Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-10-21
Tilden and Reform.

Colonel Ingcrsoll said in his lecture the
other evening that when "Relormers" were
around he put his hands in his pockets and
kept them there The revelations Of the OPP
erations of Tilden and his associates in regard
to the electoral vote of Florida and South
Carolina give abundant evidence for the DIS
trust of self styled Rciormers. 50 pithlly and
fjrcibly expressed and illustrated by the dis
tinguished lecturer.
Samuel J. Tildcn was nominated upon
Reform platform, rs Reform candidate, en-
bodying in his character the idea OF purity
and honesty in the administration of polih-
cal affairs. 1t is true that the party with
which Mr.. Tilden acted and by which he was
nominated for the Presidency, had been con
notably in New York State while he was
Chairman Of the democratic State committee,
but these things were forgotten when Tilden
assumed the role of Reformcr and the demo-
cratic party adopted as its shibboleth in the
campaign of 1876, "Tldcn and Reform
The profession OF Reform was the only thing
looked at by thousands of voters They ney-
or considered that the democratic party gath
ers 10 itself and is controlled by the most
corrupt elements in the country-by Tam
many--by those who were four years in
bloody revolt against the government-by
ignorant foreigners led by priests and polit-
zeal scoundrels-or that Tilden had long
been skillful leader of the worst clements
of this most VIGOROUSLY corrupt party-and
that it was folly to expect from such party
and such leader any Reform that would be
worthy of the name, any steps towards pure
and honest government.
At last the mask is stripped from this pre-
tended Reformcr, and we find that this man
was engaged in a conspiracy, and was the I'M
doubted leader and the furnisher Of the money
TO secure by bribery the electoral votes of
Florida and South Carolina. He has denied
having any knowledge Of these transactions,
bat does not deny that the cipher kilograms
are genuine and correctly interpreted by the
Tribune, therefore making no denial that at
tempts at bribery were made by his associ-
ates, even in his own house, under bis very
eyes, by his own nephew and most confdcn-
tial and trusted friends.
Such denial as this coming from man
of Tilden's known habits and character is no
denial at all. If ever a man kept his affairs
to himself, controlled them positively and alb
solutely, and is SO secretiye that he would not
allow his right hand to know what his left was
doing, that man is Samuel j Tilden. Yet MIR.
Tilden's defence is that he knew nothing of
the attempt of his nephew-of Weed and
Marble, now his right hand men in the poll
tics of New York-to get him into the Pres
idential chair by bribery, although his bar'ls
of money were to be used in paying the bills
contracted, and his tools could only get their
reward for their subseryiency and baseness
through his knowledge of their crime and
willingness to pay them for their service.
The people of this country are not going to
believe Tilden knew nothing of these trans
actions. They believe he was the soul and
centre of them, as he was to be to the chief
person benefited if they succeeded, and he
only could or would have supplied the money
to carry them through