The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1876-10-05
[From Harper's weekly.l
Wanted-A Perfume Of Araby.

The assumption that charges against
the personal character of candidates are
to be treated with contempt as mud
throwing" is very amusing when il comes
from those who condemn the entire Re
publican party as unworthy because OF
Belknap, Babcock. and other wrong
doers. Mr.. Tilden is charged with vir-
tual perjury to escape taxation. The
charges are set forth that at the end of
1863 he made oath that his income for
1862 from all sources was about 81 900.
and that in 1876 he made oath that in
1862 he received $20. 1000 as fee in a rail
road case II ere is bad business for a
gentleman claiming to be especially the
"reformer" of low moral tone in public
affairs. There is a natural, eager. press
ing desire to hear the explanation. And
his supporters, with fine sarcastic air,
think IL enough to reply that he will
probably be next charged with the muir
der of Nathan and the abduction Of Char
ley Ross Meanwhile the charge remains
unexplained that the reform candidate
made a false return OF income, and SO es-
capped taxation Many others, we are
told, did the same But they would not
be selected as types OF a reforming and
elevating and purifying political move
ment.
The campaign hitherto has certainly
gone far to prove that Mr.. Tilden is not
frank and straightforward" man, but
an indirect and sly politician, The de-
tense against his clear and consistent pub
lie Copperhead record is only that he is
said 10 have written something in favor
Of the Union during the war, which has
remained close secret until now. The
excuse for his appropriation to himself of
lows ~E 81
plus in the Terre Haute and Alton Rail-
road negotiation is virtually that as ad-
ministrator he could only recognize the
dead, and not the heirs at law. And the
explanation of his apparent evasion by
falsehood of an honest payment Is that
perhaps he is the man who struck Billy
Patterson. Under these circumstances,
1t is not surprising that his friends be-
take themselves to stigmatizing all char
ges as mud throwing" and slander, and
to q dignIfed bewailing of the indecorum
of our political discussions.
There will always be lies told in every
campaign. Party spirit will distort, con-
ceal, and misinterpret the plainest facts
Candidates and their friends will solemn
ly deny certain stories. and still they
will echo and re-echo as settled truths
among partisan papers and from the lips
great deal too much of disgusting per-
sonality in politics. and a great deal too
little of honest discussion of principles.
This is all true. He is foolish who de-
nies it, and unpatriotic who does not try
to better it. But while all this is true,
why did Mr.. Tilden make oath in 1868
that his income was SO much smaller
than he now makes oath that it was
Why does man who apparently kept
back in his own pocket money justly due
to the public Treasury present himself as
great reformer merely because he de-
clares that there is money in other peo-
pies pockets which justly belongs to the
public Treasury? Is it any worse to
take money out of the Treasury by canal
frauds than to keep it out by a fraudu-
lent income oath?
That such questions must be asked Is
due to the extraordinary silence of Mr.
Tilden in regard to the apparent conflict
OF his two oaths of 1863 and 1876. 1t is
not an anonymous accusation. 1t is not
the SANDER of a partisan press. What
honest SON would not hang his head if he
discovered the apparent proof of such
conduct among the papers of his dead
fatherf How earnestly would he not
seek an explanation to save his fathers
name from stain Is the personal char
acter of a man who seeks the highest
representative honor Of this country less
worthy of defense2 Against distinct
charge OF dishonor. sustained by docu-
mentary proof, is sneer OF derision to
be accepted as satisfactory The expla-
nation of the private secretary, that the
fee received in 1862 was earned during
several previous years, is more ludicrous
than the melancholy retort about Billy
Patterson. But it is the only explana,
tion thus far vouchsafed.