The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-10-07
TILDEN's WRITINGS AND SPEECHES.


A timely and valuable contribution to the
political history OF the times is the collec-
ton of the writings and speeches OF Hon:
Samuel J. Tilden. We are indebted TO Mr..
John Bigelow for this gathering and editing
of Mr.. Tildens writings and speeches. This
collection embodics The political opinions
and public teachings of one OF the most
profound and spacious statesmen OF modern
times. The author as waited, to use his
OWN words, 'until such time as it would
encounter no such mistrust, and until both
Mr.. Tilden's public career and his writings
SHOULD have become more completely the
property Of history. That time seems to
have arrived. No one has now any pretext
for ascribing this publication to narrow per-
sonal or partisan motives, nor can any one
now suspect Mr.. 1ilden of entertaining per-
sonal ambitions which political station could
either satisfy or crafty"
Mr. Tilden has never been an ostentatious,
loud-mouthed politician, He contented him.
self with qnieter, cautions movements and
methods, bur none the less his politi-
cal life has been wonderfully active.
We say "acsiye." Let Us look over his life
a this book of Mr.. Bigelows gives US oppor-
tunity, and what do We note? He was
champion of the Union and OF Presid mt
Jackson against the nuliihers and Mr.. Cal
Loun. He denounced the American system
Of Mr.. Clay rs unconstitutional, inequitable,
and sectional. He vindicatcd the removal
Of the Government deposits from the United
States Bank by President Jackson, and ex-
ploded the sophstical doctrines Of its law
yers that the Treasury is not an executive
department. lie indicated President Van
Leggett OF unbecoming subserviency to the
slaYe-holding States in his inaugural
address. He was among the first
10 insist upon free banking under
general laws, thus opening the business
equally to all and abolshing the monop-
oily which was nearly universal superstition.
He exposed the perils OF banking upon pub
lie funds Advocated the divorce Of bank
and state and the establishment of a sub
Treasury. He asserted the supervisory con-
troll of the Legislature over corporations of
it's own creation. He exposed the enormi-
ties OF Mr.. Webster's scheme to pledge the
public lands for the payment OF the debts of
the States. He drew and vindicated in a
profoundly learned and able report the act
which put ar end to the discontents OF the
New York ''anti-renters." He wrote the
protest of the Democracy OF New York
against making the naturalization of slavery
test of party fealty. He was the first, we
believe, 10 assign statesmanlike reasons for
opposing coercive Temperance legislation.
he pointed out, as no one had done before,
the danger of sectionalizing the Government.
He planned tie campaign, he secured the
requisite legislation, lac bore much the
largest share of the expense. and. finally, he
led the storming party which drove Tweed
and his predatory. associates to prison
or into exile. He purified the judic-
larry of the city and State OF
New York by procuring the adoption OF
measures which resulted in the removal OF
one judge by impeachment and of two judges
by resignation. He induced the Democrat