The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1876-07-19


lowed himself to be made the candi-
date of the Democratic party for the
Senate of the United States. posi-
ton more congenial to his tastes,
and for which his personal prefer
ences were well-known.
lie was nominated and elected,
and whatever lessons Of eloquenee
could be expressed in big majorities
were not wanting to lend their eclat
to his triumph Mr.. Tilden's plural
ity over John A. Dix. the Republi-
can candidate, was 53,315. Mr.. Dix
had been elected two years previous
ly by plurality of 53,451.
The first message Governor Tilden
foreshadowed with distinctness the
controlling features of his admins
tration.
FIRsT-Reforln in the Administra-
ton.
SEcoND-The restoration of the
financial principles and policy which
triumphed in the election of Jackson
and Van Buren, and which left the
country without dollar Of indebted
ness in the world aud a credit abroad
with which no other nation could
then compete.
In furtherance Of his policy Of adj
ministrative reform, he recommended
a revision of the laws intended to
provide criminal punishment and civil
remedies for frauds by public officers
and by persons acting in completely
with them. These recommendations.
during the same session carefully
wrought into the legislation of the
State. bore especially upon those
forms of administrative abuse which
the exposure and arrest of William
NJ. Tweed had recently revealed. and
also upon another and kindred class
of abuses in the management of our
canals, with which the Governor was
already acquainted. but of which the
public as yet had only an imperfect
realization.
Bot the feature of the message
which produced. perhaps, the most
profound impression, not only upon
his own immediate constituents. but
upon the whole nation, was that
which related to the financial policy
of the Federal Government. A gen
Grafton had grown up who had never
seen or used any other money than
a printed promise Of the Govern
ment, and it had become a wide
spread conviction among the aspir-
ing politicians Of both the great par
ties that the current public opinion
in favor OF an inflated and irredeem-
able currency would Overwhe!m and
destroy any public man who would
attempt to stem it. No convention
Of either party in any State Of the
Union had ventured the experiment;
the active leaders of both had either
avoided or yielded to the current.
Mr.. Tilden deemed it his duty to lose
no time in advocating the only finan-
ciaI policy which ever had insured or
can insure substantial and enduring
national prosperity.
On the 10Th of March, and as soon
as he had secured from the Legisla-
ture such additional remedies for Of
fetal delinquencies as were requisite
for his purpose, the Governor in a
special message invited the attention
of the Legislature to the mismanage-
ment of the canals.
He pointed out in this comnunica-
ton with considerable detail tue
! fraudulent processes by which for
an indefinite period of years the State
had been plundered. it's agents de-
bauched. its politics demoralized and
its credit imperilled. The fullness,
boldness and directness OF his state
ments prodaced q profound impress
sion, not only throughout the State,
but throughout the country.
The Legislature, though contain
ING in both branches many OF the
most notorious canal jobbers, and
constituted largely in that interest,
was obliged to yield to the irresisti-
BILE public sentiment which the Gov
ernor's policy and message had awall-
ened, and granted him the authority
to name such a commission. The
results Of the Investigations, com-
| nunicated 10 him from time to time
during the summer Of 1875 and to
the succeeding Legislature Of 1876,
arrested completely the system OF
fraudulent expenditure Oh the canals
which he had denounced at the bar
Of public opinion.
Through the adoption of various
other financial measures upon his
recommendation and by the discreet
but vigorous exercise of the veto
power, the Governor was fortunate
enough to secure a reduction OF tie
State tax-tIie first year Of his adj
miaistration. about II per cent--and
to inaugurate financial policy by
which the State tax, which was q
mills on the dollar Of the assessed
valuation when he came into office
will be reduced TO mills at least a
the expiration of his term of two
years, and at the expiration of tht
next succeeding year to not exceed
ing 3 mills.
Mr.. Tiiden is now in the 63d yea
Of his age. He is FIVE feet ten inches
! in height. and he has what physiolo
gists call the purely nervous TEN
perament, with its usual aceompani
, ment of spare figure. blue eyes ant
fair complexion. His hair, original
! " chestnut. is now partially silyere'
with age.
We must insist that our friend Q
the Chronicle read carefully the plat
| for,,, nf fba raaant Ct ouia G0nyar