New-York tribune., 1877-06-02
IS IT Il PINDICA1IONf

When Senator WoOdln returned nome iIoih
ALBANY n number of his tONnsmen held meet
ing in his honor, loving him for the dangers
he had passed. and wishing to add their con-
sentIng voices to the verdict of acquttal pro-
nounced by the Senate investigating committee.
They had a very pleasant gathering, feast OF
vindicaton and flow of compliment; ana III
the course of the proceedings Mr.. NoOdih
made an address which reviewed the acts OF
the legislative session and set forth the PM
losophy of his own personal and polltlcal
struggles According to tins autobiographlc
statement Mr. Woodn worked hard to re-
duce the extravagant expenditures OF the
City of New-York by cutting down the
pay and number of the onice-holders. He
had no party purposes to gain by this
course he was moved only by the misfOrtunes
of the city taxpayers; he encountered the
hostility only of John Kelly and the other
oflce-holders. When he seemed likely to sue
coed, the Tweed charges were cOncocted III
order to destroy his influence, and were pub
lished mt John Kclly's instance in The heC-
York World. "But the moment anything
"specfo was alleged" said Mr.. WOOdm, "
"seized the opportunity to disproyc the charge.
"That my vindlcatiOn is completely tri-
"umphant all men admit"
There is a curious mixture of truth and error
in Mr.. WOOdins remarks. For example, no.
BODY doubts that the Tweed charges were
published in order to destroy Mr.. WOOdns
influence and defeat his plans OF charter re-
form, not because he represented economy ana
the ollice-holdcIs represented extravaganza,
but because the new charter, like every char
ter New-Y0rk has had for years and years,
was framed in the interest Of a political party,
and the opposite party was of course hostile
to it. But the question of Mr. Kelys motives
has nothing to do with the truth of the
charges and what must a candid observer
say about Mr. Woodns completely triumph
"antu yindication? Of all the witnesses
called, only three, John Kelly, Attor-
ney-General Farchild, and William NJ.
Tweed knew anything about the matter.
Mr.. Kelly testified Of his personal knowledge
that the charges in question did form part OF
Tweeds socalled confession or statement;
Mr.. Fairchild and Tweed, for perfectly intel
lig;ble reasons, refused to testify at all, and
thereupon the whole investigation fell through.
1t had disclosed nothing to Senator Noodms
dIscredit, but it certainly cannot be said that
it yindicatcd him, because 1t never succeeded
in reaching the testimony upon which the ac-
cusations are alleged to rest.
Ii is reported as if by authority in a Buffalo
paper that Mr.. Fairchild has determined not
TO use Tweed as a witness, and consequently
not to make public the statement which has so
keenly piqued the public curiosity II the
Attorncy-General has reached the conclusion
that Tweed offers no sufficient equivalent to
the State for the grant of his liberty, we shall
not be disposed to fad fault with his refusal
TO accept the proposals. 1t is upon him that
the law throws the responsibility of the case,
and we have no doubt that he will act accord
ing to the best of his Judgment for the good
of the public. lie is supposed to know what
the value of Tweeds testimony would be in
the Sweeny and other suits, and how far 1t
might serve in the detection of Ring c0nspira-
tors upon whom Justice has not yet laid her
hand. Unless the importance Of the evidence
is very great indeed, Tweed ought not to be
released. But if the negotiations are now to
he dropped, Mr.. Fairchild will be left IN
a most unenviable plight. lie has allowed the
leader of tine Tammany Democracy to have
secret access to the Tweed statement and to
use it for a partisan purpose i'll backemng
the character of prominent Republicans, and
when the persons affected by the reported dis
closures apply for an investigation, he turns
the key in his desk and says, "Oh, no; these
"papers are confidential" Finally, the Legis-
lature having adjourned Mr.. Fairchild re-
turns the papers to Tweed, resolving to move
no further in the matter, and leaves the be-
smirched politicians to whistle for their vind-
cation, and the rest of the public to wonder
whether other statesmen besides John Kelly
have had an opportunity to make private use of
the budget of disclosures. 1t is not a pleasant
position for young man to find himself in.
Another time hIr. Fairchld will probably be
more careful.