Year: 1876

col. CHURCH BADLY ROUTED


30 The anti-Tilden men have done a great deal OF
quiet talking, besides their speeches to delegations
ard their arguments about the hotel corridors. One
of the amusing stories told of these individual
efforts for single conversion is that of an interview
between Col. w. S. Church of Albany, who is not
at all related, by the way, TO Chief-Judge Church
and " Duke Gwin, as he is called the stately old
millionaire Democrat of California. The interview
took place IN ex-senator Gwin's private room. COL
Church exhausted himself upon Tiden, aserib-
ing to him every possible wckedness, and
applying every epithet which good imagina-
ton, fostered by years of neghborhood to a
legislature, could supply Duke" Gwin, who
is very strong Tilden man. heard him
through in respectful silence. Then he literally rose
to reply and as he lowered over his listener he
delivered long aud impassioned speech of the good
old school of Congressional eloquence in the days
when he was Senator, and before Maximliiam made
him Duke of Sonora. He wanted TO know what
Col Church meant by attacking Gov. Tilden in this
way Has there been no State Convention in his
State where lie might have expressed his senti-
ments 7" he asked. "Col. Churchifaed TO do so
then and If his friends have allowed the New-fork
Convention TO recommend Gov. Tildens nomination
without making a word of protest, was it honorable
20 come here and SANDER the Governor of his own



private interview with him for the sake of SANDER
ing behind his back the Governor of his State, and
the head of his party in that State


This was something like the line of the Dukes ar
pument which wound up in the good old Senatorial
style with peroration that led to the speedy with
drawal of Col. Church from the room. There was
no shorthand reporter present but there was no
doubt that Due Gwin informed hisinterloeutor that
in his opinion a man who would be guilty OF such
conduct as that just described was unfit for the COM
many of decent men. This seemed explicit, and Col.
Church took his leave


The same prominent anti-Tden outsider came of
second best in another conflict which took place IN
the open field uf discussion between Col, Church
and ". W. Gordon of the New-York Central Com
rnittee. which attracted the attention of large
crowd and grew more and more heated as 1t went
on. The sympathies Of the crowd were evidently
with Gordon. Gordon finally turned the talk alb
ruptly ON the question of private character. Col.
Church has the reputation of being fighting man,
and the crowd were on tptoe when Gordon. who IS
much smaller man, laid his hand on Col Churchs
arm and said something like this: You stole
900 600 that the State Of Ncw-York gave you
10 pay for relics of Washington IN the
hands Of the last surviving Mrs. Washing
tom The crowd pushed the men along IN
its excitement, and Col. Church faced his
accnser for moment on the great staircase. Its
lie he cried. Gordon laid his hand on his arm
again and the crowd pressed still closer about them
at is not and you know it, he said you put the
money in your pocket that belonged to the last sur
yivipg relative OF the Father Of his Country
Gordon was getting excited. " She sued YOU Tor
81 900 and got it, and she is suing you ior the
other 81 600 the state of New-lork gave you
power of attorney, and has never been able to get
ANYTHING out OF YOU since. Ii Is that money that Is
paving your expenses here to-day TO oppose Gov.
Hiden.'


This was the last shot, and Col. Church made
nroInpt retreat up the staircase up which some of
the crowd were anxious 20 follow him. Such scenes
as this. however. are exceptional. In tho main the
TIlden controversies conducted with decordm on
both sides They are always heated, but very sell
dom 90 rs far as absolute quaueng. Both sides are
hearing themselves sensibly the whole, and in this
policy the greater numbers OF the lilden men gave
them an advantage. They canvass with careful
regard tor the feelings Of other candidates, ana arc
nat doing ANYTHING To add 10 the hard feelings OF the
minority The latter are constantly on the offensive,
and are as busy a. beavers