The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-02-27
Democratic Criticisms of Mr.. Hlden' Tes
timony before the Potter Committee.

The Washington correspondent OF the new
York Herald Of the 18th, has the following
running summary Of Democratic criticisms
of Mr.. Tilden's attitude and testimony in
connection with che investigation by the
Potter committee of the CIPHER dispatches
The statement Of Mr.. Tilden before the Potter
Committee remains matter OF interest and dis
cussion among democrats here, many OF whom
are sore at the revelations made by Pelton and
Smith Weed and grayely dissatisfied with the
position in which Mr.. Tilden has left himself,
1t is universally granted that technically and
legally Mr. Tilden established. beyond rcfutation
that he knew nothing Of the cipher dispatches,
and was not in any way concerned in or consent
ing to any attempts to obtain by purchase or bri-
sne na@Ser of u
eminence the result OF the examination leaves
painful impression that he Is man extremely
and culpably tolerant OF grossly immoral trans
| action in person very near to him, having very
CONFIDENTIAL relations with him, and whom he de-
tected in an attempt to commit. for Mr.. Tilden's
| benefit, grave criminal action,
"Pelton,' it is said by these democrats, icon
| fesses that he received from Smith Weed an offer
to buy the South Carolina electoral vote for q
| fixed sum; that he accepted the proposition ana
the Returning Board to arrange the purchase,
and that as he was setting Gil for Baltimore ne
Mr. and tod him where he Was going
| er testifes that the next day Peton telegraphed
him for $50, Oo0or $aoooO he is not certain which
sum. and that he went at once to Mr.. Tilden ana
| told him all about it. Mr.. Tilden, in his turn;
| testifies that on hearing what Mr.. Cooper told
him, he Immediately sad no such offer should be
entertained, and that negotiation of that ma
ture should be tolerated.; that not a cent should
ton should be Immediately telegraphed for to re-
turn to New York. Mr.. Tilden does not attempt
to conceal that he understood accurately and en-
tireiy the nature and object of the transaction in
which Peton was engaged and IN which ne ev-
IDENTIFY expected Cooper to assist him He is
clear-headeG man what he saw was that Pelton,
his secretary his relative and confidential agent,
had been detected in an act OF bribery-an act
Mr.. Cooper tell him of it than Mr.. Tilden forbade
it and summoned Pelton back to New York, as
was right. On his return Mr.. Tilden says ne re.
ceiyed him with an outburst of impotence and
diSpleasure but that was ALL Pelton testlhes tnat
his relations with Mr. Tilden were not materially
that he did not remove Pelton from his coniden-
taland influential position he had occupied, ana
Pelton adds that after his return he was IN such
position and undertook to purchase the FLORIDA
returning Board"
Now, say these democrats, twas not Mr.. Til
den himself, gravely lacking in character, In that
nice sense Of honor in the keen apPreciatiss,n o.
act 70 ah he not have
at once and carefully excluded Pelton from al
further share in OF knowledge of political trans
ali his political friends that they must not trus
3 Pelton? But what happened Not only did h
CONFIDENTIAL positions as BEFORE but ali of who
} were here during the winter OF 1851 rsWembs
E sRas
, declared agent OF Mr.. Tildsn. occupied an expen
sive suit OF rooms at hotel had with MN corp ,
. munication with Mr.. riiden, and communicate'
ii on his behalf with the most influential men 9th
party here secretly, urging resistance to the yer
:, dict OF the Electoral Commission. arranging pc
= litical alliances, making himself nuisance IN
doubtedly to Mr.. Hewitt and other responsible
u men in authority, but a nuisance who had MI
Tilden at his back and who represented IN y
y especial manner and with especial authority MI
r. Tilden's wishes. Now, knowing that Pelton ma
been fortunately frustrated at a critical momeT
" In an attempt at bribery which no honorable ma
= in the party would have tolerated. ought MI II
u den to have allowed him to come down here as ~
ambassador? Was he not bound II Peltoa a. 81 !
come to inform US privately that he was not nj ,
be trusted with even the pettiest affair. and ths
| we must guard ourselves against him as aga1ns
mad dog? But so far from taking this Just an
!. | honorable course, Mr. Tilden would ind It Diff
- ! cult to deny that in some matters which
thought OF great Importance he took Pelton's &C
. | vice rather than that OF prominent and hcnorab
men, and babe Others his supporters. to take
). advice which was of course as foolish as the on
to buy Returning Board was wrong and seal
Sc dalous."
This is what is said here in prominent dem
cratic circles of Mr.. Tiden, and it is said with II
se patience and sometimes resentment.