New-York tribune., 1882-04-11
TILDEN THE SAGE.

The Tiden still hunt for denomination
enters upon its second stage. For the past
three or four months we have been presented
with the Great Defrauded in the familiar atti-
tude of Barkis He was pictured by admiring
friends as more robust than he had been for
wears. He himself demonstrated the vigoT of
his intellect by composing long and learned
ESSAYS upon the virtues of Jefferson and Jack
son, and by impassioned appeals for reform.
All the newspapers which delight to do his
bidding presented him as the only living Demo
cratic statesman. The party must rcn0minate
him or perish. The venerable Cassius ~ Clay's
enthusiasm carried him beyond all others. He
declared TildeE to be the best man, whether he
was alive OF dead. $50 far as / am concerned
am for Tilden in 1884, sick or well, living
or dying If Tilden dies our cause is the
same" That is the kind OF disciple to
have. Mr.. Clay thinks Mr.. Tilden would run
equally we'll whether dead OF alive, and that is
our view precisely Mr.. Clay's impressive dec
laration brought the first stage of the Tilden
still hunt to an appropriate close. 1t was evil
dent that nothing i'll the way of devotion could
be said by any disciple or organ after that.
The time had clearly arrived for the Barkis Sec
ton of the entertainment to close.
The second part opens now with Tilden as
the Sage of his party. lie is willing to give
unlimited advice to the party, is willing to be
its absolute guide if necessary, but he is not
willing to bear the burden of Office again. AS
usual, this announcement is made through II
very intimate but anonymous friend who is
frequent visitor at Greystone. The friend
gives his valuable information to Cath" of
The Cins matt Enquirer. From it we learn
that Mr.. Tilden looks very feeble but his con-
versational powers never seemed to me
@better.' There is evidently to be no stair
climbing in this act. {" He talked a straight
stretch one hour and half, so interestingly
and so enjoyingly that hardly got a chance
in all that time to put in any thing, even a
"question." 1t is obvious that it is the intel
lect, not the body, which is on exhibition now
The friend was unable to detect in the hour
and half dissertation any signs of active am
bition. @You may take my word for it that
Tilden will not accept the nomination for
" Governor nor would he accept the nomination
for President of the United States. He told
me that he meant to be master of himself in
" at least one tling-that he would not he run
" down any more by people on political errands
or with political curiosity There we have an
insight into this change of base. 1t is evident
that there have been hungry Democrats around
trying to find out if the barrel was really on tap
again, and, if so, to take the dimensions of the
new spigot. The point had been reached where
Mr.. Tilden must intimate that he did not care
for the nomination sufficiently to pay much for
it, and to give the party to understand that "a
little urging would be necessary before he
would consent to run.
Proceeding on this line, the friend remarks
that Mr. Tilden meant what he said when he
declined a denomination in 1880, and that the
mere animal possession of the Presidency
would not crafty him. which strikes us as an
elegant way of putting it. Hay
ing thus gradually led us up to suitable place
for climax, the grand closing tabcau is un-
folded as follows: "Mr. Tilden expresses
neither resentment nor contempt, nor envy
q of any of the figures now moving on the
I stage. Tilden regards his political life as
finished, though he takes some pride, perhaps,
" in being regarded as "A sage or retired states
" man" OF course. lie has nothing of envy
or resentment for any other Democrat now
moving on the stage. Neither has he any
praise for any Of them. He gives everything
Of that kind to Jefferson and jackson. He is
willing TO give the party all the advice it do.
cs, in instalments of an hour and a half or