Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1886-08-12
CRAWLING MICHIGAN, THuRsbAy, AUGUST IL 1885, NUMBER
documents, and gave Mr.. ridden national rep.

IA 1874 hs. engaged al pafther IN the publ
patton of the New Yotk Daflt NetOs, and In the
following year was elect d. without pers6nal
enort, to the New York Assembly, where he
used his best efforts to secure call for a State
convention. At the convention Mr.. Tilden be-
came prominent figure, and many OF the most
Important reforms in the. Constitution. with a
view to secure an honest administration were
made at his suggestion.
Owing tqths growth Of bis Legal reputation
hhY the coneelueht insrSase IN his clisnthge he
tpent the next twenty yeats in the pfactice OF
MS profession, taking part, however, in political
matters at recurring elections. This devotion
70 his legal profession and his Successful bust
ness inYestmentf having made him wealthy, he
tnterees ,hi'tise1f in politics. atfd In 1866, when
Horatio Seymour was the Democratic Candidate
Tor @ the Governorship Of New York, Tilden was
Chairman Of the Democratic State Committee.
IL was at this time that he displayed his shrswd-
ness as political manager, for the victory OF
seymour In the midst OF the general disaster
was due as much to Tilden as to the personal
popularity Of the candidate.
THO great 6ght Rgainst the old Tammany
crowd-Tweed, Sweeny; Comet and 0thers--Na
the next event id the history OF Mr. Tildep. His
the, work, and although Tweed and his Tam
manY Hall assoHiates controlled the State con-
ysntlon OF 1869, Tildsn oRtainbd hearing, and
when finally hooted and hissed down, shouted
his prophetic words; "You may refuse to give
me an audience, but the people OF New York
whom you have robbed will hear me-" Subse-
Seymour, Charles OConor, and others, the re-
doubtable committee OF seventy" was formed,
and Tilden led the attack.
With view to stopping the supplies, the first
attack WAS ON Connolly, the treasurer, who after
Consultation with I'll den, turned the treasury
over to deputy named by the committee, and
any attempt OF the corrupt judges to oust him
OH FweedB otder was pfevetited by an opinion
by Mf: 0C6hor sustaining the appointment,
which was confirmed by the Corporation coun-
sci, oGorman. Then followed the examination
pf HNua I'm nd dfa
covery Of the percentages that seemed to be
added to the accounts Of the ring, exposing
Sweeny and Tweed, as well as the smaller
scoundrels.
The fight was continued In the next Demo-
cratic State Convention in 1871, at which ticket
was nominated which was favorable to the Tam
sembly, however, and there secured some
Hmehdhients to the famous Tweed charter
which rendered robbery by public officials less
easy. The result was. as known, that the ring
Judges were impeached, and its members, ex.
cept those who escaped, served time in the peni.
tentiary. TO Samuel j. Tiidcn is due, more
than any bfte else, tho sticcess OF the raid on
Tammafiy.
Mr.. Tilden then entered UPON his career as
Governor In the fall OF 1874 the Democratic
State Convention nominated him for that posi-
ton, and IL was the "still hunt" policy which
nftorward made him famous that gave
him his 81 coo majority over his popular
opponent, General John A. Dix, who had
at the prior election defeated the Demo-
reputation in the crushing out OF the Tweed
regime brought him many Republican votes.
As Governor he broke up the canal ring, in
which both political parties had participated in
the spoils. He refused appointments to men
Unfit for the places sought, and by reason Of
such refusals incurred the ehmity and hatred
OF John Kelly, the sachem Of the tcorRanized
Tammany Club
The success OF Mr.. Tilden as Governor had in
creas od the fame he had acquired by his disrup-
tion of the Tammany ring, and rs the spring OF
1876 approached his availability as Democratic
candidate for the Presidency was very generally
canvassed Believing there was an Augean sta
BILE to be cleaned out In national affairs, Mr. Til
den expressed his willingness to attempt its pu-
rihcntion with as much hope Of success as in
the other onses. He carried the delegation from
his own State, and on the first ballot In the
convention at st. Louis received 4O3 votes. A
two-thirds vote being necessary, he was nomin-
ated on the second ballot by sos votes, and an
enthusiastic Campaign was entered upon, con-
Quoted by Mt; Tilden in person. ...,-
Mr. Tilden was generally conceded, he having
carried all of the Southern States, and New
York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Indiana, the
popular majority being over a quarter OF mill,
ion. The question whether Mr.. Tilden favored
the Electoral Commission or not at the time
was not clear, and has been the subject ol
much controversy since. II was learned some
months afterward that he had strenuously OPP
posed the adoption OF the extra constitutional
scheme recommended by the joint committee
and that he had told some of the nemocratic
leaders that he might lose the Presidency but
that he would not ratfie for it.
The proceedings Of the electoral commission
are common history.