The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-21
Tweed Confession-John
Tow Statement.

not quite the entertainment to which
the public was invited. 1t has been
given out for several days that the
veritable confession Of Tweed was
about to be given to the press. Instead OF
Tweed's confession, which was the docu-
ment expected, we have long letter from
Mr.. Townsend, his counsel addressed
to Attorney General Fairchild, showing
up this officer in light which
is far from enviable,. and reciting in the
course of the narrative the chief points in
the confession. Piquant and singing rs
Mr.. Townsend's letter to the Attorney Gen.
eral is, it will not satisfy the public. The
community feels that it has right
to know precisely what Tweed con-
fessed, and will never be satisfied until
it is in possession of the actual
| document. The reasons for its suppression
can never be understood until it is known
who are hit by the confession and what par
ticular criminals the Attorney General
would naturally wish to screen. But the
| strange way that officer has managed
justifes the suspicion that Tweeds
confession incrlminates somebody whom he
has personal interest in protecting. At
torney General Fairchilds conduct in this
whole business has been so tortuous and
humanity, SO full of sneaking subt erfuges
and disingenuous evasions as to force upon
all honest men the conclusion that he is
either a man without personal honor or
plant tool in the hands of men stronger
than himself
To be sure we have only Mr.. Townsends
version OF this strange history, and it is
possible that if Attorney General Fairchild
makes q reply he may put these
transactions in different light. But
until the public hears from the Attorney
General in reply Mr.. Townsend's state
ments will be accepted, and they put
Mr. Fairchild in light in which no man Of
honor would wish to stand. If Mr.. Town
send tells the truth Attorney General Fair
child has forfeited all claims to public re-
spect 1t would be unfair to judge him
on the ex parte statement Of his assailant,
but unless he can prove that the averments
of Mr.. Townsend are unfounded in fact Mr..
Fairchild and his advisers, however high
the advisers may have heretofore stood in
public estimation, are beyond the pale Of
mercy.
This judgment of the conduct of the At
torney General is quite apart from the de-
merits Of Tweed Nothing could be more
misplaced than sympathy for Tweed founded
Attorney General. His confession, as
described by his counsel, puts him
beyond sympathy. He acknowledges
the worst that has been said against
him, and SO far as he claims any virtue it is
the virtue of refusing to disclose his accom-
plices until he found or fancied that that
was the only means of securing his own per-
sonal freedom. We have not the text Of his
confession; but the description of it given
by Mr. Townsend shows that Tweed
acknowledges all the charges that have
been made against him. He does not
deny his stupendous robberies of the city
treasury does not deny that he corrupted
the Legislature to get his bills passed does
not deny that he acted the part OF whole
sale swindler and scoundrel. His whole
claim to mercy rests on his willingness
to expose and testify against his ac-
completes. This being the account which
Tweed gives Of his own character
the public will feel but slight SYM
pathy with Mr.. Townsends pathetic
description Of the age, the broken health,
the physical sufferings, the mental worry Of
his client. There is many man in the
Slate Prison whose thetts and robberies
are bagatelle in comparison with those
Of Tweed, but in favor OF whom n
plea OF i'll health and broken spirits would
be secuted. All attempts to excite SYM
pathy for this great criminal will prove
abortiye. But Tweed's guilt and the justice
OF his punishment involve different ques-
ton from the propriety and defensibility OF
Attorney General Fairchild's conduct. II
| Mr.. Townsend's statements are true At
aged hopes which he meant to dis
appoint has enticed Tweed to make
disclosures in the hope of regaining his per-
sonal freedom in tricky spirit OF inveigling
him into position which would compro-
mise others without beneiting himself. If
it be true, as Mr. Townsend charges that
the Attorney General has taken dishonest
advantage Of Tweed in this way, and has
practised on his hopes with an intention to
deceive him, the defenders of Fairchild will
be as few Us the defenders OF Tweed.
According to the representations Of Mr..
Townsend everything which has been
done officially in the case Of Tweed since
his enforced return from Spain on board the
franklin has the character of II disreputablc
trick. When Tweed was remanded in de-
spair 10 his quarters in Ludlow Street Jail 10
wrote a letter TO Charles O'Conor, whom lie
supposed to be his leading prosecutor,
| n "a, nanL1 1.lnn lrnnsf md ta.1