Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-10-23
From the New York World democratic.
Mr.. Tilden's Letter.

1t was said of the force with which Sir
Neville Chamberlain set forth on his re-
cent unfortunate embassy to the Ameer of
Cabul, that it was too large for an escort
and too small for an army. In like man
ner it mnst be said of Mr.. Ti.den's letter
concerning The cipher kilograms, of which
we have heard so much recently, that il is
too long for denial and too short for an
explanation. Nor is this all. 1t denies
only what needed no denial. and explains
only what needs no explanation. 1t surely
was not necessary for Mr.. Tilden to as
sure the country that he went into the
Presidential canvass with a fixed pur-
pose" to take no part whatever in "any
shameful competition" for that office. And
it is little less amazing that he should
have conceived it to be incumbent upon
him to set forth the motives which led
him to entertain that fixed purpose"
1t is undoubtedly true that in order TO
achieve important reforms in the methods
OF the Government President ought to
60 into Office "untrammelled by any COM
mitments in the choice of men and by any
obligations to special interests But it is
equally true that President who should
undertake the administration of system
which needed no reforms at all thus tram
melled would disgrace himself and de-
grade his country. And as the card which
Mr.. Tilden has published on this subject
distinctly conveys his belief that PROPOSE
tons looking to the purchase of certain
electoral votes were made by corrupt re-
publican electors to democrats generally
known or supposed to be his personal fol-
lowers and to be in one form or another
his political agents, it is impossible to read
that card without establishment at the alb
sence from it of anything like warm and
outspoken Indignation at the insult thus
offered to himself, to the great party which
he represented, and to the principles of
the American Government. Mr.. Tilden
was college classmate of a conspicuous
republican statesman who is commonly
reputed to have an extensive familiarity
with the persuasive power of what we
may call extra-constitutional "induce.
ments," upon the mind of such politicians
as those with whom it rested to make or
mar the electoral fates in the canvass of
1876 at the South; and Mr.. Edwards
Pierrepont could tell him, in the language
OF 'dear Lady Mary" that in Illicit poll
tics, as in Illicit love
I'm part be is to blame who has been tried
lie comes too near that comes to be denied"
30 Tar as the republicans arc concerned,
MIR. Iilden's card was scarcely needed to
strengthen the evidence furnished bv
themselves in these cipher dispatches to
prove that their representatives. at the
South were ready and eager to make scan
dalous bargains with the agents of the
democratic party, If only those agents
could be induced TO listen to them. Bu,
democrats who labored for the election of
MIR. Tilden, and who regarded him as
pledged TO the great work of thoroughly
reforming onr National Government, viii
be startled by the tone IN which he now
speaks OF transactions which he evidently
regards as discredtable, and at variance
with his own fixed purpose "never to sur.
render or compromise the advantages oil
perfect independence by a degrading
competition for returning-board certif-
ates." l. il possible that any of those
who surrounded Mr.. TIlden, and were in
familiar intercourse with him during the
Presidential canvass, can have sought to
make him "deviate' by word or act from