Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-08-02

candidates. He speaks of Samuel
j. Tilden as do all Independents
who seek reform, and who are not
afraid 20 step boldly to the front,
in favor of crushing ont corruption,
and tell the plain truth. Here'is
what he says of Tilden:
Who, then, is Samuel J. Tilden!
In reply, good friends of this
conference, let me speak TO You
from my personal knowledge. /
have been Intimately acquainted
with Mr. Tilden for nearly forty
years, and though | have often diff
fered with him politically, some
times even lamenting his strong re-
lance on party agencies, | have
never had the slightest occasion to
suspect his absolute integrity of
purpose and sincerity of conviction.
la all the relations of private life he
is purity itself. At the same time
he has always been a public spirit
ed citizen, taking an active part IN
whatever concerns the welfare and
progress of the community in which
he lived His devotion, indeed, to
public affairs began while he was
still a youth, aud his early discus
sions Of intricate questions of fl
nance attracted the attention of
maturer minds 10y there singular
penetration and Judgment. Pro
fesSionally, he has taken rank with
Van Buren,, Brady, OConor, Ora
ham, Evarts, Kirkland and other
foremost lawyers, and in peculiar
class of cases-heavy and compli-
Gated railaoad litigatiouS-he is adj
mitted to be .tacjie Pr6icPS. His
counsel, when important and deci-
sive action was involved, has been
deemed invaluable. In still higher
relations Mr.. Mlden seems to Inc to
combine, more than any man now
before the public, hardly excepting
Mr. Adams, of Massachusetts,, the
two great kinds of quality, theore-
tic and practical, which form the
true statesman profound under
standing of the philosophic grounds
of political opinion, and the saga
cious tact and energy Of the man Of
business.
This union Of theoretical insight
with pratical capacity has been sim
gularly shown in his administration
of the affairs of this State. New
York is the largest commonwealth
Of the Union, the largest in popula-
ton, in agricultural products, man.
ufacturing enterprise, in CONNER
cial capital-in a word, in the di-
|, versity and Importance of It's bust
ness relations; and the Governor
ship there is not a mere clerical
function, cofined TO the appoint
ment of notaries and the signing OF
commissions, as in many of the
newer Wetern States, but an oner-
: Gus intricate and responsible trust
The Governor is invested with the
veto which makes him a part o,
the legislative power. while his ex-
ecutive connection with the COM
plicated business of the quarantine,
the salt works, the State prisons
and charities, and an immense sys-
TEN of canals, imposes upon him
the most varied and difficult studies
Mr.. Tilden in his short tenure OF
the place has evinced a mastery
fitness for all its duties. He ha:
defeated multitude of ill-consid-
cred and improper bills, rectilied
many errors in administration
overthrow a fraudulent and gigan'
tic conspiracy, and reduced taxa
ton from over SIS, 100000 in Isl;
. to less than 100000 in 1876, Will
an assurance that if the changes h,
suggested are followed, the decreas,
will he two or three millions more
in 1877. y part of this reduction
is due to the extinction of tn,
bounty debt, but the rest to Gov
Tilden's direct efforts and influence
/ have said that Mr.. Tilden wa
more of a partisan than suited m.
own temperament, but | ought il
Justice to add that he was never 81
much of q partisan as to rende
himself insensible TO the highei
duties of the citizen. He separate,
! from the bulk Of his own party i
: this city, with other Free Soiler
" Of this State, when we thought
I, advisable to protest against certai
encroachments Of slave power. II
y separated from the bulk of hi
. party in this city when he under
;, took to beat down the infamou
" Tweed gang, intrenched by tn
|" laws, and possessed of an almo:
overwhelming force. 1t was again:
= the advice of many of the most en-
- inen men of his own party that b
y assailed the canal ring, whose ram
'e fications extended through nearl
d every county in the State, an
! whose wealth and influence WEI
:, supposed to be invincible. And
~ was against a large and well-cou
20 bined faction Of his own party TIT
: he lifted it at st. Louis out of Il
- quagmires Of doubt and error
- which it was laundering, an
, placed it on the high ground of j
= ancient traditions. Mr.. Tilden
Il cantinns and wary. and never &C