The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-06-29

Il VkUuH0th0Ub4V
4 brought to him quite recently an Invita-
8 ton from the Europeon creditors Of the
New York and Erie Railway to under
take q reconciliation OF the various In
tereets In that great corporation, which
+ the properties and duties OF his official
position constrained~bim to decline.
Till the war came Gov. Tilden made
every effort to avert the rebellion. When
hts efforts, combined with those Of other
prominent patriots, had proved abortive,
his convictions OF duty were perfectly
decided and clear. They were to main.
: tain the integrity OK eur territory and
the supremacy OF the constitutional
8 authorities. He had been educated In
the school OF jackson, and had been a
sadiligent student OF the lessons taught
bv the notification controversy OF 1893.
i He had studied earefullya and profoundly
she relation OF the Federal and State
I governments. and OF the citizens OF
those governments. He had thus early
formed perfectly clear and settled opin-
lions, about which his mind never vacil-
lated They were the opinions OF Jack.
son, of Van Buren,, OF Wright and OF
Marcy, with whom, during most OF their
public lives, he had been on terms 81
personal intimacy.
Daring the winter OF 1850 81 ne at
tended meeting Of the leading men OF
both. parties Ia the city q New York. 70
consider what measures were necessary
and practicable to avert an armed col
liston between what were then termed
the free and the slave States. TO the
North he urged reconciliation and for
bearnnce. Appreciating rs he did more
clearly than those around him the fear
full and disastrous consequences OF u
civil war, whatever might prove Its ulti-
mate result To the South he urged
Difference to the will OF the majority
\ and respect for the provisions OF the
Federal Constitution, within which they
would be sure Of adequate protection
for themselves and for their property;
but he warned them that outside OF the
Constitution they could expect protec-
ton for neither.
When the war did come, Mr.. Tilden
associated himself with, and was the
private adviser Of Mr.. Dean Richmond,
then at the head OF the Democratic
party OF this State, and who was accus-
toned on all important questions to
visit Mr.. Tilden In his retirement and
seek his counsel.
AT "a meeting held at the house OF Gen
Dix, just after the first call OF President
Lincoln for $4,000 troops, Mr.. Tilden
!, was present and participated IN the dis
cussfdns which took place. He then
and there expressed the opinion that
they were on the eve Of a great war, and
maintained that instead OF $1,000 troops
Mr.. Lincoln should have called out at
least SOC. 900, half for immediate service
and the other half to be put In camps Of
instruction and trained for impending
exigencies. Unhappily that generation
had seen so little OF war, and had such
limited means OF comprehending the
rapidity with which the war spirit, once
lighted, will spread among people,
that 1t was not competent to appreciate
the wisdom OF this advice, which, II
adopted, would probably have prevented
the necessity OF any further increase OF
TO Secretary Chase and his friends
Mr. Tilden insisted that the war ought
to be carried on under system of sound
finance, which he did not doubt the
people would cheerfully sustain II the
Government would have the courage to
propose It. At later period OF the war
be was invited by the Government at
Washington to give his advice as to the |
best methods for It's further conduct |
He said to the Secretary OF War:
You have no right to expect great military |
genius to come TO your assistance. They only |
appear once in two or three centuries. You will |
probably have g depend upon the average mill |
stances your only course is to avail yourself Of
your numerical strength and your superior mill |
progress in Industrial arts and your greater
producing capacities. You must have reserves |
and concentrate your forces on decisive points,
and ovcrwhc,m your adversaries by dispropor-
tionate numbers and reserves. Il
His advice was not taken, but he had |
the satisfaction, within year after 1t
was given, OF hearing the Secretary of
War acknowledge its wisdom and
lament his inability to secure its adop-
ton.
with the peace came to Mr.. Tilden
the most important political labor Of
his life. With the assistance Of Charles |
O'Conor, who followed the members OF
that band of conspirators with all his |
usual vigor and adroitness until it was
not only broken up, but its leading |
members scattered to the four quar- tiers
OF the globe, he assailed and overthrow
the combined Republican aud Demo
cratic Ring which ruled and ruined New
net passed by the Legislature OF the |
State Of New York In 1857 in connection |
with the charter OF that year, which |
provided that but six persons should be |
voted for by each elector and twelve |
chosen. In other words, the nominees |
OF the Republican and Democratic party |
caucuses should be elected. At the sue
ceeding session OF the Legislature their |
term OF Office was extended to six years. |
InlS gave q DOniu VI OuPclSiSo CoH
sisting OF six Republicans and six Dem
ocrats, to change q majority OF which it |
was necessary to have control Of the
primary meetings Of both Of the great
national and State parties for years in |
succession-a series of condolences |
which rarely happens in a generation.
This was doubly ring" 1t was a
ssring' between the six Republican and
the six Democratic Supervisors. It soon
grew to be ring" between the Repub-
Iican majority in the Legislature and
the half-and-half Supervisors and q few
Democratic officials of the city. It en-
braced just enough influential men in
the organization Of each party to con-
troll the action OF both party organiza-
tions-men who in public life pushed to |
extremes the abstract ideas Of their
respected parties, while secretly they
Joined hands in common schemes for