St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-20
TILDEN's OLD AGE.
Tie Great Politician and Statesman in His
Declining Days.

TIE Great Politician and Statesman in His
Declining Days.
Brooklyn Eagle
For the first time Samuel J. Tilden is
spending the winter at his country seat.
Greystone, which is near Yonkers, on the
Hudson river. He has in Gramercy park
New York city, as complete and fine a man
sion as his great wealth could accom- psh;
yet it is notinhabited, and it probably never
will be occupied again by its distinguished
owner. Mr. Tilden has not been down to
town since September last, and a great
many persons think that he never will leave
the commodious Eome which he now enjoys.
His reasons for his retirement are that his
health is extremely poor and he wants to be
quiet and undisturbed. Mentally, Samuel
j. Tilden is in the fullness of his powers.
1t was he who gave to the Cleveland CAM
paign the best advice that they received; but
they heard 1t given in a whisper, for Mr..
Tilden cannot utter an ordinary vocal tone.
It is he who has inspired many of Grover
Clevelan1's acts since the election that have
commended themselves to the press and the
people; but he has lisped the words and
halted and nesitated and stammered over
their delivery, because his lips and his tongue
have refused to express them. Mr.. Tilden's
physical condition alone prevented his noun
ination in Cincinnati in 1880 and in Chi
cago In 1884; it has put aside and retired
one OF the most talented and one of the
w1sest men OF the generation. If he could
talk and walk and act he would be leader
OF his party and OF public opinion. But Mr..
Tilden began to fail in health in the height
OF the memorable campaign of 1876, and he
has grown worse with each succeeding year,
although in no one year has his decline been
rapid In the spring of 1877 he was able to
make European trip, and on the eve of his
departure the Manhattan club OF New York
gave to him and to Thomas A. Hendricks
notable reception. Yet as long ago as that
time Mr.. Tilden was so feeble that he had to
be almost literally carried to the platform
and stood upright on his feet when he re-
sponded to the sentiments of the evening.
Since then general debility and a growing
tendency toward paralysis have caused
gradual weakening of the system, until now
Mr.. Tilden is helpless. He can hobble around
by dint of great exertion but he goes no.
where, sees very few persons, does nothing
and is In absolute and complete retirement.
This statement will be denied. For reasons
known to himself Mr.. Tilden desires the
world to be kept in ignorance of his real con-
dition, and his literary bureau is called into
exercise of its most powerful notions when
the story of Mr.. Tilden's real condition finds
its way into print, as it frequently does.
Nevertheless, the proof is easy to be had that
the man is in such a condition of physical
helplessness that he cannot even feed him
self. Moreover, it was only few years ago
when Mr.. Tilden, then in the exercise of
every faculty, appeared at public meetings,
receptions and places of amusement and
made himself conspicuous by his speeches
or his presence. At not one of these has
he appeared in these FIVE years past. His
last public speech was at the Manhattan club
reception in 1877 He has lent his presence
to meetings once or twice since then, but
never has he uttered a word. In his retreat
he is attended by corps of faithful servants,
who have become schooled to please his ev-
cry want and desire. He asks only to be let
alone. He courts no company of any sort.
He believes that he will improve in health
and will be able to get into the current Of
active life again. His near friends and all
who see him are painfully conscious of the
fact that he never can leave his home.