Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-06-24
He Has Filled His Mission,

$500
1t is somewhat astonishing, to say
the least of it, to find n journal so prac-
teal AS the Times-Democrat of New
Orleans, insisting, in leading editorials,
that Mr.. Tilden must accept"-tbat
he must revise his decision announced
last week and pose again as the pros
pectve, if not certain, nominee of the
Democracy at Chicago. This declara-
ton of the Times-Democra may voice
the sentimental aspirations of Demo-
Gratis in Louisiana, but we feel quite
sure it will not strike responsive chords
in some other states-TeNas, for ex.
ample. Mr.. Tilden himself has told
quite plainly why he will not and can
not be the Democratic standard-bearer
again, and why not take him at his
word? He was either sincere or in
sincere in his declination. If the first,
it would be wrong to even attempt to
shake his decision; if the latter, he
ought to be dropped. Up to the hour
he wrote that letter he was. of all
Democrats, the most available for the
nomination. The heart and hopes of
the party went out to him, and it
would have stood around him in No
vember like a wall of granite. But
the grand and emphatic enunciation
of his desire and intention elm
mated Mr.. Tilden from the field,
so far as personal factorship
goes. He remains, however, as an
incentive as sentimental and even prac-
tical as the Times-Democrat can desire.
When the Democracy can elect and in
augurate president 1t will have
righted the wrong done to the party
and to Mr.. Tilden in 1877. Let the
party rest content in doing that. THE
GAZETTE believes Mr.. Tilden to have
been sincere when he stated he must
be considered rs out of the list of prob
able or even possible nominees. The
GAZETTE pays tribute to the self abne-
CATION and moral grandeur of Mr..
Hilden. But to insist now, that Mr..
Tilden, despite all that has occurred,
must be forced to the front and made
the candidate would be policy as inn
polite from political standpoinD as
can well be imagined. IL would bring
the party into ridicule and contempt,
and it is more dangerous to be con-
temned than openly fought-ridicule,
in this case, would hurt the party
worse than hard knocks. Tilden's
nomination would place him in an at
titude where he could not, with even
moderate consistency, stand at the
head of the national ticket. In the
concluding sentences of his letter he
wrote these words: ~ am consoled by
the reflection that neither the Demo
cratic party nor the republic for whose
future chat party is the best guaranteed s
now or ever can be dGpcadcm upon any
me man for their successful progress
in the pathof noble destiny" They
were and are true and timely words
these, and the Democratic party, If ii
is wise, will accept them as u new In
spiration. Let 1t not be said that Dem
Ocratic fortunes are at such crisis that
their future determination rests with
one man. II the imperialists In
France were trying to regain power II
is easy To understand how they would
rally around man bearing the name
of Bonaparte, and the eagles OF the
frsr and second empires would BE-
more than mere sentiment. Ii the
monarchists were seeking to rear th'
throne again 1t is susceptible of expla
nation how they would call upon All
Orleans prince to lift the tri.color and
lilies. But this country is not France
nor are Democrats imperlalists or mon
archists. Our government Is based
upon the Intelligent will of the people
and parties win or lose according t.
the acceptability of their principles
and politics. The standard-bearer II
of secondary importance. and II De
mocracy isto win at all 1t hasa numbe
of representative men, any one o
whom can I'LL the functions Of leader
with US much force and ability as Mr.
Tilden. Let Tilden have the quie
repose he Graves; let lis have done viii
sentimentalism and grooming; let TIM
dead past bury Its dead; take live 10
sues and strong men and with then
fight the fight for all 1t Is worth. Tht
party cannot with logic or self-respec