Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-09-28

answer you will perceive that the fore
e}osure suit in which these services were
rendered was terminated in decree as
early as August s, 1861, (folio 81, and
that the road was actually sold in the
month OF March, 1862 So that there
must have been at least nine months of
the year 1862 which could not have
called for these services, and as to the
interval between January and March,
1862, any lawyer will understand that
this could not haye called for much
service, being the time occupied by the
running of the advertisements Of sale,
&c. Furthermore, the payments which
give rise TO the discussion, were both
made before the close of The year 1862,
and it is 50 stated in he answer
| AT the outset of these attacks on
Gov. Tilden in regard to his taxable
income tor 1852, still an7tber allegation
was made, as Ii on positive knowledge,
namely, that he had received from the
St. Louis, Alton and T,rre Haute Rail-
road Company 1913, 900 in first mortgage
bonds during tina, year.
This charge is unqnali iedly false; and
now that it has been pointed out in he
public journals ha, the complaint itself,
in.,he 81. Louis, Alton and Terre Haute
suit, showed these bonds not used up
to the year 1865, the charge appears to
have been abandoned.
1t seems proper to say that return
| 10, fo
be correct unless it can be shown to be
false. The simple fact is, the amounts
returned were the net result of income
after taking out the lawful deductions
For me it only remains to assert that
every fact within my knowledge confirms
the good faith and adequacy of the
returns which were verified by the
affidavit of one who for more than a
generation had lived life SO pure and
| blameless that the breath of calumny
had failed 10 touch him, until by the
general voice of a great party be had
become their candidate for the highest
Office in the gift Of the people.
In respect to the allegation that after
two years of the income tax Mr. Tilden
made no return, but left that portion of
his tax which was in excess Of the pay
ments for his account made by the
corporations, whose bonds and stock he
held, to be assessed under the law by
the estimate of the public officers, the
answer is simple. The statute gave the
taxpayer the option to take that course,
and good and honorable reasons existed
why scrupulous man should accept
that option. Mr.. Tilden received no
favor from the government officers, and
sought none. He did nothing but pay
all they imposed on him. Nearly all
his income from investments paid the
tax through the corporations whose
bonds and stocks be held without
allowance for the lawful deductions. On
the residue, after the lawful deductions
we're made, he believed at the time that
instead of paying less he oftener paid
more than would have been the result
of a full but troublesome accounting
He preferred in that way to be exempt
from the difficulties incident to attempt
ing specific statement of the affairs in
which he was interested, and of corpor
atoms and business in which he was an
investor; and also to be exempted from
the responsibility Of adjudicating on the
facts and the law applicable to uncertain
and f1uctuating elements during rapid
and violent changes of fictitious values.
The law was unsettled; questions OF
real difficulty existed Constructions
were set up by officials which were
often conflicting, unintelligible OR in
capable Of just or safe application, and
it was not agreeable to make return
on doubtful or disputed theory, or in
contradiction to even unmeritous claims
made in behalf Of the government.
COMMENTS OF THE PRESS.
The New York World, democrat,
referring to Mr.. Hswitt's statement and
Mr.. Sinnott's answer, says:
"We leave these documents to speak
for themselves, not even pausing to-day
to comment upon the indecent share
taken by the government of the United
States in bolstering up this refuge of
lies which tumbles now about the ears
of its builders, by sending on papers
from the public archives at Washington,
to be used in giving color to partisan
falsehoods published in partisan news
paper
The New York Sun, Independent
republican says:
"Judge Sinnotts statement disposes
Of the allegation both of fraud aud
perjury, and it leaves the New York
Times in very unenviable position as
having made charges of such gravity
without any foundation or any reason
other than the imagination and ingenuity
Of their authors. Facts indicate very
clearly conspiracy against Mr. Tilden
on the part Of certain Federal office
holders in which they use their power
as agents Of the government to propa-
gate false and groundless charges a gainst
an eminent citizen, simply because he
has been nominated as a candidate for
President"
The New York Tribune, republican,
ssays:
''On many points which he does deal
with, Gov. Tildens answer appears
complete. Needless and hot headed
partisans have wantonly paraded suppos
ed items of his income in the year 1862.
This was foolish thing to do, and
nobody will be surprised to find that
the Governor is able, in nearly every
case, to show that the item, as stated,
is incorrect"
The Tribune, however, agrees that
Gov. Tilden made fatal mistake in not
promptly rendering his income return
for the years between 1862 and 1872.