The New York herald., 1879-03-04

fairly be said that the whole Investigation rested
upon what the Tribune transators brought to
light. The original subject of their inyestiga-
ton was the honesty or dishonesty of the election
III Florida. Louisiana and South Carolina For two
years prior 10 October, 1878. Mr.. Tildsn and his
agents in and out of season, had erated and
reiterated the charges that the canvassing boards of
the doubtful States had acted trauduently and cor
ruptly in the discharge of sworn duties IL these
charges had been fortified by any proof the charac-
Of no consequence whatever But in fact. tho
whole investigation, with the 5000 pages of
hearsay and falsehood, had not afforded the
slightest proof of what asserted. No man had
come forward to say that bribe was accepted or
that any member OF any eanyasslns board indicated
that kind had been traced to some democrat and there
ends and that democrat had never been brought be-
den referred. although goaded by sickness
and imaginary wrongs. never for moment
Hs ns any otar that sn1 he
have been mistaken. General Barlow, whose con-
duct has received the compliments of the majority.
gll's mind admits his honesty of purpose and that
of all the others. As to the South Carolina Board.
Dunn satisfied every man who heard it of the
absence of fraud in South Carolina. These
charges then, OF fraud and corruption with which Mr.
Tilden and his agents had filled the air nothing
but the unsupported assertions OF itgants against
whom the courts have decided. The trbunalsin the
three States decided in favor of the Hayes electors
Straightway the defeated party with his agents. set
up the assertion Of wrongdong. To bolster up that
assertion by proof was the object Of the original
the 1st of August and found no evidence.
CRYING FRAUD AND PRACTISING CORRUPTION.
In October the publication OF the cipher dispatches
in the Trine showed conclusively that the very
who had been loudest IN their denunciatons of the
tribunals before whom they had failed had them
tribunals. At that moment the accusations ceased
to be the assertions and opinions of honest and
became the sanders OF foiled and beaten sub
orners Of corruption. The country, which had
been deceived by the apparent ,earnestness
and honesty of Mr. Tiden and his agents,
began realize the intense hypocrisy of ali that
Mr.. Marble had written and Pelton circulated. This
fabric of alleged fraud thus fallen what the
port of the majority is endeavoring to build up
again and upon the old foundations. No wonder.
then. that they preferred TO make separate report
briberies were put upon the stand they were
forced to admit the receipt and transmission
Of the eliminating dispatches. each and all OF
them. Colonel Peton whose appearance before the
committee really pitiable. seemed to have been
selected to bear the largest share Of the burden Mr.
Manton Marble occupied different situation. He
had. prior to October. 1875 taken conspicuously
high toned position. He hal written the Ark and
Shekinah letter and had otherwise conducted him
self loftily before mankind He could not therefore
avoid an attempt to preserve himself. 1t was not
for him to take the bold position of Mr. Smith Weed
that il right to rescue stolen goods from rob-
bers. Such an ark of refuge would have wrecked
him long before reaching Ararat. Nevertheless
bny the Florida Returning BoarG in his
own handwriting two replies Of Pelton and his
reoinder. These he was obliged to admit. and also
to admit the .'substania accuracy of the transla-
tions. His explanation of the two discriminating
dispatches which the committee had, and POSSIBLE
third which the committee did not have, that
he sent them danger signals The burst of con-
temptuous laughter with which the audience greeted
this explanation Mr.. Marble Will probably never
forget.
PEI,roN SHIELDED TIIpEN.
They did not intend however, to comment upon
than will ever listen to this report had long
since passed judgment upon them The evidence
ta to M denas o Of M Tan
Colonel Peton and that the latter should endeavor
to shield his uncle. upon whom he was dependent.
was natural but the idea that this penni-
less man, living in the house and sitting
at the very table Of his wealthy uncle (Mr. Tilden)
should have conducted negotiations involving such
large sums without word or hint to the man most
deeply interested or to anybody else could not for
moment be entertained by candid men. II Colonel
Peltons story be true he must be removed from the
category of knaves to that OF fools; but the who
conducted the campaign of 1876 as acting secretary
did Mr.. Tiden after election centre all his in
terests in the hands of fool. Mr.. Til
dens denial was % OF &c" course arr.". to be @ es
by which Mr.. Tilden kept posted to the doings
of his agents. and yet left in condition to make
general denial-if he so left-the committee
probably shall never know. Against these denials
all the facts and circumstances Of the case,
The men who went South-Messrs Woolley Marble
and Smith Weed-were on terms Of the closest po-
ltical and personal intimacy with him. They were
selected by his nephew, furnished with cipher
the very transactions for which they were alter
ward used. One at least Of them had inter
view with Mr.. IIlden DefOre MS departure. 1t
was arranged that woolley and Smith Weed. who
were pretty we'll known should send their kilograms
to Havemeyer; while Mr.. Marble. heretofore OF good
repute, should send to Is Gramercy Park.
1t may be said that if Mr.. Tiiden had contemplated
wrong he would not have had dispatches sent to his
house: and get, if they were in cipher known to
the National Committee he would not want them
to go to that body. His only fear would be- not that
the dispatches would fall into the hands of those
who could not read them, but into the hands OF
those who could.
WHAT MR. r1LDKs MUST HAVE KNOWN.
It had been urged in Mr.. Tildens behalf that
soon he became OF the South Carolina nego
tatons he promptly suppressed them. and they were
asked to draw the Inference that he was gutless of
all. Had these transactions ceased when Hardy
Solomons went home had Pelton been dis
charged from his plenary superintendence Of
Tlden's affairs, there might have been some
show Of reason for this plea. But Mr.. peton
remained in full control. The Florida negotiations
went on. The attempted bribery in Oregon followed:
all under the guidance of the reserved nephew, Mr.
Pelton. 1t seems more likely that it originally
intended that the plan Of Mr.. Tilden and Colonel
the money, which he TO furnish without
municaton with Mr.. Tilden Pelton says he told
Cooper not to tell Tilden. That night Mr.. Cooper
thinking that he had already over-advanced, and that
IL Mr.. Tilden wanted the Presidency in that way he
had better pay for it himself. he went to Mr. Tildcn
on course Mr. Tiden could take part in such open
transaction as IL had now become Add to these cir
cuinstances the fact that demand was made
by Mr.. Tiden .or opportunity to vindicate himself
until the last moment-unl. in fact, it had got to be
a choice between coming on process or appearing
to come voluntarily The minority were driven to
the conclusion that il mr. Tilden had told all he knew
or these transactions they would have been In pos
session OF material to form undisputed judg-
ment. The investigation had been neither iuil,
searching systematic They did not say this III
any spirit of criticism the action of the majority.
The latcncss OF the commencement of the inquiry
prccudcd thoroughness.
FLORIDA AND SOUTH cAnoLIsA RETURNS.
The next question to be considered was whether
either the Florida or South Carolina Returning
boards were for sale. The South Carolina part Is
quickly disposed of. The testimony OF Mr.. Dunn.
uncontradicted, clearly shows that Mr.. Smith Weed
was played with by shrcwdcr men than himself for
purposes entirely proper aud In manner entirely
justiable As to florida Mr.. Woollcy had not been
given the full facts of Ills attempt.
So far however, as he has indicated
the source of his proposition Tor "donger signals
1t ended this way Mr. Dyke, the party named. tee-
graphs that he never knew anything about IL him.
set. He was told by Mr.. Robertson that rcpub-
licsn Congressman said they could be bought. Mr..
Marbles statement amounts then, to this A man
told him that a third man told him that the