The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-09
PRICE THREE CENTS.
TIE CIPHER DESPATCHES
Il CLEIN. CLEiR, AND FULL DENIAL
ny Mr.. S.iMUEL >. IILDEM


Auction OF the Chief Maaistrncy Of his Coun-
try he would not he Among the Bidders.
Mr.. Samuel J. Tildcn submitted yesterday
TO the Potter sub-Committee tho testimony
which he had requested the privilege OF Offer
ing rs. in his opinion. pertinent TO the subject
OF inquiry. His statement was made with
great delbcration. with evident care that there
should be no mistake about his meaning and.
though concise. with II funoss that was clearly
intended to remove all suspicion Of mental
reservation. For speaking in n low tone ho
asked Indulgence at the beginning OF his state
ment. as he was suffering from IA cold.
Tho usual prcliminarics were dispensed with.
Con. 1iunton administered the oath. aud thon
suggested to Mr. Tilden that no proceed at
once. without questioning with any statement
that ho desired to make. Mr. Tlldcn made a
sweeping denial OF any knowledge or sus-
picion at the time that any such dispatches as
those under discussion had been received or sent.
He did hear-he went on to say in taking up tho
detailed denial-or Tao day that Col Peton was
in Baltimore through casual mention by Col
PeltOn's wife. that Dir. Pclton had gono from
town. but he did not then know Mr.. Polton's
purpose. An hour or two later he partially
learned that purpose from Mr.. Edward
Cooper. TO whom Col. Pelton had tclegraphed,
and ho at once said that tho matter
''rther. He also caused telegram
mus 20 no - "on commanding him to
to be sent TO Col. rv..- ~',is covered all
return to New York at once. 49,. >.
knowledge that he had at the time TIM, prou,
sails to sell the electoral vote Of any State had
been made although the air was full OF rumors
Of that nature. Ofthe Florida proposals he said
he had not the slightest knowledge nor did he
know that cipher dispatches were being sent to
and received from that State and the samo was
true in reference TO the Oregon ciphers and tho
purposes thcy conveyed. Mr.. Tilden then went
further than these general denials. He nf'lr0ed
that under no circumstances could he have en-
tered into any competition to secure tho cleo
tora certificates. Not for IN hour or an instant
did he entertain such n thought.
Turning from the Chairman. at whom he had
constantly looked thus far. and pnrtly rising
from his seat. Mr.. Tilden said, with intense
carnestness with the eyes OF every member OF
the Committee fixed upon him. that he
did owe duty and service to the
people who elected him to tho Chief
Magistracy-tho four million and a quarter
Of citizens who gave him their suifrages; that
he owed them every honorable sacrifice but not
the surrender OF one lot or title Of his sense OF
right or his personal sclf-respect. " | was re-
solved" he added " that II there was TO be an
auction Of the Chief Magistracy Of my country.
would not be among the bidders"
Tho applause which followed this was in
stantly checked by the Chairman. Gen. Hunton
declined TO make any direct examination. and
Congressman Reed began a cross-examina-
tion. and was followed in it by Con-
Grcssman Hiseock. Mr. Reeds questions
were put rapidly. and were answered by
Mr. Tilden. without hesitation excepting at
such times rs hc was doubtful Of Mr. Reeds
meaning. Mr.. Tllden was first pressed to ex-
plain why. after he discovered that Col Potion
had gone TO Baltimore 10 consummutc n GRIM
inal purpose. hc simply rehukcd him there
for and still allowed him to take
Hn nriva part in the work Of the
National Committee. lie replied That there were
seycrI. rensuns. Ono Was. the kn lwlcdIo that
ssnanrSatc' nnSlingg4 7wiMiarSu iMiarS u.d IT, cond % con.
gentlemen. and therefore could not a. any COM
promising act. Another .ason was that Mr..
ton tunt he had with Mr.. Cooper. TINT Col. Pei
ton went TO Baltimore 90 consummatc wrong.
HIS understanding MAS ti.li Col Peton went
thrre to see what the propu- tion was
Aqo'hSr Ro5P' rlry tG WIS hreSSTd 9n er?sS,SS-
shed letter in relation TO the cipher dispatches.
rc was asked ny both Of the Republican Con-
Tint be- did not know Of tho South Carolina
proposition and Of Col. Prlton's visit to Bati-
with the utmost courtesy by both OF tho Com
Ercs-inrn. ana much time WIS spent upon
That lie c@nformci strictiy 10 thS truth
in his letter. He said in that lctter
luNt ne never nOl any kn nNlflEr or iutimuttOn
thnl cipher desputches were in use. or OF their
contents; II WAS not pertinent to the subject
matter of his letter TO speak OF another TOPIC.
the offers that had been made, aud in not spgak-
iug q. them he had no intention OF misleading
any ono. llc made no reference to the matter
simply because In his opinion It was not per-
tinent Tor him To specify in that letter that he
know that "A proposit iton had been made.
Mr.. Tiden said in response to one question.
fled diSnpl lroNal 1t could not be excused II
he had Thought. however OF hecoming a party
% IN sunh i9pa Col RNfon tho nqt
person whom he would have selected ms an intrr-
mediary. by Mr.. Illien Thought 4 should be
inl i"u-ihle ms II WAS. was due To 2'll and to
his mistaken judgment TINT he ought to fight
Mr.. Tilien said, as Congressman II-cock
urged question which seemed To- intimate that
erly. that ho trusted that he had as high u sense
o ol da'y and a1 1su2 & p9rr9H d9 Of n9nSr Or
would s'orn 10 destroy his lie record hy
ono u4 inton5isieit i!erawiih, aud thcn
iiat he dcclor as his arm h,liet bejornS God
uud l,e country tWt me Ir"-i lency was OH
mu'i lN ruyt.ns". II iA. s'andard oi, ethics
he would mrusur' ihin- lD tlui standard ho
Eeni! ha}H tAail.ifn ,l iar' ETthiMtHggnosS H
was an .u'h"ni' ol 'n'r. tuc % 'n 's ot othcrs
SaMnalri Hn4 it'I M i'r'.d,nsr to
position Ta- VIII Lnowi lir htI r'so,y "a an
der u1 circumstances Ia cut'r into any COM
p.ti'on to obtain the electoral certificates cX-
n5 i's 'a,-ion,, arfnm,ni.' l,!s"n, ir9ih.
id'a % obtaining a. .-e certificates uy ans prom
i'e,oi n lgov or Office
s.oiu,l lut ItiIe I,tisuoI WHOM tha oNninlnn-
tom wls iln'3.e ed. and 49, ou'' iIl into pheasant
WAS listened to hy Mr.. John BiseIow. WHO no.
ruiatnH"i Mr. IU! !'n from and 90 his homo;
T hi, 4r0'h.r. NJ. ll.nry 4. Tldou, qqd 10y ~
MH} q y lcN1d,l torp1t 1taii u Cou',p. Whitney.
ana utr"r gentlemen WHO were admitted o. no