South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1876-07-14
Sossh 3raath aatelliseaeeY.
ROMNEY. FRIDAY, JULY IA. 1876.
Sketches of our Candidates.
.fKA Samuel !. Tildep


idency, was born i'm 1914 at New Leba.
non. Columbia county, New York. His
ancestry is traced back 10 5S5. when
John Iilden was mayor Of Tenterden,
England. A branch of the family NOV.
ed TO Scituate, Massachusetts,, in 1884,
and a Joseph T'ilden was one OF the Lon.
don Merchants who fitted out the May.
flower. Gov. Tilden's mother was de.
scended OF VIM. Jones, Lieutenant Gov.
ernor OF the colony OF New Haven, who
is said TO have been son OF Col. John
Jones, q regicide Judge OF Charles /, who
married Oliver Cromwelrs sister. The
Governors father was farmer and mer.
chant. much esteemed for his Judgment
and strong common sense, and who was
an intimate and cherished friend Of Pre-.
sident Van Buren,. sB.
Gov. Tilden entered Yale College
when he was eighteen years old, after at
that early age having written DISGUST
ton on the effort to make n coalition
between the national republicans and the
anti-Masons, the defeat OF which was ne
cessary to democratic success. This
disquistion was shown to Van Buren,,
who highly approved it, and caused it to
be published as campaign document
After his collegiate course he studied law
in the Office Of the late John w. Ed.
munds, New York city, and while there
published series ofpapers in advocacy
of Van Buren's recommendation of n
separation of the government from the
banks. the establishment Of an indcpen-
dent treasury. and the rcdeemability OF
government currency in specie.
Upon his admission to the bar he
opened an Office in Pine street, n. York.
In 1874, in connection with John l.. o..
Sullivan, he founded the Daily News
newspaper. In 1915 he was elected a
member of the Assembly for New York
city. and member OF tue convention to
remodel the State constitution. In both
Of these bodies lie was conspicuous
authority.
In 1916 he Withdrew from active poll
tics and devoted himself 10 his profcs.
sion, and soon became as pre- eminent
therein az he had been in the political
arena. One Of his most notable legal
triumphs was rs counsel for the heirs OF
DR. Burdell, who was murdered, and
whose property was claimed by Mrs.
Cunningham, who was charged with his
DIR. Burdelrs property rs his alleged
wife. The case has passed into legal
history as n most notable trial and the
defeat of the iniqutous claim was due
mainly to MIR. Tildcn's able handling of
the case.
Among his other prominent successes
at the bar was his defense of the Penn
sylvania Coal Company in it's suit with
the Delaware and hudson Canal Com.
pany, in which immense interests were
/ involved. Another was that Of the Cum.
berland Coal Company against it's direc.
tors, tried in Maryland in 1858. In that
case he applied for the first time to the
directors of corporations the familiar
doctrine that trustee cannot be pur.
chaser of property conlidcd to him for
sale, and he successfully illustrated and
settled the equitable principle on which
such sales to directors are set aside. and
also the conditions to give them validity.
These cases brought him into great pro
mincnce as successful resuscitator OF
embarrassed corporations. and gave him
a lucrative practice.
Gov. Tilden made every effort in his
power TO avert the late civil war. But
!
convictions were i'm favor Of the integrity
of the Union and supremacy of the con.
stituted authorities. Therefore he urged
The North TO be conciliatory and forbear.
ing, md advised the South to defer Ia
the will Of the majority, and to respect
e that federal constitution under whose
Rgis was assurance of full protection
for persons and property. When the
blast of war came. and Lincoln called
out the famous $4,000 men. Mr. 1flden
maintained that the call should have
been for 100000 men, because he lie
licvod great war was imminent. and q
, large force necessary in the very inter
ests of humanity. In the light of sub
, scquent events IL is evident chat the q
doption of his views would have saved
much carnage and devastation.
lie urged that the war should be con
Quoted upon system Of sound finance
so rs 10 prevent tie subsequent moneia
~ complications which he foresaw
And when invited bv tho government nj
Washington to give his opinion as TO the
conduct OF tho war. he said "Yon have
no right 10 expect q great military ge
MUS 20 come 20 vour assistance. They
'liN hl'Bttl plltc w Two OF biTee Ccnttt
ries. You will probably have TO depend
upon the average military talent Of the
country. Under such circumstance,
your only course is 10 avail yourself o
your numerical strength and your supe
! rior military resources resulting from
: your greater progress in industrial art:
and your greater producing capacities
lou must have reserves and concentrate
. your forces OF decisive points, and over
whelm your adVcrsarics 10y dispropor
tiOnatc numbers and reserves"
Ills advice was not taken, but he has
The satisfaction. within year after il
was given, Of hearing the Secretary o
War acknowledge its wisdom and lament
/, his inability TO secure its adoption.