New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-03-18
A MORTGAGED PARTY.

Mr.. Tilden's ability as drawer OF railroad
mortgages has been generally conceded. But
the Democrats are beginning to suspect that he
can clap as ugly a mortgage on party as ne
ever did upon railroad, and that he possesses
equal skill as q wrecker of bankrupt roads
and of embarrassed parties. The old man
is heartily detested, as "graspiDS" cred
Itors usually are by impecuniOus debt
ors But the Democratic citizens OF the Wild
West and Sunny South, who have devised
means to repudiate State and county debts
without number, have legisated cities out OF
existence in order to cancel mortgages upon
them, and passed acts of State legislatures
i'm Arkansas and Wisconsin to wipe out
mort cages on much-lndebted counties, gnash
their teeth with rage at the thought that
Mr.. Tilden has a mortgage on the Demo
cratic party which they have not yet found
means to Tepudlate.
In bygone years. when Mr.. Tilden was
managing campaigns for the Democratic party
in the State of New-York, he loaned to the
party great deal of his valuable time and
services. Railroad corporations have been
Obliged to pay great many thousand dollars
for less work than he gave to the Democrats
in political campaigns. 1t was not very clean
work. either. Mr. Tilden may not be ultra
fastidiOus, but it probably CALLED him not a
little to have on his hands the conduct
of campaigns in which Tweed was Boss
and Hoffman was fgurehead, and fraud
ulent naturalzatiOns were as plenty as
repeaters. But he bore everything with
the patience of Shylock, and bided his
time. He was engaged in putting a mortgage
Oh the National Democratic party. If there
was an unclean or INSCRIPTIONS Democratic
worker anywhere in this State, Mr.. Tilden
found him out, and discovered what he could
do. His services were unpaid for reward he
had only q debt of gratitude-and his little
mortgage Debts of gratitude political parties
do not often pay But MIR. Tilden's mortgage
is quite another matter.
The party tried to pay him off by electng
him Governor, but presently discovered that
it had only recognized thereby his claim to
larger payment. There was some struggling
and kicking at st. Louis in 1876, but the
unhappy debtor who is in default, and resists
foreclosure, generally gets the worst of it. The
nomination was a decree of foreclosure, and
Mr.. Tilden has since been trying to realize
on his property. AT the present moment the
wild Western Democrat, who would very
mucb like to repudiate this debt as well as
every other, fails to see exactly how to do it.
For there the old man sits, with his mort
gage in his hand. Nominate me,n he says,
cor my perfect knowledge of all that is rot
"ten in the Democratic party OF New-York
twill be used, and not for you. If you think
"you can carry New-York for any candidate
"against the will of s. j. Tilden, proceed to
"ty it. Perhaps you think you can elect
president without the help of New-York /;
"if so, try it. But think the mortgage
"valid, and if anybody wants the Democratic
"party for any future use, let him pay me
one Presidential term for it," The Sage of
Cipher Alley has strong position, as his enc
mics begin to discover. Whether they can
elect him or not, he can make it very certain
that they cannot elect anybody else.
The Republican party has excellent reason
for regarding this situation with profound
satisfaction. 1t is quite ready to submit to
the people full history of the contest of
1876, and to see whether the free white voters
of the North will yield TO the Copenhagen "
of Russia" by which the poor and recently
enfranchsed black voters of certain Southern
States were too proud to be bought Mr..
Tilden's peculiar skill III New-York is adj
mitted. All that the Republican party asks