The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-08-05

subsequent political career, his Pre6lden
tial candidacy and bis public life since thu
decision Of the Electoral Commission ar,
well known.
As A WRITER AND sTATEsMAN.
The public writings and State utterancel
Of Mr.. Tilden show that while he was no
literary man in the professional sense o
ths word he like CAvour, Jefferson, Bis
marCk or PGlmerston used his pen ant
tongue as instruments with which to per
suade and convince. He had o faculty
for literary expression but used II as
means and not as On end. Although /
member Of two Legislatures and OF two
constitutional conventions and conspicu
ous in each, he was most spariDg O.
speeches.
Early in his career Mr.. Tilden showed
great capacity for analysis and argument
In 1887 h0 replied to the attack Of VIM
Leggett upon the inaugural address o.
President Van Buren,. In that attack
filden said: ~ know that there 10 class
Of no.party men who vindicato their claim
to that character by doing injustice to al
even without the excuse Of bias" an Ut
terRrCe which showed a clear conception
Of q large American element
His reply was a remarkable worE
ard attracted great attention. Bigelow Ii
his "TlldOn's Public Writings," says: "HC
held his ascendancy with the Democratic
masses OF New York at a time when hi
had 10 confront the opposition OF the exc
culivo, Of the heads Of departments, OF the
judiciary, OF majority OF both branches
VI the Legislature aud Of at least one.
third Of the county leaders. He also helt
q mHjotiLy in New York State against Al
leasttWenty thouaand hostile otliCeholders
1t was hi1 notion Of leadership 10 Hitch
bis party 10 a star, and he had little es
TEEN for men pretending to bv great polit
ical leaders who. while swaying all the
patronage Of tho country, Federal, STATE
and local, failed 10 hold their own party Of
a mSjority Of tho people"
When q very young man, Tilden though
much oil public questions. In bis nine
teenth year he wrote paper on "Var
Buren, and the Nullihets, in the Columbit
Sentinel 1883, which 80 greatly impressed
Washington Irving, who was then gueB
Of Martin Van Buren, that he asked 10 bC
presented to the young writer.
AaAlNsr THE NuLLIrIRRs.
Says Blgelow: beginning his public
career as a political leader while Genera
Jackson was still President, and when tht
principles Of American RepubliCanisn
were frat comprehenslvely applied to tht
great problems Of finance and revenue
Mr.. Tllden Is one Of the few surviving
statesmen who had the good fortune L
receive his early political training In the
golden aye OF the Democratic party, wher
public measures were thoroughly testet
by tho constitution and by public opinion
= From that epoch to this there hal
been scarcely question Of public con
cern, having It's roots In the constitution
which Mr.. Tilden has not carefully con
Bidered.
flo was the champion Of the Union ant
OF President jackson against Nullllerl
and Mr.. Calhoun. He denounced the
American system Of Mr.. Clay as unCon
slitutonal, unequitable and sectional. lii
vindiCated the removal Of the Govern
ment deposits from tho United Statsi
Bank by President jackson and exploded
tho BophisliCal doctrine Of its lawyers thai
the Treasury ls not an Executive depart
ment. He vlndlCated President Vat
Bnren from the charge made by William
LegVett OF unbOComlng BubsefylenCy Il
the BlAve.holdlng States in bis inAugifa
address. He was among tue first 10 In
Bist Upon free banking Under general laws
thus opening tho business equally 10 all
and a6ollshlng the monopoly which wal
a nearly universal supsrstlLlon. He advo
Gated Tie divorce Of bank and slate, ant
tho establishment oil o sub treasury. HI
asserted tho supervisory control Of thI
Legislature over corporations Of lts owr
creation. lie exposed the enormilies o
Mr. Webslet's scheme 10 pledge the pub
llC lands for payment Of tho debts o
States Ho drew aud vlndlCatsd In 1
learned and able report the Act wlllct
put an end 10 the dlEContent Of the New
York Anti. Renters.