Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-08-05
Samuel j. TiIden.

81 but submit to the will OF God in
deeming my public career forever closed =
Thus Mr.. Tilden ended his dignifed and
pathetic letter of June, 1884, declining
his party's denomination for the Presiden-
cy. But in reality his public career closed
seven years earlier with the decision OF
that Electoral Commission which the De-
mocracy had invoked to settle the mo.
mentous dispute in regard to. the success
sion. He did indeed continue 10 retain
his powerful hold on his party; he died
the most honored of Democrats, the lead
er Of their leaders. Still, after 1867
the people naturally enough regarded
him as a man whose public career was all
behind him; and since 1880, the Demo.
cratic National Convention Of that year
having decided mott to place 'the old tick.
ct in the field, the general interest at.
taching to him has been that Of rcminis.
cence and not of expectation.
The record that survives him is that of
n public spirited citizen who accomplish
ed much good work for the common veal.
In this city his name will always be CRATE
fully cherished because to him. more
than to any other one man, with the pos.
sible exception Of Charles O'Conor, the
overthrow of the Tweed ring and of the
Judges who had defled the ermine at the
beck and for the pay Of that ring is to be
credited. Throughout the State the same
feeling Of gratitude will insure the per
petuity Of his fame because he SO valiant.
ly and efficiently came to the rescue of
the people from the scoundrels that were
using the canals to plumber the State
Treasury. Each Of these signal reforms
which he accomplished was of great and
lasting importance, and they richly en-,
title Mr.. Tilden to a place among New
York's public bencfactors. No other
Democrat Of his generation has brought
forth as much fruit meet for general com.
mendation. Therefore his primacy in his
party was not fortuitous but logical. It
rested on solid merit, on patriotic achieve
ment. On the other hand, 1. Is not to be
forgotten in the review that there were
other chapters in his career which by no
means thus met with the general approx
al. During the civil war his great influ-
encc was far from being a power for good
on the right side. He surrendered to the
i%nflationists 10 his canvass of 1870. The
s%acrilegious conspiracy to purchase the
Presidency vas traced to his home, and II
not to him personally, to his accredited
agents. These considerations have DUAL.
flied the popular regard for Mr.. Tildcn,
and history win take note of them in
making her ultimate estimate Of him as
statesman, politician, patriot.
But for the present criticism is hushed.
To-day finds his c%ountrymen rejecting
only upon the great good that was in the
man and sincerely sorrowing at the loss
OF SO much sterling worth. That his
death is q most serious calamity to the po-
htical organization to whose fortunes he
was 50 passionately devoted Is evident.
There seems to be no one to take his
place. Horatio Seymour-that other fav.
orite son Of Democracy who preceded
him but a little into the silent land-was
q wise counsellor and an always inspiring
presence, but he lacked that combination
Of qualities which made the sage Of Grey.
stone such n political force. Seymour was
a statesman, but not a politician. Tilden
was both. He understood how to organ.
lie and conduct a canvass on the most
skillful lines while at the same time he
was an accomplished student Of the un.
DERIVING principles Of government; he
was equally at home N practical and
philosophical politics.-N Y. Tribune.