The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-11-19
SKETCHES OF GREAT MEN.
OUR PRESIDENT ELECT.


Samuel J. Tilden was born at New Lebanon,
N. Y, in 1914, and entered Yale College in 1882.
At that time he had made his mark in politics
as the author of an article in the Albany argus
on the attempted coalition in the State of New
York of the National Republicans and Anti.
Masons, which was widely copied and discussed
and attributed to Mr.. Van Buren,. While at
Yale his health gave way and he had to leave
in 1884. and on graduating studying law in the
Office of the late John w. Edmunds. In 1887
he achieved further distinction as the author of
the 1" Crino" letters, defending Van Barens
financial policy, and year later made bis mark
ss an orator in his extempore reply on the
same question to Senator Tslmsdge, who had
great speech of October 3, 1910, in which he
defended Mr.. Van Burens policy with an elo-
qoence, cogency and practical grasp both of
subject and detail that have always character
lied his utterances on questions of financial
politics. In 1874 he founded, in connection
with Mr.. John L. O'Sullivan, the New York
Daily NesVs, and in 1945 was sent to the Assem-
bly,. being elected q member of the Con0tieu-
tionsl Convention, where he distinguished
himself as an authority upon all points affect
ing the State finances and canals. In 1855, as
counsel for Azariah C. Flsgg, his management
of the famous Comptroller case still further
increased his reputation rs q keen, tireless and
successful advocate in complicated suits. His
next cause celebre was resisting the application
of Mrs. CunniDg Oh am for letters of admi nisSrA-
ton of the estate of Dr.. Burdell, wherein,
again, he was completely successful. There
after he applied himself specially to railway
practice till the time of the popular uprising
against the Tweed ring. In all the operations
directed against the ring Mr.. Tilden bore q
distinguished part-indeed, but for him the
ring would never have been overthrow nor
the nefarious operations of IT'S members
posed. In 1874 he was nominated by the Do
mocracy for Governor, and carried the State
over DIX, elected two years previously by over
Governor, bis domination by the ST. Louis Con-
vention and his subseq uent career are too ia
mlliar to American readers to need recapitula-
ton.
strongest men who have been called to the
Presidency by the people For eight years we
have had President man ignOnAnC of the
science of politics, aud with that quality of
circumscribed intellectual capacity and mind
unframed to reasoning. Before him We had
Andrew johnson, who also suffered from the
lack of mental discipline and the studOus
habit of q philosophic political thinker. Be-
fore him was Abraham Lincoln, q political
genius and man cast in far larger than the
ordinary mould.
Mr.. Tilden in the character of his mind suR-
costs Thomas Jefferson. He has been from his
boyhOod q close political observer and q careful
political student. He has the ability, So essen.
their breadth and also of taking them in their
detaile. His legal experience has been that of
q counsellor in great operations rather than Is
q pieader or q routine lawyer. His clear head,
RStute perception, sound Judgment, common
sense and rare executive capacity have been
priced by the organizers of corporate enter
prises of the country, and he has for years
been accustomed to deal with operations vast
in their scope, and requiring for their intelli-
gent management exceptional power and skill.
There is not man in the country moro
familiar with the history of our politics, the
diversified interests of the country. its public
men, and the tone of the people of the different
sections, and who has more mature vie ws in
regard to them, than Samuel ]. Tilden.
He is essentially q conservative man. No
one need fear and rash experiments under his
Administration, No one need tremble at the
possibility of his making assault on the results
achieved by the war. He is also man who is
capable of using the strong points of
his adversaries TO bis advantage, and
what is sound in their policy
in that which he will himself pursue. We
foresee for Mr.. TIlden ap Administration which
will be concliatory, but not yielding, and
doubt not that his career at Washington will
be undisturbed by ranoors, and unembittered
by enmities, except suoh as he shaI invite
from individual officials whose corrupt prao.
tices he shall expose and punish.
Mr.. Tilden will go into the White House
with q noble ambition to win lasting fame as
the President who haEmonized . country die