Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-07-13

Ytlistellaneuns &eading.

Wisee1lansons geaaing.
The DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES,
SKETCH OF GOV. T1LDEN.
Governor Tlden was born atNew Lebanon,
in the county of Columbia and State of New
York, in the 1914. He entered college in his
eighteenth year. He had not been long at
Yale College before his health gave way, and
obliged him to leave. After some rest, he
was enabled to resume his studies, and in 1884
entered the University of New York, where
he completed his academic education. He
then entered the law Office of the late John
w. Edmunds, in the city of New York, where
he enjoyed peculiar facilities for the prosecu'
tion of his favorite studies of law and politics.
Upon his admission to the bar, MIR. Tilden
opened an Office in Pine street, in the city Of
New York. In 1874, in anticipation and
preparation for the election which resulted in
making James z. Polk President and Silas
Wright Governor of the State of New York,
Mr.. Tilden, in connection with John L. OSul.
livan, founded the newspaper called the Dolly
Neus. In the Fall of 1916, he was sent to
the Assembly from the city of New York,
and whilea member Of that body, was elected
to the convention for the remodeling of the
constitution of the State, which was to COM
mence its sessions few weeks after the Legis.
lature adjourned. In both of these bodies
Mr.. Tilden was conspicuous authority, and
left a permanent impression upon the legisla-
ton of the year, and especially upon all the
new constitutional provisions affecting the
finances of the State and the management Of
its system of canals The defeat of Mr..
Wrigh in the Fall of 1S46, and the GOODNESS
which had grown up between the friends of
President Polk and the friends of the late
President Van Buren resulted fortunately for
Mr.. Tilden, if not for the country, in with
drawing his attention from politics and con-
centrating it upon his profession. He inher-
tied no fortune, but depended upon bis own
exertions for livelihood. Thus far his labor
for the State, or in his profession had not been
lucrative, and, despite his strong tastes and
preeminent qualifications for political life, he
was able to discern, at that early period, the
Importance in this country, at least, of a pc
cuniary independence for the successful pros
ecution of political career. With an assid-
uity and concentration of energy which
have characterized all the transactions Of his
life, Mr.. Tilden now gave himself up to his
profession. It was not many years before he
became as we'll known at the bar as he had
before been known as politician. His bus
iness developed rapidly, and though he con.
tinued to take more or less interest in political
matters, they we're not allowed, after 1857, to
interfere with bis professional duties.
Since the year 1856 it is safe to say that
more than half of the great railway corpora
tions north of the Ohio and between the
Hudson and Missouri rivers have been at
some time his clients. The general misfor-
tunes which overlook many of these roads
between 1856 and 1860 called for some COM
prehensive plan for relief 1t was here that
his legal attainments, his unsurpassed skill as
a 6nancier, his unlimited capacity for con-
centrsted labor, his constantly increasing
weight of character and personal influence
found full activity, and resulted in the reor-
ganization of the larger portion of the great
net work Of railways, by which the rights of
all parties were equitably protected, wasting
litigation avoided, and condition of great
depression and dependency in railway prop
erty replaced by an unexampled prosperity.
Till the war came, Governor Tilden made
every effort to avert the rebellion. When his
efforts, combined with those of other promi.
nent patriots, had proved abortive, his con.
victions of duty we're perfectly decided and
clear. They were to maintain the integrity
of our territory, and the supremacy of the
constitutional authorities. He had been edu.
Gated in the school of Jackson, and had been
a diligent student of the lessons taught by
the notification controversy Of 1888. he
had studied carefully and profoundly the re-
lation of the Federal and State Governments,
and of the citizens Of those Governments
He had thus early formed perfectly clear and
settled opinions, about which his mind never
vascillated. During the Winter of 1860 -'61
he attended meeting of the leading men of
both parties in the city Of New York, to con.
slider what measures were necessary and pracA
ticable to avert an armed collision between.
what were then termed the free and the slave
States. To the North he urged reconciliation
and forbearance, appreciating as he did, more
clearly than most Of those around him the
fearful and disastrous consequences of civil
war, whatever might prove its ultimate result.
To the South he urged Difference to the will
of the majority and respect for the provis.
ions of the Federal Constitution, within
which they would be sure of adequate protec.
ton for themselves and for their property; ).
but he warned them that outside of the Con-
stitution they could expect protection for
neither. To Secretary Chase and his friends,
Mr. Tilden insisted that the war ought to be
carried on under system of sound finance,
which he did not doubt the people would
cheerfully sustain if the Government would
have the courage to propose it. At later
period of the war he was invited by the Gov
ernment at Washington to give his advice as
to the best methods for its further conduct.
He said to the Secretary of War: ..
"You have no right to expect great mill.
tary genius to come to your assistance. They
only appear once in two or three centuries.
You will probably have to depend upon the
average military talent of the country. Un-
der such circumstances your only course is to
avail yourself of your numerical strength
and your superior military resources resulting
from your greatest progress in industrial arts
and your greater producing capacities. You
must have reserves and concentrate your
forces on decisive points, and overwhelm your
adversaries by disproportionate numbers and
reserves"
His advice was not taken, but he had the
within year after it was given,
of hearing the Secretary of War acknowl-
edge its wisdom and lament bis inability to