St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-17
MR. rILDEN2S LETTER.

Mr. Tilden's letter read at the bang uet OF
the Chicago Iroquois Club on the evening OF
April 18th, and published in the GLOBE yes
terday is the production of statesman and
a patriot, and deserves especial notice and
consideration. 1t is terse and vigorous in
language, clear and comprehensive in state
ment, and sound in its succinct utterance OF
government and political philosophy.
The constitution, just as it is Interpreted
may tend to monarchical or free institutions
The tendency of the government, under the
early construction given to the constitution,
was to monarchial modes, till the election OF
Jefferson, when all that tendency was ended,
and the free institutions of the Republic given
the ascendancy.
But after sixty years of experiment, sue
cessful and assuring, the plotters for seces-
sion assailed these free institutions and it be-
came necessary, either to let them be
whelmed in the vortex of rebellion, or to
rescue and sustain them at the expense of
civic war. Mr.. Tilden with the true instincts
of patriot sanctioned the latter expedient,
taking all the hazards of civic war ''to save
the Union first, and to repair the damage
which our political system might sustain, -
afterwards.
The letter of Mr.. Tilden depicts with eff
fective force the downward tendencies of the
party in power during their twenty years.
control of the government and for the first
time gives public expression of his views in
regard to the great fraud of 1876, by which a
successful party was cheated out of the con-
troll of the executive power of the govern
ment, by a minority. In addition to the re-
sort to fraud to maintain their grip upon the
government, the party in power gave first a
military menace by throwing troops around
the capitol and into its basement to ''intimi-
date the congressional representatives of a
majority of the people to relinquish the fruits
of their victory and to surrender the govern
ment to the control of minority.n
The proof is beyond dispute that the party
in power had determined to keep its clutch
upon the government at all hazards, even
at the expense of civil war, and the over
throw of our free democratic institutions,
consolidated by the Jeffersonian constrnc-
ton of the constitution.
The following extract from the letter en-
bodies the golden words of a sagacious states
man, and discloses the soundest and most
profound political philosophy:
The reform of administration is possible so
long as the government is directed by party
which is under the dominion of false doctrines
and animated by immense pecuniary interests in
the perpetuation of existing abuses The first
effectual step in the reform of our government
must be fundamental change in the policy of
its administration The work of reform will be
acknowledgements with the whole power of the
government eXerted in accomplishing it, have
such faith il the benignant Providence which has
presided over the destiny of this country in every
great trial that do not despair of our ultimate
deiveranCe.
These are words of wisdom which should
challenge the thoughtful consideration of
every patriotic citizen,
The reform Of such party, as the party in
power cannot be hoped for from within. II
must be accomplished from without, and by
displacing and hurting it from official posi-
ton. To this end every patriotic citizen
should labor, and possess himself of the
cheering faith in a ''benignant Providence, -
that animates the heart of the sturdy patriot.
to whom the eyes of a majority of the Ameri-
can people are directed, as their leader tc
guide them into the broad field of needful
and healthful reform, which if not soon DOS
sessed will leave our free institutions to the
destructive forces of false political doctrines.
increasing frauds, and official dishonesty
and corruption.
The manner in which Mr.. Tilden's letter
and its sentiments were received by the large
assemblage at the meeting of the Iroquois
club shows that he is the man for the hour
that he is indeed the idol of his party, the
preferred leader of the Democracy, to conduct
them to victory, and to rescue the govern
ment from the grasp of the spoilers.
The utterances of Mr.. Tilden's letter were
greeted with the heartiest and most enthu-
siastic applause, and will go forth into the
Nation like the utterance of a voice of saliva
ton, crying for an absolute and imperative
need of governmental reform, to save the
institutions of the republic from slipping away
from the masses of the people into the per-
manent control of an autocratic corrupt and
corrupting dominant power.
Mr.. Tlden carefully abstains in his letter
from declining nomination for the Presi-
dency, but closes his brief, but incisive and
eloquent letter with hearty God-speed to the
leaders in the great work of reform.
1t is none too soon for the Democracy to
raise its banner to the breeze, inscribed with