Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-02-11
In Tlden ; 5 Memory
Democrats in New York and
Jersey City Dine.
MDOWELLS DRIVE AT A. s. HEWITT

And Editor Dana's Attack on Gen. Hayes
John b. Elan Has Corner on Cabinet
Information, but Holding on-An Illinois
Man for tho Naval Department, Perhaps
Allison Repudiates the Presidential
Ree-IndianapOlis Notes.
NEW YORK. Feb. 1.-THE 18th anniversary
OF Samuel j. Tilden's birth was observed Sat
Tilden club of Jersey City and by memorial
banquet at the Harlem Democratic club, both
of which occasions were graced with an as
semblage Of eloquent speakers and prominent
Democrats, and both made notable by the re-
marks of a couple of the speakers. At the
Tilden club dinner the principal speech was
made by VIM o. Mcdowell, of Newark, who
responded to the toast: Samuel J. Tilden-
His Fidelity to the Democratic Party; May
the Memory of His Life and His Acts Be Per-
petual"
Mr.. Mcdowell delivered glowing eulogy
on the dead statesman in all the relations of
life in which he had been acquainted with
him, and then proceeded to relate matters
connected with the famed electoral commits
sion, answering the question "was S. j. Tilden
responsible for the commission On this
point Mr.. Mcdowell said that Abram s.
Hewitt came from the national capital with
a copy of the electoral commission bill and
read it to Mr.. Tilden, who objected to the
element of chance by which the
fifteenth member was to be selected three
names being placed in a hat and one drawn
OUT; he also objected generally to the bill
as giving away of the Democratic case, as
precedent, he said, was all in favor of him,
and there was no necessity for the bill. He
asked Hewitt: with precedence in our
favor what is the use or advantage of throw
ing away this for some new tangled idean
Mr.. Hewitt turned sharply on him and said:
Il did not come here to ask your advice, but
as your friend to tell you what our party
representatives in congress have determined
to do. The responsibility in this matter is
theirs and they have decided to pass the bill +"
Mr.. Tilden answered: at is true the re-
sponsibility is theirs and it is one that should
not be sought by any man. 1t is surprising
that they should be willing to take this
responsibility without consulting me, but the
responsibility is truly theirs"
The speaker then proceeded: "But well do
remember the look upon his face when he
afterwards said to me: Il would have been
president of the United States but for Abram
S. Hewitt; he deceived me- You, the mem
bers Of the Tilden club owe it to yourselves
to your party, to the memory of Samuel j.
Tilden, your great leader, to see to it that the
man who deceived him and betrayed you
shall go down to the place in history that he
so richly has earned, as the more than Judas
Iscariot of his generation, for, he not satisfied
with his work in 1876, duplicated it in 1883.
Letters from President Cleveland and Gov
ernor Hill were read
When McDowell's speech was shown Mr..
Hewitt he said: Il have nothing to say to it,
because it is not worth talking about, but if
you ask me if it is true, say it is a tissue of
ridiculous lies, the coinage of the brain of a
man who could not tell the truth, man
whose statements need not he denied, since no
one would ever believe him"
He added in answer to questions as to who
Mcdowell is, that he is a sort of railwayman.
mo one ever knew of him as a confidant of
Mr.. Tilden. There were many other speeches
last evening on the same subject Many of
the speakers were men who really were in
timately and friendly with Mr. Tilden; men
like Charles A. Dana and Henry Watterson
If Tilden ever thought that l had betrayed
him, would he not have told them, OF
did he reserve the confidence for Mr. Nc
Dowelll On the contrary, in a foot note to
the famous Manton Marble letter of Aug. s
Mr.. Tilden testified to his appreciation of my
faithfulness and services Indeed, Mr.. Tilden
and l were friends to the day of his death,
which does not bear out the assertion that he
thought that had betrayed him in 1916"
At the Harlem club Henry Watterson told
OF the events of 1861 and declared that Mr..
Tilden was not only guiltless of originating any
corruption, but had repealed propositions for
crooked arrangements which would have
made his Inauguration reasonably sure. But
Editor Dana was the speaker who opened the
bottle of gall pouring its contents over the
name of Gen Hayes. He like the other
speakers highly eulogized Mr.. Tilden, speak
ing to the toast The Fraud Of 70" and closed
as follows:
Samuel ]. Tilden's name will go down to
posterity honored and revered, and his op-
ponent-what of hima That wretched, CON
temptible creature-where is he. [Groans J
To-day there is not an American citizen who
does not regard him with contempt and loath-
ing, while his competitors name is surround
ed on the pages Of history in blaze of glory"