Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-10-25
Mr.. r,Idcn,. Cnrd Of Denial.

On Thursday of last week statement from
Samuel j. Tilden was given to the public in
which he denies any knowledge Of or rcspon-
sibility for the cipher kilograms published by
the New York Tribune, which show, beyond
any reasonable question, bribery or attempts
at bribery on the part of Mr.. 1ildcn's agents
during the progress of the electoral contest.
OF this denial on Mr. Tilden's part we think
the Springfield Republican gives a very just
outline and estimate in the following oditori-
al which we copy from its columns:
MIR. Tilden has issued a card in regard to
the cipher dispatches in which he says
None of these kilograms. nor any telegram
communicating an offer of bribery or cor
ruptou or relating to such an offer, was
seen bv me- translated to me, or the contents
Of it in any manner made known TO me- He
never heard of the offer of corruption till
"long after the 9TH Of Dec, mbtr,' the date
of the casting of the electoral vote of Florida
when he Casually learned Of the offer that
had been made and that il had been rejected
Mr.. Tilden knows nothing of the kilograms,
but what he has learned from or since"
their publication. This denial is accompan-
led by animadyersiOn on the fact that in ey-
cry case it was the Republicans who bagg.d
the game which was offered so freely, that lie
had one purpose of reform in running for
President and that he was nominated and
elected without one Limitation of my perfect
independence. 70 have surrendered or com
promised the advantages of this position by n
degrading competition for returning board
certificates would have been to abandon all
that made victory desirable"
Mr.. Tilden, in short, makes absolute deni-
al, but explains nothing and brings nobody
IN lig ~
a not explained how all this wrotched hnrlot-
ry WINS entertained at Gramercy park and
how the same cipher appears III the Florida
dispatches and recently in the communioa-
tion between Mr. Tilden and his lawyer in
Michigan. Is George W. Smith, the private
secretary, or PeltOn, the nephew, responsible
for that despatch to Mr. Marble, "proposi-
ton accepted, if done only once involving
| $4,000. The Nation observes that while
these agents might wave yontUrcd the $4,000
needed in Oregon, they are hardly likely to
have undertaken a transaction of $4,000
without the personal superintendent" of
Mr.. Tilden This is merely one element in a
weight of probabilities against him, which
must henceforth hang like milestone around
his neck. What cannot, We fear be denied
is this Political and personal friends Of Mr..
| Tilden manned the situation, at New York. at
| Columbia and at Tallahassee. Propositions
of bribery were sent by those at the South to
Mr.. Tilden's residence, or his headquarters.
| They were written partly in cipher which has
| in Il recent case been identified as in use in
Mr.. Tildens private affairs. They involved
the payment of large sums of money. There
was delay and hesitation, which might char
acterze either Mr.. Tilden or his agents, feel
! ing their way along without instructions and
without authority. The circumstances i'm
plcate Mr.. Tilden deeply, but do not convict
They damage, however, beyond repair Al
in another recent and conspicuous instance in
American life, the probabilities of guilt heav
ally ovorbalance the assertions of innocence
resting on the basis of character.
As TO the agents themselves, Smith Peltor
and Weed, they must assume all responsible
ty. This is necessary 10 harmonize with Til
d,ns denial. But viii they be kicked dowI
stains: What will Mr.. Tlden do about it
If he were sure that he would have been in
perfectly Independent position as President
he is of course still more Independent and un
trameled as a private citizen, aud he has
duty to the reform of political morals even il
that humble capacity.