The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-06-11
THE GREAT DEMOCRAT.
Samuel J. Tilden and the Development
Of his Political Philosophy.

cepted as a satisfactory political BIO /
graphy of the statesman, not merely an I
collection OF miscellane- |
Gus documents. Mr.. Bigelow's preface
the best characterization Of
Mr.. TiIdeh that has yet appeared. In
less than a score of pages we have a
sketch Of his public career and an esti-
mate of his intellectual qualities which
it would be hard to better in respect Of
vtgor, insight, or justice. The plan
followed by the editor in the body Of the
work is equally admirable. The selec-
tion of material is so judicious, and so
lucid are the brief chapters in which
Mr.. Bigelow carries the reader from
paper to paper, explaining circumstances
and relations, that the book has the In
terest Of a continuous narrative.
Mr.. Tilden seems never to have been
a very young man intellectually. In
the earnest letters in which the boy of
10 attacked the heresy of nullifcatiOn
there is plenty Of evidence of the menta!
grasp and nature and adequate reason
ing which distinguish the more impOr-
tant papers of his later years. Sparing
of speech in public as in private tax
ing up his pen only when consideration
is fully ripe possessing in a wonderful
degree the faculty of anaIy and state
ment never caring much for rhetoric
or pose, and aiming constantly at results
to be reached by strong arguments pre-
sented in the most persuasive way, he
leaves, perhaps, a more definitely crys-
talliZed system Of political philosophy
than any American statesman who is OF
has been his contemporary. Those who
agree with him and those who dissent
from his views OF the fundamental prln-
ciples will be alike impressed with the
| consistency Of the record, as here made
UP. He has been for half a century one
of the few original thinkers in American
/ pOlitics-One of the very few who have
/ succeeded throughout the vicissitudes
! Of party strife in making expediency
bend always TO philosophy. With all
/ Mr.. Tilden's cOnsummate skill in the
/ arts Of partisanship, it is surprising how
/ little of the partisan, in the narrow
sense. appears il his declarations. His
calm thought and wise fore-thought
have Illuminated every one of the great
questions of the last fifty years and
yet whose recorded uSteTances, cOnsid-
cred as whole or in detail, can better
stand the test Of judgment in the light
| Of present knowledge
| The development that may be traced
as one follows Mr.. TiIden's career from
KindeThOOk to GTaystOne, is not so much
that of the political philosopher as OF
5he man Of action. There is, as we said
no crudity even in his earliest political
essays. Nature gave him at the outset
the full armament for intellectual war
fare. His treatment of the difficult
problems affecting the national finances
under Jackson's and Van Burcn's Ad
mjnistraUions, his resistance of thu
/ slayehOlding powers attempt to max,
the naturalization Of slavery the tes
article Of Democratic faith, his loya
efforts to avert the danger of secession
and the frightful struggle he so clearl,
fOresaw and predicted, are all charac
teTized by the same comprehensive in
teIIigeuce as manifests itself in his pub
lie writings and speeches after his idea
had begun to dominate the party. Tn
evolution, the progressive movemen
that may be traced through the tw
volumes is the growth Of Mr.. Tilden'
personal influence on party cOunsels an
the COuntry's affsirs-a steady move
, ment, carrying him from obscurity t
! fame, aud through municipal, State
. and national politics to the foremos
place. This is what gi-es the book
I unity ana dramatic interest not ofte
possessed by such compilations. TIL
good taste and skill of Mr.. Bigelow
unObtTusiYe management Of this them
p deserve the highest praise. A hundre
7 thousand words of explanation coul
/, not have made more sigifcant the stoI
n which the simple chronological sequenC
q of letters and speeches tells.
s Naturally, there is little in the Doc
g that exhibits Mr.. TildeD as the pract
t cal politician, the greatest master in h
D time Of the arts of party organization
V management, and discipline 1t is
d this aspect alone that many of Mr. T.
q den's fellow citizens have persisted
). regarding him. A remark that has bet
q attributed to Mr.. Tilden, rightly
q wrongly, is Characteristic enough, al
% contains the true explanation of his So
It cess as a party leader. 81 give the
# Issues-issues " he is said TO ha
"a whispered to a friend who approach
d him on the subject of his relations wi
TO the party of which he was then the g
,e tive chief. We think that the bittert
at political enemy of Mr.. Tilden cam
is study his life record as here present
it in its entirety without reaching the CO
victiOn that he rose steadily to col
manding influence by virtue OF t
1n highest qualities of statesmanship, I
ak without increased respect for the 81
Mt cerity Of his motives, the wisdom a
ct answering loyalty of his PATRIOTS
e. and the unselfshness of a career IL
ed ends with dignity in the memora
It. letter declining for a second time
of nOmina ton that meant election to
ay office that is statesmanship's great
~ priZe.-Ihe Cratic.
at
e, q rHTr Z 70, Ix,