The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1886-08-14

court; James Gallagher, chairman
OF the Connecticut State Democratic
Committee; Assistant Treasurer Cnas.
j. Canda; NJ. j. Fryer, superintendent
OF the Washington post-otfice building;
State Comptroller A. c. Chaplin, State
Bank Superintendent Maxwell; M. S.
Eustis, of Gov. Hills staff; ex-senator
Charles HI. Hughes and Clifford n.
Bartlett, and Gen. James ID. Pearsall,
formerly of the governors staff.
Samuel Jones Tilden was born in New
Labanon, Columbia County, n. Y, Feb
ruary 8, 1914, where his grandfather, John
Tilden, settled in 1890, and where his
father Elan Tilden, was a farmer and
merchant. Samuel entered Yale College in
1888, but soon left that institution and
graduated at the University OF New York
He was admitted to the bar III 1871 and
began practice in New York Ci;y. In 1914
the Morning News, daily pa er, was es.
tahished in New York, to advocate the
election to the presidency of James h.
Polk. Mr.. Tilden invested capital in this
enterprise and became the editor of the
journal, which position he held until after
the election. In 1916 he was elected to the
New York Assembly, and in 1916 was
CHOSEN II mem Der Oh bNe COubtiluliOudi CO1l'
vention, where he was made member OF
the committee on finance and canals. In
1855 he was defeated as the "Soit-ShelP'
Democratic candidate for attorney general
OF New York. Mr.. Tilden now devoted
himself TO his profession His practice was
very extensive, and by it he amassed con.
siderable wealth. Besides other important
cases he was counsel in 1856 for Azariah
G. Fiagg IN the case growing out of the con.
ba roll IA nj
New York City; in 1857 for the relatives OF
Dir. Burdel against the claims of Mrs. Gun
ningham, and for the Pennsylvania Coal
Company in the suit brought by the Dea-
ware d Hudson Canal Company. Mr.. Til
den became chairman OF the Democratic
state committee in 1866. and was lead
ing member of the constitutional conven-
tion OF 1867, serving with distinction on
the finance committee. He became an in
defatigable laborer in the cause Of judicial
and political reform in the city of New
York, and in 1S69-70 was active in the
organization OF the Bar Association. When
the contest wes woged against the members
of the "rammany Ring holding city offices,
who weIe charged with defrauding the city
treasury OF many million dollars, Mr..
Tilden rendered invaluable services to the
cause oireiorm by his famous analysis OF
the accounts OF the Broadway Bank, show.
had shared their spoils, and furnishing legal
proof for their conviction. In 1872 he was
again elected to the General Assembly,
where be continued his exertions in the
cause oi reform. In 1874 he was elected
governor OF New York by plurality OF
80 ,31T votes over john A. Dix (Repub-
lican) and Myron H. Clark (Prohibilionist.
He was naugurated January L, 1875, and
soon after declared war against the Canal
Ring" which resulted in the overthrow OF
that organization. When the National
Democratic convention assembled in st.
Louis in June, 1876, Gov. Tilden wac
the leading candidate for the first place on
the ticket. On the first ballot he received
403h of the 713 votes cast. When the vote
for the second ballot was finally ann ounced,
Gov. Tilden had 535 in q whole vote
of 73S. The nomination was made unani-
nous, and he was declared the Democratic
candidate for The presidency. He accepted
the nomination in a brief speech on July
IL. His formal letter OF acceptance was
dated July 81.
The election took place on the 18th OF No.
vember, and the popular vote was as fol
lows: Hayes Rep, 4,033 295; Illden
(Dem.), 4,2S4, ,265. OF the electoral votes
Hayes received 166 and Tiden f84, with
the votes d South Carolina, Florida and
Louisiana,-19 in number-in doubt, and
claimed By both sides. The votes OF these
states were counted by the Canvasslng
boards with a result in favor of the Repub-
lican presidential electors. This resuIt, at
the canvass by Congress OF all the state re-
turns of the presidential election, would
give the Republican candidate (Mr. Hayes
one majority, and secure his election. The
Democrats however, asserted that the can
vassing boards in each OF the above-men
toned states had made an unjust canvass;
that the popular vote in each had been in
favor of the Democratic electors by a con-
siderable majority; that lega! Democratic
votes in large numbers had been rejected,
and that by the people the Democratic can
didate for the presidency had been elected.
The certificates of the results in each state,
sent to Washington under the official seal
of the respective governors, gave the elec.
tion to Mr.. Hayes by one vote. AT all pre-
vious elections the canvass OF Congress had
been confined exclusively to these certi1-
Gates. It was, therefore, manifest that
canvass by Congress, conducted like all pre-
vious ones, would elect the Republican can
didate or terminate in a disagreement be-
tween the two houses. At this time the
Lower House was lcrgely Democratic, the
Senate Republican and the Executive
Grant Republican. disagreement be-
tween the two houses would have ter.
minated the canvass without choice.
Under these circumstances, an act was
passed to refer all contested cases to COM
mission consisting OF senator's, representa-
tives and judges of the supreme court. II
it decided these according to the face of the
certificates, the Republican candidate would
be elected, il it decided to investigate the
local proceedings in the contested states
prior TO the governors ceI Itificstes, these
then, might be set aside, and the Demo
cratic candidate elected. The Democrats
advocated the latter course, but the com
mission adopted the former, and Mr. Hayes
declared to be elected. The people ac
quiesced in the decision. and the new Presi-
dent was duly inaugursted, and entered on
the administrat tion of the government.
Mr.. Tilden accepted the decision of the
electoral commission, and went into retire
ment at his country seat. 'Greystone, on
the Hudson, whore tie increasing infirmi-
ties of age made him quite q Fecluse. HE
friends fabed in the endeayor to renomi.
nate bin at Cincinnsti in 1850, but he con-
tiUusd power in the Democratic party to
the day OF his death.