The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1879-10-10


closely reading all that wa printed in the
political papers Of both parties from the
day Of the election to the day of Hayes
Inauguration, and he is now willing 10
make solemn affidavit that he never saw
during all that time the 6rst ayllable pub
llshed ~ coming from sam1 Jones Tildcn,
in the then all-engroa.ing subject u the
Presidential election. Every politician In
the land, great and small, n every party,
and thousands Who were not politicians,
had something TO say on the exciting sub.
iect with the solitary exception Of our 40
called leader o. 80 Gar a. bis party At
large was informed, he did not dim to
have been elected. 80 FAR A. biz party was
Informed, he had no opinion upon the dini-
cult and exciting questions which arose
over the counting 81 the electoral votes.
lie was a. dumb a. . fried oyster. 50 FAR
as his party could get information, instead
Of coming to the front and setting like q
man who IN that he was entitled 10 the
position, he crawlcd into his hole and re-
mained there in dead silence until the
storm was over.
II l. said, however, that he did have a
whispered chat with Hewitt on the subject
Of The Electoral Commission bill Just be-
fore Il was reported by the Congressional
Committees, In which he refused to give Il
his approval; and IL l. also said that he
had "plan" Of his own invention which
II followed would certainly have secured
TO him the Office. These two interesting
items Of information were withheld from
his party and from the world until the en-
piralion Of two years AFTER the fuss was
settled Mr.. Tildcn now says that he ex.
pressed to Mr.. Hewitt, his disapprobaiion
Of the Electoral Bit; bat Mr.. Hewitt says
he fatty refused to approve or disapprove
Il. His "plan,r which We are given 10 IN.
derstand was not second TO "Radway's
Ready Relief in its efficacy, was, accord
ing TO Manton Marble, sent 10 Washington
in cipher and reached there a, ~ late a pc
Rod that before Il could he translated, The
Electoral Bill was passed. But Il must
be horne in mind that these secrets never
saw the light until late in the year Of
Grace 1873, and that 50 Ear As the public
knew, Mr.. Tilden had retreated from the
field aud ceased to give any advice OF
make anv sign to his devoted political FOL.
lowers. Nov could any thing be mcrs
disheartening to party after such battle
than for their captain to thus cover before
the enemy Is Il not always true that
when the commander Of an army quits tho
field the inference Of his soldiers Is that h,
Is whipped, or that he has deserted on &C.
count Of a conviction that his cause j. mol
q just ones
Now, | do not assert, nor Is il necessary
to assert for the purpose IN view, that Til.
den would certainly have obtained the
Presidency bat for his cowardice, but Dc
assert that he displayed the oowardice and
displayed il at time when courage was in
great demand, and that, therefore, he Is not
the man to lead US again in campaign in
which even greater dangers may have ID
be confronted than those from which he
shrank in 1876.
In future communication, with your
permission, ! propose TO make few -ug.
geslions concerning Mr.. Tildens alleged
connection with the Cipher negotiations.