New-York tribune., 1877-11-09
Mr.. .TyLDEN,S GENERALITIEs

UNE, was in that gentcman's fayoritc vein.
1t is his special delight to indulge in largo
philosophic views of politics and parties, of
fundamental principles and doctrines, and the
purposes and missions of the great politi-
cal organizations. His analysis of the
forces which he believes are at work
on either side in the struggle for con-
troll in the country, is too subtle ana
fine for the comprehension of the average
! Democratic voter; but it Is nevertheless very
| ingenious and plausible, and cannot fall 10
! edIfy, and perhaps amuse, the lammany states-
men who were not aware until they heard OF
| il from Mr. Tilden, that in supporting Nike
! Rooney and Dennis O'Flannigan for Aldermen
or Asscmblymen they were asserting great
! principal of government, and upholdlng "the
"central idea of the Democratic party that
"much government is an evil" Mr.. 1iden Is
the Ruslin of politics. He sees beauties
! In the canvass the artist never dreamed
of. In a Democratic Convention, pulling
and hauling for the nomination OF Ia
vorites for lucrative positions, he dlScerns
devotion to great fundamental principles OF
government, and discovers in the manipulation
of votes and stuffcr of ball0t-bOXes political
reformer and student of affairs Mr.. 11lden is
one of very few men i'll his party who are
familiar with the history OF the organization,
and think they can trace in it as ii exists to-
day. the principles and doctrines which those
who are called its fathers and founders advocated
and believed in sixty or seventy years ago.
He may be quite sincere, personally, in his be-
lief that the Tammany creed is that Of J"lfcr-
sonian Democracy, and that the party repre-
sents really some central idea other than that
of getting and keeping the Offices. 1t Is
harmless delusion, and only excitcs a smile
of increduity from his opponents, and a
sneer of contempt from the practical polii-
clans of his own party who know that the
cardinal principle of Democracy is to win
elections and get the offices, and never let any
nonsense stand in the way of success.
1t NAV be in some measure true, as he says
that the opposition to the Democracy "wlll
contain most of the men who desire a high
"tariff all those who believe III regulating
"men's food and drink by law, the people
"who want the United States to control the
railroads and telegaphs, and to furnish
troops to put down local riots" etc, etc;
but this no more proves that the opposition is
a centralizing party favoring strong central
government and the exercise OF paternal func-
tions than it proves the Democracy to be the
party of lawesSncss and anarchy. If there are
men III the Republican party holding extreme
notions upon such subjects as sumptuaTy laws,
or Governmental control Of railroads and telc-
graphs, or the use of Federal troops to put
down local riots, it is equally true that on
tie other side may be found the other ex-
treme: men of bad character and awless lives,
,rl,o roto
under moral or legal restraint-the ruliians
who organize riot and who are opposed not
only to Federal interference, but to inter
ference of any kind with their work
of incendiarism and pillage. Mr. Tilden's
analysis is very fine spun and ingenious,
and is not destitute of a certain sort OF plaus-
ibility. But Mr.. Tilden phosophizng upon
politics and parties ut Gramercy Park, and
Mr.. John Kelly running convention or dlc-
tating the rulers of a great city in Tammany
Hail. are two very different persons serving
the same party, to bc sure, and in the same
way, by voting the regular ticket but while
Mr. Tilden goes it blind" thinking he
knows the motives that actuatc and the
principles that govern the party, Mr..
John Kelly knows that the old gentle
man labors under mild delusion and talks
nonsense. How many Democrats does Mr..
Tilden suppose there are i'll this city, who,
upon being asked after voting the regular
ticket on Tuesday, " Did YOU vote in favor of
cor against the principle that much govern
"mcnt is an evil !"-would be able to give an
intelligent answer? Nay, more; how many
Democratic members of the Assembly would
be able to comprehend the question and give
it a clear and sensible reply? Yet Mr. Tilden
saws " the central idea of the Democratic party
is that much government is in evil"
He makes Il mistake. The average Tam
many Democrat knows that the central idea
is a great deal better than that Mr.. Tweed
knew better, and so does his successor, Mr.
John Kelly. The central idea is-"Get votes
"honestly, if you can; but get votes 1t is
hard to keep a serious face when Mr. Tiden
saws: "The mission of the Democratic party
"is to resist the tendency to Capitalization
"Ieft by the war. to educate the public mind
"to better understanding of the essential
"principles of our form of govern
"ment, and to comprehension of the
Importance of the checks and balances
"of the fcderative system" TO educate
"the public mind" And this, according to
Mr.. T1ldcn, Is the mission of the Democratic
"partyr To any one who has attended the
conventions of the party or has looked into
| the faces of the educators of the public
"mindn whom Tammany Hall habiually
places in Offices of trust and power, this fine
phrase needs no comment. And yet Ar. I'll
den is not a lunatic. Is it possible he aepires
| to be a new humOristl
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MR. KELLYS DUTY