ining what General Dix. or Danicl s
Dickinson, or Rutherford y. Hayes. OF
hundreds Of others did 10 sustain the
Government, but when We come TO the
reform. candidate the facts present a