Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-02-06
Mr.. Tilden States the Case.

General Steedman, of the Toledo
Democrat, known in Ohio as Ole
Chiclamauga," on account of con
spicuous exploit Of his war record
has given in his own paper the very
interesting account Of his visit tt
Mr.. Tilden, which is here copied
and should be read by every Demo
crat, in view of the coming campaign
"While in New York a few days
ago we called on Mr.. Tildsn and had
free conversation with him. We
rung his bell, were promptly admit.
ted, shown to his parlor and sent
our name to Mr.. Tilden, who in a
few minutes appeared and gave us a
cordial reception. We were seated,
and Mr.. Tilden at once commenced
the conversation, which naturally
ran into free talk about the election
Of 1876 and the great fraud perpe.
trated in counting Hayes into the
Presidency. Mr.. Tilden said: 81
am the only man ever elected to the
Presidency aud counted out by Con-
gress, one branch Of which, tie pop.
ular branch, contained large num-
Der of my professed friends. Ihave
been accused of cowardice, while my
hands were tied by the action of my
friends. was not consulted in re-
CARED 10 the Electoral Bill and knew
nothing about its preparation or in
tended adoption until Mr.. Hewitt
called and informed me that the bill
had been agreed upon. I said to
Mr.. Hewitt / had not been consulted
and he replied that Senators Thur
man and Bayard were acting in their
public capacity as Senators, and
would not consult any one outside
their sphere; but I consult you, Mr..
Tilden. I said, MIR. Hewitt. if SEN
ators Thurman and Bayard have de-
termined upon their action and will
not consult me, I can give no advice
on the subject to any one. If, how
ever, my friends have any doubt as
my election; If there is o reasonable
doubt as to whether there has been
an esleotion BY the people, the Con-
stitution prescribes q remedy-an
election of President by the House
of Representatives by a vote of
States, and that is what I expected
Congress to do. If the House of
Representatives had elected me I
would have taken the oath and gone
to Washington to take the Office, be-
lieving that my friends would have
put me into the White House. How
could I take the Office when my
own friends were arbitrating the
question Of my election? I censure
no one, but I have told the truth"
We then said to MIR. Tilden: "After
the Presidential election q number
of your friends in Ohio requested q
prominent Democrat, Frank H.
Hurd, to visit you and ascertain your
wishes and purposes, and when Mr..
Hurd returned he reported that we
had made mistake; that we had
elected brave old man who was
ready and willing to put his life and
fortune on the result" Yes"
said Mr.. Tilden, :" I remember that
interview we'll, and I was willing
then, and I am willing now, that it
should be published" We asked
Mr.. Tilden if he was o candidate
for denomination. He replied: II
am in the hands of the Democratic
party, and will cheerfully acquiesce
in its decision"
Mr.. Tilden's statement of his case
changed our opinion Of him. and
opened our eyes as to the action OF
certain gentlemen whom we had sup.
posed acted in accord with his ex-
pressed wishes. 1t turns out to be
gray horse of another color, and
places MIR. T,ldsn in for better po-
sition than that assigned him by .
very large number of Democrats.
II Mr.. Tilden stated the case truth
fully to US. and the published histo'
ry Of the whole affair is in harmony
with his statement, he has been
deeply wronged by many of his own
friends who believed he was party
to the outrageous unconstitutional
electoral fraud. In his statement
which we have given in bis own
words, it will be seen that Mr.. TIL
den purges himself Of oil connection
with tae electoral infamy, and clearly
puts his case whore it rightly be-
longed. within the purview OF the
Constitution. Had his suggestion
that the House proceed ~ directed
by the Constitution, when the peo-
pie fail 10 elect, to choose him by .
vote Of the States, been followed,
Mr.. Tlden would have been inagu-
rated, and his friends relieved OF
what frightened the old fossils Of the
party at Washington. the charge OF
inaugurating . President BY coup
d'etat. It is we'll known that we
were never specially friendly to Mr..
Tilden; that "a q Delegate to st.
T,ouia wo onDoaed hia nomination.