The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-11-08
THE MAN OF DESTINY.
Fbe Strong Points Of the Next
President of The United
STATES.
cRARACrERIsTsCs OF OUR CANDI-
DATE.
A Pm thfuf Pen PORTRAIT or One of the
Greatest Men of the Tines


Yhe power OF the man lies In MS aoIity to
soncentrate his mind upon his work. Where
others vaDOriZe he crystaliZes. The realm Of
speculative philosophy has no attraction for
him. He reduces craftsmanship to one Of the
exact sciences He treats problem in govern
ment as he would a problem in mathematics;
he takes all the factors, discovers their rela-
tive value, and then uses them. Glittering
Heneralities are his adherence. Facts are his
friends and figures his delight.
Out of this power of concentration spring
two anomalous OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES fear
lessnesS linked to great caution. Nobody who
knows Mr.. Tilden ever dreamed of frighten-
ing him. He Is imperVi0uS to threats. He
dIslikes those who take counsel of their APP
prehensions. But he never moves until he
has provided against every possible cOntin-
gency. He vindicates his courage in his de-
signs and displays his caution in the execution
thereof. lie did bold thing in the summer
OF 1910, when, rs governor of New York, he
promised the people in his speeches at Buffalo,
reduced s6000,00O. But he did cautious thing
when he fixed the sum at six millions while
be vas paving the way for a reduction Of eight
millions-which was effected.
The defects in his character appear 10 be
surface faults but they ara ineradicable, mas
t %neh a. they all grow out OF his concentra,
agreeable. few men brighter more
sparkling than he. TN rare occasions he gives
rein To his wit and his Imagination, which are
the more brilliant perhaps on account of their
infrequent use. But when ne is busy he IL not
c0mp2niOnable. He never stops in his work
10 utter the meaningless phrases OF The aver
age politician. He cannot fe.gn any delight
al the sight OF persons concerning whom he
Il indifferent. But be sometimes wounds the
senSibilities OF those whom he really loves IL
they happen to approach him at a time when
-orbS all his power Of fboueht' They have ave
snly TO meet him when the perpleXitles Of
duty weigh less heavily upon him to discover
what social resources lie holds in reserve.
When he has finished, to his own Satisfaction
ny piece Of work on which he has been en-
"ged, he Is az happy as boy just released
ON school, The troubled look in his eyes
.ses away, the wrinkled brow grows smooth,
.nd his face beams with the sunshine OF good
nature. This humOr lasts until some new
nroblem demands solution, and then to that he
renders all his powers.
Mr.. Tilden il no sentimentalist, but he pos
sfsSes great deal of sentiment. Friendship
means more 10 him than to the poets who sing
It's raise, or to the weak creatures who yearn
Ior ~ without understanding the possibilities OF
sacrifice which II involves. When he was
past forty years of age, he voluntarily took
upon himself pecuniary obligations equal TO
AT the money ne had earned by twenty years
Of laborious efforts, that those who were
bound TO him by the ties of relationship might
escape Threatened reverse OF fortune, and
that the declining years OF his aged mother
might be full of peace and free from sorrow.
This is nOt.the place to repeat the story of his
benefactions to others; Ny knowledge of his
generous deeds il not derived from him. II Is
subject which he never talks, and on
which he will not permit Others to talk Ina his
presence. The late Judge Martin Grover, of
the New York Court Of Appeals, who was one
OF the wisest Jurists and closest observers OF
character that the country has produced, was
IT.
nomination for governor, and remarked:
THAT man has given away more money, and
made less fusss about IL, than any other man
In the State Of New York. He doesn't give on
any abstract theory of philanthropy, but be-
cause his friends get themselves into trouble,
and be can I resist the temptation to help EN-
ouT." Mr.. 11lden was very busily engaged in
the preparation OF a public paper in Albany
when the report was brought 10 him that
Charles O'Connor was lying seriously i'll
that the hope OF his recovery had been aban-
doned- He did not utter word. He dropped
his pen, and hiding his face from observation,
he sal for full five minutes lost In deep, sad
thought. His work was not resumed. He
ourneyed to New York that day, that he
his extremity. To him no other duty so inn
perative rs that which summoned him To the
bedside Of the man be loved. Fortunately,
Mr.. OConor recovered. Mr. Tilden returned
TO Albany, and went to work. Those who saw
him graphing with the finances of the state
in an effort 70 reduce the taxes, would not i'm
agine that his absIracted, and sometimes
petulent manner concealed such fountains OF
seep feeling.
He is o shy man. He does not readily reveal
himself even 10 those who think they have
known him for year. His occasional efforts
10 appear wholly at his ease In the presence of
strangers are amusing rather than successful.
his naI,,re HIS int,Il.c,sai rso ,'r nl
exhaustibie. But his slyness-his unwilling
ness To make any display either of his learn
Ing or his wisdofn-rnssxeS him appear COM
mOnplace enough To many who see him for
the first time. He has lived In New York city
for forty years, mingling in the best society of
the metropolis; but the manner Of the student
II upon him still. The great problem which
he seeks to solve, the hard lessons which he
has set himself TO learn-the problems which
have eluded the efforts Of other statesmen,
the lessons which must be- rightly read, IL the
the welfare of the people " TO be preserved,
will engage his attention while he lives.
His home-life Is comfortable and pleasant.
His houe@ in New York, in Gramercy square,
il large brown-sione front, the lot extending
back To the next street. IL Is substantially
furnished, contains vast number of books. a
few good pieces OF statuary, and plenty Of PFC
lures. But the nrst thing that strikes the WIS.,
nor i the absolute freedom from Ostentatious
display All that refined taste can suggest Is
there; but refined taste !, severe IN i'll sim
piicity. Afr. Tildens sister. Mrs. Prli0n. Il
gracious acnllevoI1ail- Of charming Manners.
T,-f.sifis>S over his household Her 40 Colonel
PelfOn. and his wife and daughter complete
the family circle
Athis own tssbe, Ar. Tncen is toe best Of