The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-06-29
Continued from First Page.


~ the Government from the banks ana
The establishment of the independent
Treasury. This measure provoked VOL
luminous and acrimonious debate through,
out the country, even before It engaged
the attention Of Congress, Mr.. Illden,
though still student, sprang to the de-
tense of the Presidents policy, and wrote
a series of papers, marked by all the
characteristics Of his maturity ana advo'
eating the proposed separation and the
redeemability of the Government curren,,
cy in specie. These articles were signed
"Crino.' =,
In 1874 Mr.. Tilden in connection with
Iohn L. Sullivan founded the newspaper
called the Daily News, in preparation
for the election, which resulted in max
ing lanes K. Polk, President. In IS45
he was sent to the assembly for New
York and while member of that body
was elected to the convention for the re-
modelling of the Constitution OF the State,
which was to commence its sessions a
few weeks after the legislature adjourned
In both of these bodies Mr. lllden was
conspicuous authority, and left a per-
manent impression upon the legislation
of the year, and especially upon all the
new constitutional provisions affecting
the finances the State and the manage
ments ofits system of canals
In I8A6 Mr.. Tilden withdrew his at
tention from politics and devoted his
whole energies to his profession. he
inherited no fortune, but depended upon
his own exertions for livelihood. 1t
was not many years before he became
as we'll known at the bar as he had been
in politics. He achieved brilliant victories
in many important cases which came be-
fore the Supreme Court Of the State.
Till the war came Governor Illden
made every effort to avert the rebellion.
When his efforts, combined with those OF
other prominent patriots, had proved
abortive, his convictions OF duty were
perfectly decided and clear. They were
to maintin the integrity of our territory
and the supremacy Of the constitutional
authorities. His advice to the Federal
authorities when President Lincoln is
sued his first call for 5000 troops was
that at least 100000 should be called out
as the country was on the eve of great
war. Subsequently his advice was sought
and in several other instances was not
followed out, though Secretary Chase
afterward admitted his mistake in dis
carding it.
With the peace came to Mr., Tilden the
most important political labor of his life.
With the assistance of Chas. O'Connor,
he assalled and overthrew the combined
Republican and Democratic Ring which
ruled and ruined New York. This RIM"
had its origin in an act passed by the
Legislature of the State of New York in
IS75, in connection with the charter of
that year, which provided that but six
persons should be voted for by each elec-
tor and twelve chosen. In other words, |
the nominees of the Republican and |
Democratic party caucuses should be
elected. At the succeeding session of
the Legislature their term Of office was
extended to six years. This gave
Board of Supervisors, consisting of six |
Republicans and six Democrats, to
change a majority Of which it was neces-
sary to have control ofthe primary meet. |
ings of both of the great national and |
State parties for years in succession-a
series of condolences which rarely hap
pens in a generation, This was doubly
a ring" 1t was ring" between the
six Republicans and the six Democratic
Supervisors. 1t became completely or
ganized on January l, 1869, and in
April 5, 1870, its power was enormously
extended by the passage ofthe act known
as the Tweed charter. Within month |
after the passage of this the Board Of
Special Audit were making an order for
the payment of over six millions of
money, of which it is now known that
scarcely 10 per cent. in value was rea-
lized by the city, Tweed got "a per cent. |
and his agent, Woodward, 7; the brother
of Sweeny, TO- Watson, Deputy Collect
or, 7; 33 per cent. went to mechanics
who furnished the bills, though their
share had to suffer many abatements,
and 20 went to other parties, Over
$4,000 were sent to Albany to be dis
tributed among the members of the
Legislature. The percentages Of theft
comparatively moderate in 1860, reached |
sc per cent. in 1870, and later s. per
cent.
To suppress this it was necessary to
secure a majority in the legislature and |
to this work Mr.. Tilden devoted his un-
lirins zeal. To the credit Of the Demo
cratic party its voters came to his rescue,
and the result was a change in the repre-
sentation of the city in the legislative
bodies of the Estate, which in its moral |
effect crushed the ring"
Mr.. Tilden had thus made himself
prominent in the work of reform and |
subsequently he was rendered the nom-
nation for Governor, which he accepted |
and he was triumphantly elected over
John A, Dix by rousing majority.
Then he commenced a systematic war
fare on the canal jobbers. The results
of his investigation to this end arrested
completely the system Of fraudulent ex-
penditure on the canals.
Mr.. Tilden is a man in the sixty-hfth
year of his age. He is five feet ten inches
in height and he has what physiologists
call the purely nervous temperament,
with its usual accompaniment of spare
figure, blue eyes and fair complexion
His hair, originally chestnut, is now
partially silvered with age. He is uE-
married.