The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-11-08
SENTINEL WEDNESDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER g. 1876.

hosts, because the least obtrusive In his hoSpi-
tality. Children always lake to him. He is
fond OF them and they Of him. soon after his
nomination little girl in Georgia sent him ~
letter OF cOngratulation. She was only eight
years old, and she had printed out the words
with laborious effort. None the less they had
tie. She closed her letter by saying: Il did
not have any middle name. and ina said
cause ] ike Tilden best of all. DO you care:''
He did care. He cared 80 much That all other
business was laid aside for hye minutes, while
ne wrote a pleasant answer to his little friend
In Georgia. some Of the letters which he re-
ceives are amusing, and he enjoys them as
much anybody. lie employs plain
matter-of-fact clerk, who indorses on the back
OF each epfSiic the substance Of its contents.
He vas running over pile Of these letters
when lac came 20 one over which he paused a
moment, and then read: 'Invokes the bless
ing Of God upon you, and wants you TO marry
IA Massachusetts widow" 4 Quizzcal smile
beamed in his face and utilizing and expires
sion which he II charged with using pretty
often, hr remarked, IL Will see her later. lie
prizes ut it, full value the relaxation and COM
fort which Eis home life affords him, but the
larger share of his time for forty years has
been devoted TO work, and he could not Ii he
would release himself from those habits of In
dustry which woven into the warp and
Martin Van Buren, said OF samuel j. Tilden,
twenty years ago, ale is the most unarn-
bilious man j ever knew" Mr.. Van Buren,
viewed Mr. Tilden from his own standpoint
OF cOuTse-the standpoint of enc who had sac
rificed much to the attainment of political
honors, and who after holding all the highest
offices in the country, found himself disap-
pointed and defeated at the last. His ac-
quaintance with Tilden's bOyhood, his appre-
citation of his talents, and his knowledge OF
the opportunities for advancement which he
had rejected, led him TO make the remark.
He could not understand how man might
crafty a certain sort of ambition by attend
ing strictly to his professional pursuits, win
ming the confidence of those around him. and
discharging faithfully his duties as a citizen.
Yet that sphere of life filled the measure OF
Mr.. Tilden's ambition, and would ill II to-day
II he had not been driven forward by circum-
stances stronger than he could control. He
has been charged with overweening ambition,
and yet he never sought public position In
his own advancement. He has worked for
the advancement of a cause which he believes
To be- essential to the preservation OF republic
can institutions, but he in no self-Seeker. If
he could have found his alter eQ0-some man
who possessed the courage, the energy, the in.
telligence, and the desire TO bring about the
reforms which he sought, and which the
country needed-he would have supported
that man for the presidency, and gladly have
remained in retirement himself But the man
was not To be- found Mr. TiIden told Secre-
tary stanton, In 1852, that a great military
genius rose only once In two or three centu
ries- A great political reformer rises hardly AS
often as military genius. The civic hero's
task i more difficult, his labor more thank
less, and his reward less certain. If IL be am
bition which induces any man TO grapple
with fat, sleek thieves, well intrenched in
power, then IL il that sort of ambition which
prompts a soldier To volunteer 10 LEAD q IOflOrn
hope in battle. Sometimes the leader of for
lOrn hope survives, and great is his glory.
Oftener ne is slain and forgotten. The chances
are much against him that his very exist
ence demonstrates his unSelfishness.
The enthusiasm which Mr. Tilden arouSes is
not of the frothy sort. II is based on the judg-
ment OF men, not their impulses, and is,
therefore, enduring. If the Democratic party
had not been convinced that he was the best
repreSe NATIVE of its best ideas he would not
have been nominated. From the first there
was a feeling of safety under his leadership.
This feeling Of safety begets confidence; conf
dence begetS buOyancy. and DuOyancy begetS
enthusiasm. which sweeps down barriers and
makes heroes OF uS all
He is the best hnancier in the United States.
He never made IA mistakt on a question Of
finance. These are broad assertions, but they
are fully Justified by the facts His counsel
has been sought for twenty years by the safe |
aud conservative capitalists ~ the country,
and n0t by the stock iOObtrS and reckless
speculators. FOX With them L. refused TO have
the elements of his strength. l. il not true, if
the finances Of the government were wisely
and economically managed by an experienced
trouble the theorists would solve themselves?
The love which Mr.. Tilden inspires in the
hearts of his personal friends Is very deep
willingly take the risk OF death in his behalf
with IA tolerable feeling Of confidence, how
ever, that Mr. Tildeu would step i'm ut the last |
moment and save him. But confidence alone
does not make love. One secret of his hold on |
the affection of those who are near aim is that
his nature one atom or trace of that vanity
which gratifieS itself by the contemplation of
a position superior 10 that OF others. He
meets everybody on plane OF perfect eQuali- ]
ty, not with an afiectatiOn of equality, but
with a manner which makes the visitor forget
in moment that he is in the presence of the |
governor of New York, and remember only
that he Is talking to a plain, sensible, and
wise man.
Governor TiIden l. dive feet ten inches in |
hight, spare figure, light complexion and blue
eyes. His head il large and round. His hair,
originally chestnut, is now plentifully |
sprinkled with gray, but is still of abundant |
growth. He has entered his sixty-third year, |
bat retains bis strength and vigor In a re- |
markaole degree. He comes Of q long-lived |
OF his ancestors ION his fathers and mothers |
side, in direct line, and il shows that their |
average age was upward of seventy-nine |
years
If samuel ]. Tllden should be called TO the |
presidency, he would, in his own words, enter |
upon the great duties that would fall upon |
him, mot as one entering upon n holiday |
recreation, but very much in that spirit of |
in which soldier enters battle" |
He has drunk deep at the fountains of patri- |
otiSIn. He gives 10 his country that love |
which Others yiesi to wife and children He /
Is whole i'm himself, possessing firmness with |
ont obstinacy, courage without brayado, re- |
ligion without cant. The traditions of the |
fathers are his inspiration. He has no per- |
sonal ends TO serve, no other ambition than to !
save the land of our love and commemoratisn |
from the canker OF corruption which ate out |
the heart OF every republic of ancient times |
That the purpose 10 which he has conse- |
Grated himself may be attained, through him |
or through Others, l. surely the PRAYER of every
patriotic American.