The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-04-22
TlLDEN NOT A CANDIDATE.
BOW TINT Inf1rm Statesman has Ceased to
"Care for Politics Or Politicians"
Letter TO the Boston Herald.
NEW YORK, April 7, 1880.

| 1t has been reserved for correspon-
dent of the Boston Herald to first an.
.nounce, Upon the authority of the gen.
tleman himself, the important informa-
ton that Mr.. Tilden is not candidate
for the Presidency in the coming or
pending political canvass. II don't care
about going through the tedious ordeal
of formal interview" he said to the
writer the other evening, "but I do not
mind telling you frankly that the time
has now come when I don't care conti
mental penny for either politics or politi-
cians." Some running conversation of
social nature had preceded any allusion
to politics, but the foregoing was in
direct response to E. plain question
whether or not the gentleman intends to
again aspire to the Office and honor which
presumably and rightfully belonged to
him already.
The painful physical condition of Mr..
Tilden, of which the public knows but
comparatively little, was an impressive
emphasis to the almost inaudible utter
ances which so feebly fell from the old
gentleman's lips. In the pitiful wreck
which moves with such difficulty and
moderation around the spacious and bril-
liant mansion of Gramercy Park to-day,
there are few visible traces to remind one
of the active and buoyant old gentleman
who directed the details Of the lively and
eventful campaign of three years ago.
The intellect seems to remain strangely
intact, but the waning physical powers
show Enthusiastically that Mr.. Tilden will
never administer the difficult duties of
| the Office of President of the United
States. The declaration of the gentle
man himself is not necessary to assure
the country of this, for the unrelenting
laws of nature will prove negative to
all such calls which a friendly conven-
tion or an enthusiastic majority of voters
may have in contemplation for him.
While the old gentleman's failure of
physical powers has been most notable
and rapid within year, yet he holds on
to the charms incident to busy and
active life with a determination that is
most remarkable. He goes down town
nearly every day, and is very attentive in
giving directions concerning his vast
business investments, which he assured
the correspondent involved millions and
\ millions of dollars. Both of his hands
are palsied, one of them seemingly with
cred, as we'll as deformed and useless,
| while with the other he is barely able to
hold pen long enough to afix his name
to such documents as necessarily require
his signature. His whole system trem
bles violently at all times, and it seems
an absolute certainty that the disease is
slowly but surely possessing the entire
body. The "obliguitous eye," as it has
been often termed by his opponents, con-
sists of dropping or partially fallen lid,
which more than half obscures one of the
organs of vision, giving distinctive look
rather than an appearance the opposite
of prepossessing. His voice, as before
intimated, is the feeblest of the feeble,
and in conversation he is compelled to
sit almost in contact with his listener in
order that the almost incoherent utter
ances may be thoroughly understood.
Such, in brief, is the precarious physical
condition of the man who is such terror
to the army of Democratic politicians
aspiring To the Presidency. He is but
couple Of months rising sixty-six years
of age.
It would seem almost incredible that
man could be cheerful in the face of such
circumstances, but yet this is true of Mr..
Tilden. If he has suffered deeply from
disappointed ambition, or the inaiction
of a great wrong, as different minds may
term it, the cheerfulness of his spirits
does not seem to have been seriously dis
turbed. The wreck has been physical
rather than mental. He enjoys the visits
of such friends as do not share in the
curiosity which has hitherto prevailed
concerning his course in the Presidential
campaign, and his love of romance is re-
vealed BY the interest which he takes in
rehearsing.
"You would be surprised" he whis- |
pered to your correspondent, "to see the
number of matrimonial letters which !
have come to me during the last five or
six years, and some of them," he added,
reAectively, care from ladies of high |
standing in the community. I have in
mind one, in particular, which received
only few days since, and it was not
altogether a love letter either, but con-
tanned some sentences of political wisdom |
bearing upon the present situation which
I propose to make public in short
time"
incidentally Mr.. Tilden declared most |
emphatically that he was cheated out of
the Presidency in 1876, and the remark
was in such connection as to leave the !
inference that his experience in the line
of national politics, as managed, had
been such as to destroy his future ambi-
ton. II don't care for politics any
more" was an expression that he several |
times repeated in the course of the even
"But you will continue To take lively |
interest in the campaign, even if you are
not candidate ?" queried the correspon-
dent
"Well, yes, but lam not carrying On
such an establishment of politics as some |
of.-the newspapers make out, though.
You see L have got very large house
here, but it is not the terrible den of |
political iniquity which has been repre-
sented. If you had been guest here |
during those eventful times which we
have read about, you would have seen
only few callers daily: Some of them
simply came to pay their respects; others
came and remained a:few. moments, more
or less, and had friendly chat, the same
as we are having this evening. To read
the papers you would believe that I have
an army of clerks, who do nothing but
send out circulars and money to agencies
and bureaus in every part of the country.
I can assure you, sir, there is nothing Of
the kind-never has been and never will
be-.
GAS I said before, do not care any for
the politics or the politicians, and that is
all I am prepared to say at present.
There have been many cunning and in
genious expedients devised within o few
weeks to bring me to formal declara.
ton on this Presidential question. |
don't care anything about this, for shall
not speak until I get ready. Again, l
say don't care for the politicians, or for
L \