The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1886-08-26
THE MYSTERIOUS STATESMAN
ssTHE SAGACIOUS SAMMY MAR.
TIN VAN BUREN CALLED HIM.
George Alfred Townsend Re Represents Mr..
Tilden As "a Com binatiOn of the Ide-
alist and of the Economists

AN IA HIN.
George Alfred Townsend Represents Mr..
Tilden As "A Combination of the Ide-
alist and of the Economist"
Since the death of Mr. Tilden we have
read many obituaries Of the distinguished
statesman. Democratic and Republican
editors have weighed his life and summed
up, from their standpoint its value to the
world Nowhere have we seen so inter
esting sketch as from the pen of the cele-
brated Rev. DR.. Buckley. editor of the
New York Christian Advocate. DR.. Buck
ley is a Republican of ''the straitest sect
and of course writes from that standpoint.
For us we prefer to read the opinion of a
political enemy Of distinguished politician
than of political friend. While there is
apt to be bias there is put on record the
man as he impressed himself upon his
opponents. This gives clearer insight
into the mans character than does the
tribute of friend. DR.. Buckley calls
Mr.. Tilden ''the mysterious statesman
of American history" and his sketch is
full of incidents showing that his personal
| character was shrowded from the public
in ''veil of mystery which had both its
voluntary and involuntary elements.
Dr. Buckley begins by quoting from Mr..
Tilden that he had no youth, and that us
a boy he was diffident and shy, studying
and investigating when others were play
ing or enjoying the pleasures of society
ellis habit was, says DR.. Buckley, ''to
weigh both sides of every question, and
therein he resembled, though in other par
ticulars entirely different, the late Henry
J. Raymond, founder of The New York
Times, and the effect was to some extent
similar, for both of these men men saw
both sides of every question so fully as to
be under the power Of both sides, which
produced an equilibrium, sometimes caus-
ing hesitation when the crisis required
| action"
Of his ability the learned Doctor says:
''Mr. Tilden had intellectual qualities
of the vely highest order He could sit
down before a mass of incoherent state
ments and figures that would drive most
men insane, and elucdate them by the
most painstaking investigation, and feel
| Il pleasure in the work. Indeed, an init
mate friend of his assures US that his eye
would CLEAN with delight when task was
| set before him from which most men would
pay large sums to be delivered"
The notion that Mr.. Tilden was poor
speaker, because when he was candidate
for President he was physically unable to
speak with much force, is combatted. To
quote again:
''But twenty years ago, for clearness of
statement and for an easy and straight
forward method of speech, he had few SUI
periors. His language was excellent his
manner that of Il man who had something
| to say and was intent on saying it. He
was at no time a tricky orator, nor did he
aim at rousing the feelings, but in the
clearest possible manner he would make
| his points, and no amount of pre- judice
was sufficient to resist his conclusions
DR.. Buckley speaks of Mr. Tildep's ex-
posure of the Tweed ring as follows;
ono more extraordinary episode ever
occurred than his break with William NJ.
Tweed and his devoting himself to the
work of overthrowing that gigantic ring.
1t is not our purpose to treat the whole
subject, but the manner of the break was
so tragic that it should be detailed. Viii
liam NJ Tweed had gope on buying men
and legislatures and enriching himself
| until he had reached the state of mind in
which he said to the public, 'What are
| you SOllS W tlO ttOOCU II. liz tlllt
came when he sat in his gorgeously fur
nshed apartment in Albany as chairman
Of a certain committee of tbs Senate.
Samuel J. Tilden appeared before the com
| mlttee to represent certain interest. On
| that occasion Mr. Tweed, who was either
intoxicated with liquor or intoxicated with
pride and vanity, grossly insulted Mr.. Til
den, spoke to him in the most disrespect
full manner, and closed by saying; ''You
are an old humbug, you always were
humbug, and we don't want to hear any
thing from you" Mr.. Tilden turred pale,
and then red, and finally livid. A spec
tator, a man second to none in this State
for position, informed us that as he gazed
| upon Mr.. Tilden he was terrified. Not a
word did he utter he folded up his books
and papers and departed. AS he went the
spectator said within himself, This man
means murder; there Will never be any
accommodation of this difficulty"
Back to the city of New York came Mr..
Tild n. He sat down with the patience
and with the keen scent of sleuth- hound,
and unravelled all the mystery of the in
lquity which had cursed the city of New
York, and of which William NJ Tweed
was the master spirit.
Judge Noah Davis said 10 an ayquaint-
anGe thai 'tr. Tilden's preparation of the
cases against Tweed and his confederates
was one OF the most remarkable things he
had ever seen or heard Of He said that
Tilden would take the mutilated stubs of
check-bOoks and construct a story out of
them. He had restored the case of the
city against the purloiners as "a anato-
mist, by the means of two or three bones,
would draw you picture of the animal
who mad inhabited them in the Palaon-
tologioal Age"
! 1t will be remembered that Chief Justice
Noah Davis tried the cases and sentenced
Tweed"
The doctor does not say that the insult
given by Tweed caused Mr. Tilden to ap-
pear as a reformer. But that is his unjust
inference, for he says:
''That he had not so appeared until the
occasion referred to, and that Immediately
afterward he began the investigation and
, movements which ended in the utter over
throw of William N. Tweed, are beyond
question. There came time when Tweed,
trembling in his very soul, sent a commu-
nication to Mr.. 1ilden, offering anything
if he would relax, but no bronze statue
was ever more silent and immovable than
Samuel j. Tilden at that time
DR.. Buckley thinks-as does every one
! else-that Craft had very important
place in Mr.. Tiiden's composition. He says
sJt was not tho craft Of tho foy. II