New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-02-10
THE CASE or Mr.. TILDEN.


THE CASE or Mr.. TILDEN
4 scene of intense dramatic interest was
Witnessed at the Fifth Avenue Hotel on sat
urday. In low, dark room, excessively hot
and dcnsely packed the whole world sat at
the reporters tables, or crowded close with
uotc-booA in hand 30 catch the IA mt whispers
that fcll from worn and haggard Old man.
With tie look of a corpse except in moments
of excitement, with slow, farawsy voice, and
slow. painful movements, dropping left
cyc-hd. parcrmcut-like checks, and CULVER
Ing hand, Nh. Illdcn repeated his state
ment. evidently prepared with great care, III
Il voice much of the time hardly audible Tom
feet away. HIS manner showed intense and
increasing nervous excitement. 10y great effort
lc~tIaiu,d; the body rose and fell in the seat
iuctS,autly, as if he were trying in vain to
rise, am the seemingly haii-usclcss Lett arm
shook like q leaf. Ten the excitement bust
restraint the face flushed almost purple, the
lIp auiy,Icd. the right arm repeatedly snotr
/ the table with great force and passion, ANT
/ ,h, voice rang through the room with painful
/ intensity. like the Shrek of q drowning man.
After ever, such effort, the sentence died
away. rs if the voice were stopped b} closing
waters The effect was almost that oi death
bed declaration. Had the matter thereof
cJallci in force the solcmuity Of maupcr
Chi, declaration would nave had Il great effect.
Not. indeed, that the people would have been
more red. to lft to the Presidency man 50
broken, and 80 mauife ~jly living only in bite.
and toltr.rlu. memories. But the m.ttag ua, Us
uo means equal to the manner IN imrie i.'-
/ ness, nor could any uuplciudiced nearer avoid
4 contrasting the declarations of MI. TlGcn
with his own admitted conduct toward men
whose deeds Gll Il dark page in the history Of
! the country.
/ Mr. Tildu's testimony was dGuhtlc-s rs
4 strong as. after four months Of preparation
and consultation, il was possible to make II.
That il was not exceedingly strong WAS due
tc the inherent and m~upcrahe difficulties Of
nj, posi- ion. I, was not possible for Inn
to state that, in respect to Weed.
/ Marble. Woolicy, Coylc or Peltou, either IN
watchiae their dongs. knowing their chaHc-
( ter as he did, or in reprobatinG thcir acts
I when they became known to him, his conduct
WAS consistent with the Sppt">s virtue
and uuvateriug purpose which lie pro-
lc,,cd. Ii WAS not possible for him
wholly 10 conceal that low moral tone
which halt excused P,lton for trying 10 buy
vote. because he WAS swift to believe without
evidence that others had done orattcmptcd the
same thing. lis only intense feeling was not
wrath because OF crime, committed, but wrath
hrcan>r oil loss sustained. Peton Va, to'cI-
/ 9ted md kent when he was known 20 have done
vlort,. Years af,rIWard hc was JisoWncd
/ with mdieuation oAly when the pubic had
found him out.
MIR. Thdtn's declaration Of his ignorance
of corrupt negotiations seems rs broad, full
and eInuhatic as il could De. If there were
mental reservations rs it now appears there
were In lis published card Of October last OF
such character that an exact statement OF
Truth had the public effect of statement
that was false, they do not yet appear.
He claims to have had no knowledge
that PctOn was communicating III ciphcr with
the Democratic agents at the South no knoVi-
edge that Weed had gone to South Carolina,
until he returned 10 knowledge that Wooicy
had gone to Florida, or Patrick to Oregon ~
knowledge of any corrupt proposal as to South
| Carolina, until il was arrested by Mayor
Cooper's refusal TO provide money for
if. and no knowledge even then o.
afterward OF the true nature Of the
ncsotiltions in that state or the others.
. Ihys, assertions, if fully believed, acquit Mr..
Tliaen OF one charge only TO convict him OF
another quite a. fatal to his position as a
/ Presidential candidate. For they are to be
compared with certain facts low fully cstab-
! lisA,G:
]. Sir. Ttden knew w +. Pcton thoroughly.
! Democratic newspapers, by way OF preparing
/ IN. .cIUc.,pt or l.c ". d.. YIe->, are accunu-