New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-06-21
MIR. FAIRCHILD NEST SPEAK.


The matter of Mr.. John d. Townsend's let
.er 10 Attorney General Falrchild is subject
for serious treatment; the manner OF IL Is
hardly so grave an affair. Mr.. Townsend eVi-
IDENTIFY rolled up bis sleeves and squared his
elbows when he sat down to write THIS vlgor-
Gus cpistle. Ii was great day for townsend.
We can fancy him now perchcd on Mr.. WI
kins Micawber's high stool and flourish
ing Nh Micawbcl's desk rule, while roll
ing out these powerful periods at the
unfortunate Attorney General. Indeed the tone
of the letter Will do much to weaken the force
of the blow il was meant to strike. more
concise and more digniiied statement OF the
negotiations for Tweed's release would have
left a clearer impression of the singular course
of the Attorney &c neral upon the public mind,
and would have deprived him of that sym
pathy which the public always feels with the
recipient of an obviously malicious letter.
But while the temper in which Mr.. Townsend's
letter is written makes it necessary to weigh
lightly many of its reflections and suggestions,
it is nevertheless true that his letter places
the Attorney-G eneral completely on the defen-
sye, and that it does this simply by a connected
review of circumstances already notorious but
not before embraced in single narrative.
The effect of this review, unmistakable as 1t Is,
Is strengthened by additional statements. OF the
truth of which the public knows nothing, but
which seem TO bear the marks OF truth about
them.
What, then. is the showing that Mr.. Town
send makesl He proves that, in the first
place, Tweed's surrender was just as complete
az the public has always supposed it was IN
tended to be. He was ready to give up all he
had, afd tell all he knew, Withholding
nothing and sparing nobody. To use
his own words, he promises that he
will Preserve nothing nor will he decline
''to testify against anybody, whether he may
"have been his most intimate friend or not"
He offers not only to be witness, but to find
witnesses and mentions in connection with
one matter that he has witnesses already secured
He specifies the suits i'll which he
thinks he can be of immediate service
to the city, and pledges himself, If re-
leased, to devote himself to the work of
furnishing Ring thieves and recovering Ring
moneys with as much zeal as he once showed
in the nefarious industry of the Ring itself.
Mr.. Fairchild may not have been impressed
with the sincerity of this offer, though he
public was, though it had only the offerings
OF Mr. Fairchilds information. The pubic
believed, and was probably right in believing
that this veteran liar and thief was going into
the business of telling the truth and Furnishing
theft on a gigantic scale. His manner was
that of n man in earnest 1t is pity that as
much cannot be said of the Attorney General.
II seems Il great pity when we reflect how
much this surrender involved. 1t meant a
complete exposure of the city and State officials,
the legislators, the lobbyist I'D the judges
who had corrupt dealings \ IN the Ring
the manufacturing concerns u'i printing OF
fees founded and managed by the Ring for
the Ring, and even the railroads OF The
Ring and their management. Many of these
disclosures he would have fortified with in
dorsed checks. The exposure would have
been thorough and final. Hardly stolen
dollar would have been left untracked
Tweed knew where the money went. Hardly
Ring thief would have been left undis-
covered Tweed knew pretty well just
who got the money, and how much. The
great scandal of American politics would have
been laid bare once and for all to the last
hidden corner, ard then we might have buried
it from view forever
How did Mr. Fairchild treat this opportu
nifty to recover millions and punish the men
who had taken them He looked mt it calmly for
four months, from February to June, and then
turned away with the remark that Mr.
Tweed's evidence "would not Justify his
"release.n Mr. Peckham, who had been
connected with the Ring suits from the
first, and Mr.. Whitney, who was anxious to
yet evidence that might defeat Ring claims
against the city for $1,000, 000 both said that
he would be a valuable witness. But Mr. Fair
child said, No. The evidence "would not
justify his release"
Why9 MI Farchild has never told lis. Is it
not about time that he did The pubic is indig-
nant at the escape of one great Ring thief with
a small fine and "a new "charIcther," at the same
time that another who was willing to 20 naked
out of jail if he could 20 at all. is rudely
thrust back into his cell. 1t is indignant mt
tbe unexDlained refusal of the law officer OF
the Government to avail himself of this uncx-
ampled offer to bring about an uneXamplcd
butiop. Mr. Fairchild owes rs all an explanation.
He owes it TO the Taxpayers OF New York
City, who have some right 10 suspect that
the have been unfairly treated. He owes it
To those independent voters who supported
him for election two years ago Oh Reform