The New York herald., 1879-02-07
Mr.. .Peiton's Testimony.


The sub-com mittee which is holding Sit
tings at the Filth Avenue Hotel tor inyesti-
eating the. cipher dispatches spent the
whole day and evening yesterday in exam
lining and cross-examining Mr.. Pelton,
Governor Tilden's nephew and for
many years his confidential secretary.
Mr.. Pelton is a most important witness.
the cipher correspondence by telegraph
which related to the employment of money.
What Pelton does not know of that scam
dalous business is not worth knowing, since
all the money propositions were telegraphed
to him and replied to by him. Pelton knows,
if anybody knows, what person or persons,
or whether any person or persons, stood be-
hind him and used him as go-between or
instrument. AS to what took place between
Mr.. Pelton ana his cipher correspond
ents the translated dispatches speak
for themselves, and neither his testi-
mony nor anybody's testimony can
modify the public Judgment of the
main features of those disreputable
transactions MI. Pelton, like Mr. Weed
disputes the accuracy of the published de-
spatches and picks flaws in the printed
translations. But these small criticisms,
or rather cavils, amount to nothing
for both Mr.. Weed and Mr.. Pelton are
constrained to acknowledge that each and
all Of the particular cipher telegrams
which are most scandalous and damaging
those relating to bribery-did actually
pass between Pelton in New York and his
correspondents in Columbia and Tallahas-
see, and that the substance of them has been
given without important errors. This being
confessed it is impossible to save the repu-
tation of Mr.. Weed or Mr.. Pelton, both Of
whom are 'starred with the same stick, and
are unable to deny their willingness and
their desire to purchase electoral votes for
Mr.. Tilden.
The only remaining question in which the
country takes any real interest is whether
Mr.. Tilden was cognizant of these disgraceiul
transactions and gave them the sanction
of his appreciation or connivance. In such
matter there is no real difference he
tween sanction and connivance. What
ever Mr.. Tilden knew, but did not
condemn and arrest, was as charge
able to him as if he had inspired
or directed it. The only defensive plea
which can be successfully made in his be-
half is the plea of total ignorance Of what
was going on. There is as yet not par
ticle Of evidence which convicts him Of
guilty knowledge
The South Carolina traffic did come to
his knowledge the next day after Pelton
left for Baltimore, but the concurrent testi-
mony Of Mr.. Weed, Mayor Cooper and Mr..
Pelton proves that he put an immediate
and absolute veto on the transaction as soon
as it was brought to his notice. Mr.. Pelton's
testimony on this point seems consistent
with probability. There is no reason to
doubt that the admiring nephew believed
in the sincerity of Mr.. Tilden's professions
of exalted public virtue, and, having this
conception of Mr.. Tilden's character, Pei
ton would naturally have concealed from
him his various plots for bribing the doubt
full returning boards. The fact that Mr.
Hewitt and Mayor Cooper-both gentlemen
of unquestioned character and both very
intimate with Mr.. Tilden at the time-have
the most undoubting confidence in his
honor corroborates the general effect of
the testimony which has thus far been
given. But still it is prudent to hold our
judgment in suspense until the evidence is
all in.