The Portland daily press., 1878-10-18
TILDEN'S DENIAL.
All Responsibility for the Cipher
kilograms Repudiated.
No Attempt at Bribery Made by
Tiiden.


from Mr. Tilden:
have read the publications in the Tribune
of the Sth inst. purporting to be TRANSACTIONS of
cipher kilograms relating to the canvass of
votes in Florida at the Presidential election Of
1876 and have looked over those printed in the
Tribune of this morning relative to the canvass
in South Carolina.
l have no knowledge of the existence of
these kilograms, nor any information about
them, except what has been derived from or
since the publications of the Tribune. So
much for these kilograms generally, | shall
speak yet more specifically as to some Of them.
First, those which relate to an offer pur-
porting to have been made in behalf of some
members of the state canvassiDg board at
Florida, to give for a pecuniary compensation
been actually chosen. None of these kilograms
nor any kilograms communicating such an Of
fer. or answering such an offer, or relating to
such an offer, were seen by me, translated to
me, or the contents of them in any manner
made known to me. l had no knowledge of
the existence or purport of any telegram re-
lating to that subject, nor did learn the fact
that such an offer of the Florida certificates
had been made until long after the 9th of De-
cember, at which time the certificates were de-
livered and the electoral votes cast. And
when the information casually reached me, as
of past event, it was accompanied by the
statement that the offer had been rejected.
Secondly, as to the publications in the Tri-
bune of this morning, parpOrting to be trans
lations of cipher kilograms relating to the can
vass of votes in South Carolina in 1876, which
L have seen since Il wrote the foregoing, L can
speak of them no less definitely and positively.
No one of such kilograms, either in cipher or
translated, was ever shown TO or its contents
made known to me. No offer or negotiations
in behalf of the state canyasses of South Caro-
lima, or of any of them in respect to the GER
tificates to the electors, was ever authorized or
sanctioned in any manner by me, directly or
through any other person.
1 will add that no offer to give the certi-
Gates of any returning board or the canvassers
of any state to the Democratic electors, in con-
sideration of promises of office or money or
property; no negotiations of that nature in be-
half of any member of such board, or with any
such members; no attempt to influence the &C.
ton of any electOr of President and Vice Presi-
considered or tolerated by me, or by anybody
within my influence, by my consent or with
my knowledge or acquiescence. No such con-
templated transaction could have at any time
come within the range of my power without
that power being instantly exerted to have
kept it out
A belief was doubtless current that certif-
Gates from the State of Florida, conforming to
the actual vote of the people were in the mar
ket. 81 have not the slightest doubt in the
WORLD said Mr.. Saltonstall, who was in Flor
ida at the time, in a recent interview with the
Herald, "that that (Florida) vote could have
been bought if Mr. Tilden had been dishonOr-
able enough to desire it done for a great deal
less than $4,000. or $4,000 1t was known
that either one of the two members who com.
posed majority of the Florida state canvass
ers could control its action and give the Ger
tificates TO the Democrats. One of them could
settle the Presidential controversy in favor OF
the state Democratic candidate, W no lacked but
one vote. How accessible to venal induce
ments is shown by the testimony of McLin,
hp n "a runa N nj hQ hoo ord Of sfata
10 his examination before the Potter committee
in June last. He admitted that the true vote
of the people of Florida was in favor of the
Demoeratic electors, and that the fact even
appeared on the face of the county returns,
including among them the true returns from
Baker county, notwithstanding the great frauds
against the Democrats in some of the county
returns. He also confesses that in voting to
give the certificates to the Republican electors,
he acted under the influence of promise that
he should be rewarded sin case Mr.. Hayes be-
came President adding that, Certainly,
these promises might have had strong control
over my acts and Judgment"
After the certificates of the Louisiana re-
turning board had been repeatedly offered to
Mr.. Hewitt and others for money, they were
given in favor of the Republican electors, who
had been rejected by large majority of the
voters, and the members of this returning
board now possess the most important federal
Offices in that state. The pregnant fact always
TtmdiuS tudt uou6 VI tutso COrrupU UOaTuS gave
their certificates to the Democratic electors,
but they all did give them to the Republican
electors.
had perfectly fixed purpose from hich I
never deviated in word or act, a purpose which
was known to or assumed by all with whom
dency of the United States was to be disposed
OF by certificates to be won from corrupt re-
turning boards by any form of venal induce
meut, whether of offices or money, L was re-
solved to take no part in the shameful compe-
tition, and Ltook none.
The main interest of the victory which result
ed in my election was the expectation that
through the chief magistracy q system of re.
forms similar to that which had been accom-
pllshed in our State administration would be
achieved in the federal government. For this
object 1t was necessary that should be untram-
melled by any commitment in the choice of
men to execute the official trusts of govern
ment. or by any obligations to special interests.
L had been nominated and l was elected with
out one limitation of my perfect independence.
10 have surrendered or compromised this posi-.
tion by degrading competition for returning
board certificates would have been to abandon
all that made victory desirable. was resolved
to go into the Presidential chair in full COM
mand OF all my resources for usefulness, or not
at all. While thus abstaining from an igno-
mlnlous competition for the certificates, 1 saw
them obtained for the Republican electors who
had not been chosen by the people, and denied
to the Democratic electors who had been thus
CHOSEN. These fraudulent certificates now con-
fessed and proved to have been obtained by
corrupt inducements, were made pretexts for
taking from the people their full choice for the
Presidency and Vice Presidency. These certi-
hcates were declared by the tribunal to which
Congress had abdicated the function of decid.
ing the count of disputed electoral votes, to be
the absolute conveyance of the title to the chief
magistracy of the nation.
The state of Florida had united all her execu-
tive, legislative and judicial powers to testify
to Congress long before the count, who were
her agents which had by statute caused can
vass. The issue of new certificates and for
NAL sovereign authorization of the right of the
true electors to deposit the votes to be counted,
was held to be incapable of communication to
Congress. Congress, though vested by the con-
stltqtlon with the authority to count the cleo
toral votes, though subject to no appeal from
Its decision, was declared to have no power to
GUIDE Its own count by any information it
couid OBTAIN or by any authority which it
might accept from those whose vote was about
tnus reached that the act of one man holding
the deciding vote on board of state canvassers
Tor without his concurrence the frauds of the
other returning boards would have failed) on
giving certificate known at the time and now
oy himself confessed to be false and fraudul-
ant and confessed to have been obtained by the
promise OF office, certificates whole character
was known months before Congress could be.
gin the count, must prevail over all the reme-
iial powers of the state of Florida and of the
congress OF the states combined, and must dis
bose OF the Chief magistracy of this republic.
s. d. TIIDEN