Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-02-21
wArTERsoN ON TILDEN.
CommemoratiOn of the Birthday An
niVersary ofthe Democratic Sage.

ntVersary orthe Democratic sage.
NEW YORK, Feb. 10.-Yesterday be-
ing the anniversary of Samuel ]. Til
den's birth the occasion was marked
last night by the Harlem Democratic
club, with a memorial banquet at which
Henry Watterson delivered an address
of commemoration. The following are
utteraEces from that address:
"Whilst he lived no detraction or
obloquy could make me afraid or
ashamed TO pay to him homage the
most disinterested and sincere, and now
that he is dead and there can be no
longer a selfish motive ascribed to my
estimate of the man, and his work and
worth, / feel a kind of triumph in re-
peating it, with the added emphasis
not only of a personal bereavement in
his loss but of a fixed belief I'm its
truth. > .
"The nomination of Horace Greeley,
at Cincinnati, fell as a bOmb-shell in
the Democratic camp. The impossible
had come to pass, and whilst profess
sional politicians, disgruntled and dis
mayed, were halting and doubling, the
clear mental vision of this astute and
practical statesman saw that the i'm
possible embraced the inevitable.
"He was chairman of the New York
State Democratic Committee, and at
this critical juncture we were thrown
much together, and finding ourselves
in entire agreement, whilst so many of
our associates were hesitating and
hanging back, there arose between us a
strong fellowship of opinion and SYM
pathy. When, two years later, | saw
my yokemate in misfortune nominated
and elected Governor of New York,
what wonder that thought that at last
the man had come and that the party
had found its long sought leader. :"
"He had never sought office; but he
was not Indifferent to it.
ut would not be easy to picture a
more engaging personality than that of
this eminent and genial man at the
time when elected Governor. He had
never married; but his encourage was
that of the completest and most per-
feet domesticity, dsfigured by none of
the isolation and squalor which so often
accompany prolonged celibacy. His
house in Grammercy Park was the
abode of a respectability as unchal-
"His hospitality, though profuse,
was select and never sparing, was never
ostentatiOuS II + i
"He was fond of young people, par
ticularly of young girls, and drew them
about him, and was a veritable sirrOgeT
de coverley in his gallantries toward
them and his zeal in their service. u
HE took his wine, not plenteously
though he enjoyed it, and slipped his
whisky and water on occasions with a
pleased composure redolent of discOur'
sive talk, of which he was q mastel.
His condolences were not effusive
nor were their subjects numerous.
"His deliberation was unfailing and
sometimes carried the idea of indecis'
ion, not to say a love of procrastina
| ton.
IA character further from the sub
tie schemer, sitting behind his con
cealment and pulling his wires-whicl
his political and party enemies discov
cred him to be as soon as he began tt
get in the way of the machine and t.
obstruct the march of the self-elect-i
would be hard to find. u =
"He did not believe in promises a.
specifics for reform. His pursuit o
good government was as the pursuit o.
other men for fame and fortune" u
Referring to Mr.. Tilden's candidacy
in 1876, and his subsequent declina
tions in 1880 and 1884, Mr.. Wattersor
said:
"King Lake, the historian of the wa
in the Crimea, describes the impression
which Louis Napoleon made upor
Europe when, in 1883, he reappeared a
Prince President of France, as that of ,
man who had twice fallen out of ,
balloon without hurting himself. Th'
case of Mr.. Tilden is much stronge
one. 1t presents us the. spectacle of ;
man who was once elected to the chic
magistracy, twice declined nomina
tions to that great office, one at least o
which was surely equivalent to al
; election. In each instance his declina
tion was entirely genuine. He desired
the nomination as little in 1880 as il
1854. There was never more mis-
taken notion than that he was mai
eager for place or willing to make sacri
fees to obtain it. III
II know that Mr.. Tilden did no
make promise to spend dollar to ob
tain the nomination in 1876, AMI that
within my personal knowledge, h
twice refused corrupt arrangements, b.
either one of which his nominatio
would have been reasonably sure. "
II never heard him utter word O
complaint touching the cavalier treat
ment he received in the Cincinnati cor
vention in 1880. He believed that tn
nomination of the old ticket was tn
. logic of the situation; but he had n
. wish, personal to himself, on the sui
ect, and, if the nomination had, !
spite of his letter come to him, he woul
g have accepted it. " it
"It is undoubtedly true that M
Tilden wanted to be President, an
that he believed himself elected to b
e but rather than enter the White Hous
e by the back door he preferred not
1 enter at ALL"