The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-05


| mindful Of the fact that the Democratic South
had sectionalized not only against Northern
Republicanism but against Northern Democracy.
At that time Southern Democracy was the clos
est of close corporations, founded on slavery and
admitting to fellowship only such as believed it
a sacred institution, such as Mr.. Tilden himself
evidently did, Statesmanship of this kind has
been at a discount in this country for quarter of
q century, and this is to be said without
partisan bias. 1t is fatal to MIR. Tildens claim
to craftsmanship that his biographer and friend
! must be driven to such admission at such time
in the history of the Nation and in the life of the
man.
| If. then, we cannot find the elements Of states
manship in Mr. Tilden at this eventful period,
it must be sought for elsewhere. This seems to
be understood by Mr. Bgeiow, and he begins by
quoting letters written on questions Of state by
Mr.. Tilden at the early age of nineteen, EVIL
IDENTIFY to show his precocity. A few others on
constitutional questions are then given, which
prove that he was hice-bound all the
way through and more intent on
such interpretations of that instrument as ia
vored slavery and States rights lsecession) than
on intoxicating such doctrines as would strength
en- the Union and allay sectional prejudice. In
other words, his own utterances proclaim him
the partisan rather than the statesman, though,
as politician he was shrewd enough to weave his
sophstries so deity into sound generalities that
he deceived many and finally himself
The editor of the public utterances Of Mr.. Til
den was wise in expatiatingon his services to the
State of New York in assisting in the good work
of getting rid of Boss Tweed and
other Democratic swindlers of high
degree. In freeing his own party
of these elements of dishonesty he did much to
relieve it Of the odium and distrust that had so
long been associated with it. But subsequent
events. sufficient hints of which are found in Mr.
Tilden's speeches and letters of 1876 and 1877,
leave the reader in doubt of his sincerity as a
reformer. and rather encourage the belief that
he wrought what he did in his own State with
his eye on greater possibilities. His fine race
for the presidency, which came so near succeed
! ing, would have left him lasting fame, had
he not scattered it by entering upon
that scheme of securing by disreputable
means the votes he could not command by
any of the methods prescribed by law. In this
respect these two volumes fall short of giving
entire satisfaction. It would be interesting to
have an official expose of the celebrated cipher
kilograms. an explanation of which would have
gone far toward relieving the subject of these
volumes from the we'll grounded belief that he
was at least a silent party to the monstrous
frauds attempted in his behalf It would be I'M
charitable to refer to these things had not the
editor seen fit to reproduce Mr.. Tilden's argu-
ments in his own behalf in the question of the
election of 1876 and the decision of the electoral
commission of 1877.
Mr.. Bigelow, with the material at hand and
he had pretty much all he wanted, for Mr. Til
den assisted him. has done his work well, and
has presented his friend and patron in the best
possible light These volumes will be valuable
| to readers of other years in showing how near
a man may come of being success and a
statesman and yet totally fail. Mr. Tiden is
one of the few remaining Democrats of the old
school who swore by the unamended Constitu-
| ton. and lost no opportunity to attempt to
preach the North into respect for States rights,
secession and slavery
Julia Fletcher). Boston, Roberts Brothers; In.
dianapolis The BowenMerrill Co. $3.50.
Readers of Miss Fletchers stories who remem-
Der the charm of ''Vestieea" and it's marked i'm
provement of style and subject over her earlier
! work, and take up this book expecting a still
further advance will lay it down with sense of
| disappointment.
Although the heroine of the story, a common
place young woman with no special attraction
save an abundance of fair hair, made three low
hx,b foil
| to know her own mind at the critical moment,
and not from coquetry; although there is
a great display, not to say waste of
emotion Of tie heartrending kind, there is an air
of unreality about the characters, as if they are
| not moved by their own volition but are pro-
PEELED by their creator. In spite of the fact that
the tale ends happily. and the personages who
make it up are obviously intended to be rather
gay and light-hearted than otherwise, the air of
almost morbid melancholy which pervades its
pages-doubtess unconsciously to the author
| is somewhat depressing. AS a whole, it seems
almost the outgrowth Of a mood 1t varies
| curiously from most novels of which the scene
| is Italy and part of the characters Italians in
having no william, and in being as free even from
the suggestion of evil and of wild passions if the
men and women pictured in its pages lived and
loved in Arcadia.
Having once begun the story it will not be
laid aside but read TO the end, which is, after
ALL the best proof of a novels merits
ONNALlEDA. Romance. By j. FL. McNaughton.
Kegsn, Paul French & Co., Paternoster square.
London; The Bowen Merrill Company, Indianapolis.
A romance in verse, based on the invasion of
the Genesee valley, in western New York, by
the French, under Denouville, and the heroic
deeds of the Iroquois. Onnalinda is an Iroquois
princess" whose brilliant adventures bafled
the French general. and whose fascinating beauty
| drew to her side the chivalrous Captain Stark
The loves and adventures Of these two, and of
Ronald Kent and "Glinting Star" are the subject
of the poem. The author makes Onna-