New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-18
THE TILDEN PARALLEL.

ncntS with copying MIR. 11ldcn tacVlCs. Coh-
cressman Weaver, for example, remarks that
g. men who have read and remember the letter
of Samuel j. Tilden in 1880 and who know
what that meant, will not be in serious doubt
as to the meaning of this letter of MIR. Blaine $.
He is one of the shrcwdcst politicians In the
country, and has learned good deal by study
ing the tactics of the greatest Democratic
leader of modern timcs.' Mr.. George William
Curtis in like manner, characterzcs the letter
of declination as "very like Mr. Tilden's letter
written under somewhat similar circumstances,
and is evidently the carefully considered prod
uct Of shrewd political manager" Similar
expressions of opinion from leading Democrats
and Mugwumps might be quoted IN
great number. In the dialect OF
the slums, which the Cleveland Re-
formers regularly use as best express
ing their ideas. "the Blaine or-Busters arc
working the Tildcn racket"
The parallel requires critical attention, be-
cause those who question Dir. Blaine 5 sincerity
apparently depend upon it in order to explain
their suspicious. Mr. Tilden wrote letter OF
defamation Mr.. Blaine has also written one.
To this extent the parallel holds good; but
the circumstances in which each letter was
written disclose sharply divergent lines. Mr..
Tilden's letter was not pub! shed months in
advance Of the assembling of the Democratic
National Convention and long before the dele
gates had been chosen. II was read to the
New-York delegation at Cincinnati on the eve
Of the convention. For months Mr.. Tlldens
real intentions were shroudcd in impcnetrabie
mystery Even his most trusted hcutenants
q IL. off, with
positiyencss that he was or was not candl-
date 1t was not until the last moment that his
Withdrawal from the canvass was authorta-'
lively announced. Mr.. Blaine certainly has not
followed the Democratic veterans tactics In This
respect. He has not waited until the dele
gates were elected and actually in session. He
has withdrawn from the canvass nearly fve
months in advance of the convention, leaving
rival candidates free to form what combina-
tons they please and the Republican party I'M
trammeled in the choice Of delegates. He
has made no mystery Of his intentions. He has
taken the whole country into his confidence
Mr. Tilden, like Mr.. Blaine, had been de-
seated in the previous Presidential election out
there wern nnlitcaI reasons for his declinafiOn-
understood alike by bis party and himself,
which have not stood in the way of the Repub-
lean leaders, advancement. The disclosures
of the cipher dispatches had fatally impaired
his chances Of election, if not of nomination.
lie knew, and the Democratic patty as well,
that the Infamous conspiracy for the purchase
of the electoral votes of two or three Suites
had compromised his chances as Presidential
candidate Every delegate at Cincinnati was
aware that the party would be placed upon its
IL 10
whose political agents and even relatives had
virtually been convicted of trailicking in the
attempted purchase and delivery of electoral
Notes.-The most monstrOus crime in the pollticaf
history Of the country. The Republican
apsenals were filled with fresh supplies OF
ammunition that could be used against him.
He had become most vulnerable candidate.
and the delegates were conscious of his weak
ness and well satisfied to be relieved OF the
necessity Of nominating him. How different
is the situation with Mr.. Blaine Nothing has
occurred since his defeat to weaken him as a
candidate The Democratic powder had ali
been burned against him in 1884. There were
no cipher dispatches in the way Of his renom-
nation The great majority of Republican
voters were eager to have HIM again take tho
more available than ever. There was no politi-
ca, necessity for his withdrawal as there had
been in Mr.. Tilden's case.
Aside from these contrasts in the circrm-
stances in which the letters were written, a
final consideration remains that Is decisive
against the relevancy of the parallel. Ii Ar.
Blaine really wants the nomination. is inslncere
in his letter and has planned great political
stroke after the manner of Mr.. TIden, what
announcement does the Democratic states
mans fate in 1880 offer? Did the nomination.
10 to Mr.. Tildcn after he had written his letter
of declination He received thirty-eight votes
in the first ballot. six in the second and one In
Che last. There was no spontaneous movement
in his favor. The Democratic delegates voted
Tor General Hancock with one accord. The
great political coup, if it were intended to be
one, was a complete fiasco Why should Mr..
Blaine, if he really desired the nominations
have been inspired by that fasco to repeat Mr..
TiIdcn's tactics The failure of plot is not
ordinarily considered good omen for its sue
cessful repetition. Perhaps Mr.. Curtis can
sraighten out this crooked parallel. Until he
and his colleagues in defamation by innuendo
can do this the grace of silence would greatly
become them