The New York herald., 1879-09-27
MIR. FIELDS Compliments to Mr.. Tiiden.

1
We suspect that Mr.. Field is a gentleman
of an excitable temperament. A man so
constituted is apt to take a somewhat ex-
aggerated view of facts while the fit of some
particular excitement is upon him. JUS
tice to Mr.. Tilden requires that the
readers of Mr.. Fields piquant letter
should make proper allowance for the
mental peculiarities of the writer. If
nature had not made Mr.. Field an enthu-
siast, with the warmth and glow which
belong to that order of minds, he would
not have gained tho honor of making the
Atlantic cable success, nor the rich har-
vest OF wealth which attends his connec-
tion with the elevated railroads. In judg-
ing of men we must consider the defects
which are inseparable from their qualities !;
and man like Mr. Field, with great deal of
sanguineness in lis composition, must not be
expected to deliver his opinions on the
merits of his personal controversies in the
measured language of judge on the bench
deciding between litignnts controversy in
which he has no personal interest Having
thus cautioned our readers to take Mr.
Fields statements cam grano sails, we are
bound to say that he does not place his
''iriend" Mr.. 1ilden in an enviable light.
Into tle merits Of the transactions out of
which this controversy has grown we decline
public whether one bold speculator in
stocks ovcrreached and outwitted another
bold speculator in stocks? In this view it
is simply game Of ''liamond cut dia-
mond," in which the public has only the
feeble interest of Indifferent spectators.
It is ali the same to tho toiling masses of
humanity whether the millionaire Mr.. Field
or the millionaire Mr.. Tilden is the keener
manipulation in the shares Of railroad
company. If Mr. Tilden stood before the
public in no other light than that of a mere
operator in stocks the public would
care no more for recriminations between
him and Mr.. Field than for recrimi-
nations between Mr.. Field and Jay
Gould. But Mr.. Tilden is one Of the most
prominent political men of the time. What
ever sheds light on the character Of an
avowed candidate for the Presidency in
terests the whole body of American voters
There is a direct issue of personal ve-
racity between Mr.. Field and Mr.. Tildon.
1t is unfortunate for candidate for the
Presidency that his veracity should be
questioned. It is not for us to say
whether Mr. Field tells the truth or
Mr.. Tilden tells the truth; but it pro-
duces a painful impression that the
word of leading candidate for the Presi-
dency is open to question, and that his
personal and pecuniary honor is made a
subject of debate in a matter quite discon-
nected from party politics.
There is widespread impression that
Mr.. Tilden is sly, cunning man, whose
favorite method is to circumvent enemies
or rivals by craft rather than 10 maintain
manly contest with them in the eyes of the
public. Mr.. Fields letter has no ten
dency to remove that impression. We
will express no opinion on the questions of
veracity raised between these gentlemen.
We are sincerely sorry that the undisputed
facts bear hard on Mr. Tilden. Before Mr..
Fields departure for Europe Mr. Tilden
made toward him a display of elusive
friendship. This was kept up Tor months
in Mr.. Tilden's most ''salvy" manner, and
on the day Mr.. Field sailed Mr.. Tilden
went to the steamer and monopolized him
in the whispering and confidential
manner with which everybody who has
seen much of Mr.. Tilden is familiar.
But when Mr.. Field came back after
q short absence Mr.. Tilden sedulously
avoided him. Why this total change? Mr..
Field explains it by Mr. Tilden's conscious
ness that he had served him a scurvy trick
in his absence and his unwillingness to face
o man whom he had deceived. Mr. Tilden
has made no explanation of this total change
Of demeanor If reluctance TO encounter
man whom he had betrayed under false
mask Of friendship be not the true explana-
tion what is the explanation? The fact of
total cessation of intercourse and avoidance
of Mr.. Fields presence is not disputed.
Mr.. Field accounts for it naturally Mr.
Tilden fails to account for it at ALL Mr.
Tilden's notorious addiction to underhand
methods gives an appearance of plausibility
to Mr.. Fields statements. When Mr.. Til
den, some years ago, found that certain
speculations in which he had engaged turned
out to be surprisingly successful he neglected
to make an income return, relying on the
ignorance OF the assessors and their inabil-
ity to find out what heaps of money he
was suddenly making. He has established
o character for this kind of dexterous sly
ness, and as Mr.. Fields exposures tally
perfectly with this reputation for decep-
tive cunning they are likely to find easy
credence both outside and inside the dem
ocratic party.
Emancipation in Cuba.
A wholesome desire is growing in Spain
To pay prompt attention to the condition of