15 Gramercy Park they were the work solely of Colonel Pelton, acting on his own responsibility, and as Mr.Tilden's nephew exceeding his authority to act; that it later developed that during this period Colonel Pelton had not been in his perfect mind, but was at least semi-irresponsible; and that on two occasions when the vote or votes sought seemed within reach Mr.Tilden interposed to forbid.

Directly and personally I know this to be true.
The price, at least in patronage, which the Republicans actually paid for possession is of public record.

Yet I not only do not question the integrity of Mr.Hayes, but I believe him and most of those immediately about him to have been high-minded men who thought they were doing for the best in a situation unparalleled and beset with perplexity.

What they did tends to show that men will do for party and in concert what the same men never would be willing to do each on his own responsibility.

In his "Life of Samuel J.Tilden," John Bigelow says: "Why persons occupying the most exalted positions should have ventured to compromise their reputations by this deliberate consummation of a series of crimes which struck at the very foundations of the republic is a question which still puzzles many of all parties who have no charity for the crimes themselves.