The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-08-11
Samuel J. rilden.


At the ripe age of seventy two years,
Elk Gov. Samuel Jones Tiden, of New
York, died at Greystone, his residence,
near Yonkers, n, Y, at 500 a. m, on
The 4th inst.
In the death of Mr.. Tildeu, the Demo
cratic party loses its greatest leader;
for, though advanced in years and fee
BILE in strength, his was the master mind
on which his party associates relied for
that wisdom in council which made
party success possible.
Mr.. Tilden's career has been a re-
markable one. As lawyer, law maker,
statesman, financier and man of affairs,
he has not had superior among his
contemporaries. His greatest renown
rests upon what he accomplished as
reformer of the methods and practices of
the Democratic purity in the State of
New York, being at the time one of its
most trusted members. If he had done
no other service for the State he would
deserve unbounded gratitude for having
shown to the small-calibre politicians of
the country, that it is possible for man
to be member of political party aud
vet not be bound by its evil deeds. Mr..
Tilden ousted the Tweed and Canal
wings. His was the labor and his the
reward; for the people of New York
when, in 1876, he was the Democratic
candidate for President, gave him
majority of more than thirty thousand
votes.
Mr.. Tilden is best known through
out the country as the D9moc ratio can
didate for the Presidency in 1876, when,
after he had been triumphantly elected,
he was fraudulently deprived of the
Office through the agency of the
infamous Electoral Commission, which
seated in his stead the no less Infamous
fraudulency, Rutherford B. Hayes. At
that time, whea urged to assert his
rights, he lid: II will never be party
to any course which will array my
countrymen 10 civil war against each
other. | will not have stain of
bloodshed on my garments" This sen
timent was worthy the heart of any
man, but was taken by Mr.. Tilden's
critics as an evidence of his timi1ity.
Though Mr.. Tiden failed to get the
Office to which he had been elected in
1876, and though there was much
criticism of the indecisive part ne took
iu the events succeeding the election, he
was a prominent candidate before the
Democratic Convention again in 1880,
and would doubtless have been nomi-
mated, had he consented beforehans. to
the use of his pame.
He was a devoted Democrat and
possessed the love and esteem of all his
political as well as social acquaintance.
We append a sufficient account of the
important incidents of his life:
Samuel Jones Tilden was born in
New Lebanon, Columbia county, n. Y,
| February 8, 1914. He entered Yale
College in 1888, but abandoned his
course in that Institution aud graduated
from the University of New York He
studied law, was admitted to the bar in
| 1871 and began practice in New York
city. With the establishment of the
| Morning News, iu New York, a journal
| designed ito advocate the election of
James X. PolK to the Presidency, Mr..
riiden entered journalism, becoming
editor and part proprietor of the paper.
| He was elected to the State Assembly in
| lS45 and to the Constitutional ConveD-
| ton in 1916, serving in the latter body
ON the Committee on Finance and
Canals In 1855 he was defeated as the
candi date of the .'Softshelf' Democracy
| for Attorney General, and then turned
| to his profession, to which he devoted
himself assiduously and in which he
amassed considerable wealth. Mr. Tilden
returned to active political life in 1866,
when he was chosen Chairman of the
New York Democratic State Committee,
and in 1867 he took a leading part in
the proceedings of the State Constitu-
tional Convention, serving with distinc-
ton as member of the Committee on
Finance. He entered with remarkable
zeal and courage into the. work of
reforming the judicial and political
systems of the State and citv, aud
participated actively in the organization
of the Bar Association in 1S69-70. In
the war upon the Tammany ring, Mr..
Tilden's services were invaluable, aud it
was mainly through his efforts that the
stupendous frauds were exposed and
punishment melted out to the corrupt
officials. In 1872 he was again called to
the Assembly, and in 1874 was chosen
Governor of New York by plurality of
50,3l7 votes over John A. Dix, Repub
lican, and Myron r.. Clark. Prohibition
|, list. Immediately after his inauguration
, as Governor he entered upon that
remarkable contest which resulted in the
| humiliation of the New York canal
! ring. His course as Governor brought
, him q national reputation, and when
the Democratic National Convention
assembled in St. Louis in June, 1876. his
nomination as the head of the ticket was
q foregone conclusion. The nomination
Twas made upon the second ballot by $50
, out Of 73S votes and was then declared
unanimous. On July IL he accepted
the nomination in brief speech and on
the 3lst his formal acceptance was made
public The result of the campaign oil
1876 was one of the most profound sensa
? tions in the history of the nation, and al
its close Mr.. Tiden gradually Withdrew
D from active political life, retaining
however, q leading place in the councils
| Of his party, whose leaders were
frequently indebted 70 his wisdom and
foresight for success In 1850 aud 1884
Mr.. Iilden was again prominent
lcandidate for the Presidential nomina.
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