The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-10-18
TILDEN'S DENIAL.
lie Asserts That lie Had No knowledge
Of the Cipher Dispatches. Is
WAS NEPHEW PELTON The NEGOHIATOR?
How the Republicans Got Control OF
Those Florida Electors.

Ex-Governor T,den has written the following letter
TO tho HERALD concerning tho cipher dispatches about
which there has been OF late much discussion In
tho nowspapeB:-
Ngw YogK, Oct. 10, 1873
To THs EDITOR OF raE HKRALD:-
have read the publications IN the Tribune OF the
Stn inst purporng to DO TRANSACTIONS Of CIPHER tsie
grams relating 10 Inc canvass OF votes In Florida ~
over those printed Ia the Tribune Of this morning Te
laling 10 the canvass In South Carolina.
have no knowledge OF The existence OF these teio-
grams nor any III formation about them except what
has been derived from or since the publications. Of the
Tribune.
SO much for those kilograms generally. ! shall
speak yet more specifically as to some OF them.
Fast-rhose winch relate TO an offer purporsing TO
have been made IN behalf OF some member Of tue
State Board OF Canvassers Of Florida, 10 give. TOR
pecnnary compensation. certificates 70 the demo-
cratic electors who had been actually chosen.
Mono Of these kilograms, nor any telegram CON-
municating sucn an offer or answering such an ouer
or relating TO such an offer was seen by me, trans-
lated NC, the contents or II any nado
knowa TO me. mud no knowledge OF the sxstence
or purporto oil any telegram relating 10 that subject
Nor did learn Tho incg that such olsr oi the
Florida had been until loug uttor tho
9th OF December, at which time the certificates were
delivered and the electoral votes and whom the
information casually reached me, OF past evcst,
II was accompanied by the statement that tue oier
had been rejected.
Second-As TO the publications IN the Tribune
OF this morning purportng TO be tansa0ns OF cpher
Carolina, in 1876, which have soen since wrote tho
foregoing, speak OF them no less definitely and
positively. No ono OF such .elegrams either in
cipher translated, was ever shown TO or It's
tents made known 70 me. No offer or negotiation In
behalf Of the State OF South Carolina,
OF any OF them or any dealing with any Of them IN re-
spect the certificates TO the electors,
thorizsd sanctioned In any manner by directly
through any other person.
will add that no offer to give the cerliacatesF
or any Resurnng Board, State Canvassers Of
any S,ale 10 the democratic electors in cousd-
GRAFTON OF promises OF 0lhce money prop
erty; negotiation OF that nature IN behalf OF
any member Of such Board with any sucn member |;
mi IN, nAnnn In nfu
ber to influence the action OF oIector oil Pres
dent and Vice President BY such motives, was ever
entertained considcred or tolerated by or by any,
body within my influence, by my consont or with
my knowledge acquiesc.nce. No such contem-
r r,,n,r ,hs rnnes af nv nowor w,thant tna. nownr
being instantly axorted to crush II out
boliet doubtless current that certificates from
tho State OF Florida conforming to tho actual vote
OF the people, were IN tho market ~ have MOI the
slightest DOUBT tho world, said Mr. Saltonstall,
who was IN FLORIDA ut the time Ia recent Interview
with tho HKRALD, that that Forida) could have
been bought, II Mr.. Tldcn had been dishonorsble
$50 900 or $40 0oo II known that either one OF
the Two mempsrs who composed . majority OF tho
Forda STATE nvasscrs could control It's action and
give certificates 10 the democrats. Ethor Of
them could settle the Presidential controversy iu
favor OF tho democratic candidates. who lacked but
ono vote.
How accessible to venal Inducements they wsro
Ia shown by the testimony Of McLin the chairman Of
the Board OF state Canvasssr In his examination boz
fore Potter Committee In June last He admitted
that tho OF the people OF Florida fa-
OK the democratic electors, ana that the TACT
appeared the face 0f the county returns, IN
cluung among them the true return from Baker
county, Notwithstanding the great frauds against tho
democrats In some oil tho county returnG He also
confessed that In voting 10 give the certificates To tho
republican electors hs acted under the influence OF
promises that no should be rewarded ia case "Mr.
