New-York tribune., 1880-04-07
MIR. FINLEI'S FUTILE D1LLIANCE.

| Mr. Henry H. Finley was an active political
agent of Mr.. Tilden's during the campaign OF
1876 and also during the debates and negoia-
tions which preceded the electoral count. He
has had the credit, or discredit, Of being an
agent of Mr.. Tilden's since that time also. He
has been in Washington all this Winter, osten-
sibly looking after Mr. Tildcn's interests, and
all parties at the capiHFGiiavc been in the habit
of regarding him as a representative of the
Gramercy Park coterie. He has not failed, at
any rate, to put himself forward in that capac-
ity; and If he has had no commission from the
Claimant, it is rather remarkable that, when
such delicate negotiations are pending that as
tnte gentleman, who cannot be ignorant of
what is going on, should not have taken the
trouble to disclaim responsibility for him.
Being the agent of Mr.. Tilden, 1t was natural
that Mr. Finley should also figure as the next
friend of Ignatius Donnclly, who wishes to steal
q seat in Congress and tun over the Minnesota
delegation to the Democratic party; and it was
avowedly in the interests of both these states
men that Finley wrote his now celebrated letter
to Mr.. Springer.
THE TRIBUNE explained long ago that the
real object of unseating Representative Wash
burn was to secure the vote of Minnesota for
the Democratic candidate in case the choice Of
President should be thrown into the House of
Representatives., and indications are daily null
tiplying that by some such scheme as this Mr..
TIlden hopes to obtain his election. Finley's
letter is very explicit on the subject. He warns
Mr. Springer that he cannot afford to dsar-
"point" the expectations of the Democratic
managers that the seating of Donnelly "may
"devclOp importance in regard to the next cleo
"tion of President; and that the whole case
@is before our friends in New-York," who de-
pend upon the committees carrying out the pro-
gramme agreed upon. ~ still hold" continues
Finley, " the closest and most confidential re-
"laiIOns to those who are perhaps personally
smost to be affected by your decision in this
matter and I speak in that capacity when l
u write this, and urge upon you prompt and de-
q csive action in this vital matter; and may
q add that it reaches further even than have
@inhmated, and will. both Immediately and re-
@motely, affect us all, beyond what can now be
apparent to yOu." Well. there is this to be
said for Mr. Finley his meaning is not in the
least ambiguous, and his cpistOlaIy style is a
model of pcrspicuity. He is far too modest
when he assures the public, in his letter of de-
fence and explanation, that he meant nothing
in particular by the sentences we have quoted,
and was not thinking of Mr.. Tilden.
Finley is no doubt getting ready to be repu-
dated. He knows that it is ono of the pecui-
arlties of Mr.. Tiden to be entirely unaware of
the proceedings of his own most confidential
agents. The Oregon operation in 1876 was
very much like this Minnesota transaction, and
although it was managed from Mr.. Tilden's
house by member of the family, and the
money to purchase Republican eector" was
drawn from Mr.. Tilden's bank, the candidate
himself made oath that he knew nothing at all
about it. Smith Weed went to Columbia and
bargained with a representative of the South
Carolina Returning Board to sell the vote of
the State to Mr.. Tilden long correspondence
in cipher took place over the plot, the tele-
grams being sent from and addressed to Mr.,
Tilden's house; yet Mr.. Tilden was profoundly
ignorant of the entire negotiation, and was not
even aware that Weed had gone to South Caro-
lima. Marble and Woolley under took q similar
at Tallahassee, Marble sending
numerous cipher dispatches to Mr.. Tilden per-
sonally; yet Mr.. Tilden was inexpressbly as
tonished when he learned from THE TRIBUNE
what they had been doing. Colonel Pelton is Mr. |
Tilden's nephew, and was for long time his |
confidential secretary and the chief of his polt1-
cal agents yet Mr.. Tilden did not know that |
he agreed to pay fifty thousand dollars for eec- |