New-York tribune., 1877-09-17
Mr.. WOODIN'S CASE.

II is Mr.. WOOdin whom IWeedS testimony
chiefly concerns, for it is safe to say that no
other politician whom he has accused OF cor
ruption had any character to lose. The mind
of the community was long ago made up about
James O'Brien and james Hayes and John
Fox. Nothing that Tweed could say about
them could well alter their general regulations
This is so well understood that his purported
revelations concerning these people and
their cr0nies have been received with a Ian
guid attention. The public has not been
mt all surprised, and has hardly been
interested. Neither Is it in Mr.. Tweed's
power to do much damage to Messrs. James
Wood. Winslow, MINER and Bowen-Of Messrs.
Creamer, Norton and others it is scarcely nee
essary to speak. The four Republicans whose
names Tweed couples with Mr.. Woodin's could
not be elected to any Office of honor IN this
State. 1t is Mr.. Woodin alone of these five
who has been able TO face the storm. BY the
force of a powerful will, of ability that, if it
had not been for the load OF suspicion that
has weighed him down, would have placed
him in time, we believe, in the front rank
of public men in the country, and Of a
personal popularity largely owing to bis dep
recation of all appearance of dominceIing,
while in truth he has ruled with an iron hand,
he has secured three reflections to the Senate,
and has taken his place as the undisputed
leader of that body. He has led the Demo-
Gratis as well as the Republicans, for his pOliti-
cal foes were as much in awe OF him as his
political friends. Suspicion seemed to be gain
ING on him, however. his majority running
down in four years from more Than four thou
sand votes to less than four hundred. The re-
fusal of Tweed to testify last Spring, ANA Mr..
Woodin's consequent vindicatiOn by the SEN
ale. would have doubtless turned the tide in
his favor, if it had not been for this unex-
pected disclosure. But now the issue is
squarey made. just as the time approaches
for making nominations, Mr.. WOodn's con-
stituents are confronted again with the charge
of completely with Tweed made with more
directness and detail than ever before and
made by Tweed himself.
1t is the peculiarity of Mr.. Woodin's case
that the answer, for which not his people
alone, but the Republican party of the whole
State, will look anxiousy, has already been
made. Mr. Woodin has said everything al
ready that lie is likely to say now. He has
denied IN the fullest and most emphatic man
ner the charge which Mr.. John Kelly fur
nished to the press last Spring; he has de-
nounced Tweed for ga malice that would dis
"honor hell" and challenged him to
the proof. Tweed has accepted the chal-
lenge, and with equal, though perhaps
more quiet emphasis, has detailed,
or pretended to detail, the transactions be-
tween Mr.. Woodin and himself And that is
all the information which the public is likely
tho
checks of whose existence Tweed gives no
hint. The one alleges, the other denies. There
are no witnesses; there seldom are in these
transactions The one go-between is as deep
IN the mire of these charges as Mr.. WOodin
himself. Tweed's testimony would be worth
| lttle or nothing in court of law, and on Il
mere question of veracity, the man who has
never been i'll the penitentiaTy would stand
best.
But though Tweed's story may never be
corroborated. it cannot fail to influence the
Judgment of Mr.. WOodin's district. 1t would
not be right to hang Il dog on suspicion, and
vet electors have often found it their duty to
withhold votes on mere suspclon-strong in
deed, but not sustained and impossible to sus-
tain. by legal proof. There is internal evidence
in Tweed's story strongly in favor of its substan-
tial truth. Perhaps the strongest point is that
Tweed has, up to this time, accused no man
whom the people have not been prepared to
believe, or have not long believed, to be a ras-
cal No one could prove that Tweeds story
was true, but no impartial man could say
that it was probable. So far, there has been
nothing that was strain upon credulity, lit
tie that had not been common political gos-
sip for years. much, very much, that had
already been proved to be true. And