Hayos became PRESIDENT" aading that .certainIy
these promises must have had strong control over
my judgment and action.''
Ai,er The certificates or the Louisiana Returning
Board had boon repeatedly offered 10 Mr.. Hewitt and
v,,hl ALA Ghn had hoan n In
majority Of the voters; and the members Of shis Re
turning Board now possess The most Important fed
The pregnant fact always remains that none OF
these corrups boards gave their certificates TO tho
Democratic eiocsors but they a did give them 70 tho
republican electors
had perfectly liked purpose, from which never
dova'ed IN wora Or ac'-a purpose which was known
communication. II the Presidency OF the URLed
States 70 be Disposed OF BY cerhcatss 10 be won
from corrupt returning boards by any form OF venal
inducements. whether OF Offices monov. was
solved 10 take NO part IN the shameful compositions,
The main interest OF tho victory which resulted In
my election was Tho expectation taat through the
cnisf magstracy system OF reforms similar TO that
which had been accom- pshed Ia our metropolis in
state administration would be achieved In the fed
erai government For this object y was neces-
sary that should be unlrammeliod by any commit
mont IN the choice oil men 10 execute the official
trusts Of the government, and untrammeod by any
mated aud elected without limitation Of my
perfect Independence. To have surrendered or CON-
advantages y
grading competition for returning board certificates
would boen abandon all that maas victory DO.
sirabs, cverythin which could have sustained me
IN larger struggle that victory would have i'm
posed upon me. wns resolved 70 20 into tho Pros
idsntiai chair IN full command Of al my Tor
While thus absta,ntus from nm igoomnious compe-
ton Tor certificates l saw these certificates
tanned for the republican electors who had bcen
chosen by the people and denied TO the democratic
electors who had been chosen by h0pc0ple These
false aud fraudulent cers,hoaics now confessed and
I'D n nmvo bea Al
aterward made tho prstexts for taking from tho
people their righui choice for the Presidency and
These certificates were declared by tho tribunal to
which Congress had abiicatsd tho junction OF cecd-
absolute aud indisputabls conveyance Of tlo the
chief magstracy 81 the nation.
Tho State OF Florida, winch had united all hor
ecu,tvc, legislative aud judcia powers TO testify 10
Congress long before the count were her genuine
agents; which had by statute caused recanvass the
issue OF now certificates aud formal sovereign aa-
thcnticaton OF right OF Tho electors TO
posit the votes entitled 10 DO counted, was held TO DO
mon aud when % ). [
putod
tho authority TO count the electoral though I'M
restricted cit hor ns 10 time whom II should re-
evidence, the nature OF that evidence,
and though subject to no appeal from It's decision,
declared 10 have power to guide It's own couut
by any Information could obtain by any author-
ny which II might accept from the wronged and os
Irayod State whose vote was ABOUT TO be- iais,hsd.
The monstrou5 conclusion WAS thus reached that
tho act oil one man holulng the deciding vote Ia
Board " State Canvassors tfor without hts concur
tho frauds OF tho other returning boards would
have taiod 10 giving certificates known at The time
ana now by himself confessed to DO iase aud fraudu-
lent aud confessed 10 have boon obtained by tho
promise OF oilioc, certificates whose character was
known months boioro Congress could begin the
count, must prevail all the remedial powers OF
the Of FLORIDA oil tho Congress the United
states combined and dispose Of the chei masis
tracy OF this Republic 5. J. TlLDEN
pELToN AND MARBLE NOT AT HOME.
reporter OF the HERALD called last evoning AZ the
residence OF Governor ridon. No. 10 Gramercy park
and inquired for Mr. W. T. Psiton. The servant
stated that Mr. Pclton IN tho city had not
been for some time. Neither Mr Marbo nor Mr..
Havsmcycr werc AZ homo. nor could the former BIO
found ut his club