The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-01-13
Our New York Letter.
Tilden's Confession of Guilt-His Dealing
in Railway Stock-The New Board
Acknowledgement of the st
NEW YORK. Jan. u. 1880.

have for some years been free with their
charges that Mr.. Tilden had large sum of
| their money into the possession of which he
came in a tiduciary capacity, that they were
unable to get the money from him or any ac-
| acknowledgement that he owed it; that they
| were obliged to sue him, and if ever the case
| was brought to hearing the verdict would
| show conclusively that he had been unfa:thful
| to his trust. These allegations were current
| during the pendancy of the last Presidential
| election, but the public as general rule. pays
| very little heed to statements rejecting upon
| the honesty of candidates for office. The bad
| custom prevails so extensively of calumniating
public men that it is matter of absolute i'm
possibility to determine whether what is said
| in dspraise of them is true or false. Mr.. Til
| den had the benefit of this uncertainty in 1876,
| and was not essentially damaged by the impu-
| tation upon his integrity, embodied in the
complaint of the St. Louis, Alton & Tere
Haute Railway Company. But even law
| suit will finally reach stage at which the
trying of it can no longer be postponed. 1t
may be kept off long time if the litigants are
so disposed, especially if the defendant is
lawyer. 1t is part Of the etiquette of the
profession in New York to accommodate
those who belong to it, no matter what ex-
pense or inconvenience may thereby be en-
tailed on laymen who have no means of pro-
tecting themselves from injustice. But it
seems that after many years of suspense, Mr..
Tilden's creditors were promised hearing in
the Courts. At that juncture he pays up.
He maintains, it is true, that he didn't owe
the money, but that he prefers to hand it over
rather than have any further dispute about it,
What's hundred thousand dollars to a man
worth millions, compared with peace and quiz
etness?
Now there are men who are cruel enough TO
smile incredulously at the reason assigned for
making the settlement. They say that Mr..
Tilden never settles anything if he can help it.
He has managed to stave off his income tax
suit by motions and counter motions that have
so little apparent relevancy to the points at
issue that they are thought to be merely expe-
dients to gain time. And yet he steps up to
the bar when the Railway Company summons
him, and says: "I don't owe you anything; 1
have accounted for all the funds l ever had of
yours. Do you think would endeavor to di-
vert to my own use the property of innocent
stockholders? Still don't want to be annoyed
with suit; rather than there should be
any conflict, L will do what you want me to;
here's your $10O,OOO!'
Judge Brady tells story which, notwitE-
standing it has the flavor of age-through
much reiteration rather than from its antiqui-
ty-is so applicable to this remarkable case
that am fain to quote it. An Irishman was
arraigned for theft. He pleaded not guilty.
The trial proceeded. Tim Rafferty, was called
as witness for the prosecution and took his
place on the stand. 81 beg pardon, your Hon.
or, but is that man agoing to appear agin me?''
"He is said the Judge. "Then withdraw
my plea of mot guilty and plead guilty, your
Honor-not that 1 am guilty, but want to
save Tim Rafferty's sowll''
Cyrus w. Field remarked just before he
sailed for Europe fortnight or so ago, that his
neighbor Tilden would have made couple Of
hundred thousand more on his Elevated Rail-
way shares than he did, if he had not surrepti-
tiously closed them out Immediately after he
had morally bound himself to hold them, till
they could act in concert in the disposal of
them. 1t is not pleasant thing to rest under
the consciousness of having broken an agree
ment, and to discover that there would have
been an actual profit as well as an escape from
dishonor in the observance of it. That is
where sharp men often prove themselves
shortsighted. An old merchant whose name
was always a synonym for the highest probity,
once told me just after he had retired from
business, 'I believe do enjoy as large meas
ure of the confidence of my fellow-men as
most merchants, and to be frank about it, l de-
serve to. made up my mind when started
in business that would act upon the principle
that honesty is the best policy, and L have
never deviated from it. L should have done it
as matter of self-interest if had been actu-
ated by no higher motive, and / advise every
young man to make that rule the guide of his
life; it will serve him best in the long run"
Since then have witnessed many instances of
the mutations of fortune, many descents from
aff1uence to indigence, but the most hopeless
cases of destitution have ever met are those
of persons who, through long career of trick
cry and duplicity have become bankrupt in
character. Some of them have wealth acquired
by equivocal practices and by cheating their
creditors, but their existence is blighted by
such a sense of being objects of popular odium
that they get no enjoyment of it. Others are
in reduced circumstances, and their condition
is pitiable in the extreme, for they have moth
ing whatever to fall back upon and no friends
trustful enough of their word to be willing to
extend q helping hand to lift them out of their
embarrassments 1 think the value Of reputa-
tion is more highly appreciated in commercial
circles than it ever was before, and that the
standard of mercantile rectitude is attaining a
greater elevation every day, which is gratify-
ing indication of progress in the right direction.
The new board of aldermen made a credita-
BILE beginning on Monday by choosing John j.
Morris for President. Mr.. Morris is an Ameri-
can by birth, a Republican in politics, and
reputable and estimable citizen. He has filled
an alderman's chair for several years. The de-
funct Common Council proved itself Board
of Trade" in the last weeks OF its ignoble exist
ence and did more to recall the old days of
iobbery and corruption than any of its prede-
cessors since the fall of the Ring The anti
Tammany members are so far outnumbered by
the Tammany Democrats and the Republicans
that they will exert but little influence in the
administration of municipal affairs this year.
Our worthy mayor may have some difficulty in
securing the confirmation of his nominees for
office, but no greater harm can come of that
than the holding over of the present incum-
bents, some of whom are excellent men, and
none of whom are decidedly Objectionable.
The prompt organization of our State govern
ment furnishes gratifying evidence of the har-
mony that prevails in the Republican party.
Gen. Geo. II. Sharpe who was unanimously
chosen by the caucus and overwhelmingly
elected by the assembly as Speaker of the
House, is one of the stoutest of the stalwarts,
always faithful and true and reliable under all
circumstances and in every emergency. He
represents district in Ulster county, the dark
est spot politically along the line of the Hud-
son River. He redeemed it from the Democ-
racy in 1878, after they had held it long and
firmly, and carried it again last Fall easily.
He was gallant soldier of the War for the
Union, and the boys that fought with him then
| fight for him now He served here as United
States Marshal under Grants first administra-
tion and was promoted to the surveyorship in
1S73 succeeding Mr.. Cornell who resigned to
go to the Legislature, and was himself chosen