The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-11
TILDEs's BIRTHDAY.

birthday Of Tilden by brilliant banquet
on Tuesday evening. The birthday Of
Tilden, as Democratic Latter Day Saints
go, is not without title to honor. In
purely intellectual sense Tilden was the
ablest mind the Northern Democracy has
produced since the death of Siias Wright.
In moral power he was inferior TO Wright.
but IN learning and power of literary ex-
preston he vas his superior, as he was
the superior of any statesman Of his party
during the last fifty years, save Calhoun.
Tilden was an able political thinker and
writer when but nineteen years of age,
winning praise for his precocioGs power
from Washington Irving. During nearly
fifty years Of active career he was distin-
guished as jurist, politician, an admin
istrator and executive; he was an untiring
student; he had great practical talents;
he was all his life directly or indirectly
concerned with the transaction of import
ant public business, and retired from their
performance with a reputation for admir-
able ability. Hewas distinguished fig
ure in his party az political thinker and
writer before ne was twenty-five years of
age; from 1888 70 1873 he was conspicuous for
the ability OF his published papers. lie was
not an orator, but his pen was at once
acute, powerful and at times full of
nervous eloquence of expression. His
conduct of the case against "the Tweed
Ring" was mastery in its skill and re-
lentless in its vigor, and his destruction Of
the canal ring, when governor, was marked
by the same capacity.
His life until his health failed was one
of incessant public activity, including
many great and useful labors, to which he
was called, not through any personal
popularity, nor altogether through polIti-
cal chicane on his part, but largely be-
cause of his superior ability for all kinds
of public business, from that of legisla-
ton up to the higher performances
~ politician of the first order
OF talent. He began his political
career in 1888 as an able champion of Jack
son and the Union against Calhoun; he
sat at the feet of Silas Wright, accepted
his "free soiln principles and supported
Martin Van Buren, as the "free soil" can
didate for president III 1s4s. These free
soil' principles he soon threw overheard
and was an uniinching opponent of Lin
coins administration and his "war''
policy. He became Tammany Demo-
crat, was the manager of that corrupt
campaign of 1865, when Hoffman was
elected governor by gigantic frauds and
Seymour carried the state over Grant.
Then he turned on Tammany and rode
into power as a reformer over the dead
bodies of the Tweed ring.
To Tilden seemingly party was only
horse to ride into power and pelf, and then
to be dismissed with a kick when it
foundered and began to go lame. He
neither trusted, much less loved any of his
party peers in intellect; his contidants
were comparatively small, if not cheap
men. Measured by his gifts, and the en-
ergy, industry and ability with which he
used them, Tilden ought TO have risen 90
the rank of great statesman, and the
fact that with all his rare public abilities
and valuable, important services he missed
n place among the greatest aud noblest
figures of his time is the instructive moral
ofthis remarkable mans career. He Illus
trates better than any man of his time, I'M
less it be Caleb Cushing, and better than
any living man OF eminence unless it be
General Butler, the truth that learning.
scholarship, subtlety of intellect, practical
talent, backed by exhaustiess mental
energy, ambition and industry, will not
make man of genius statesman, if he is
without high personal convictions or
principles such rs we call party faith or
private conscience.
In his early career conspicuous as
the champion of Jackson and the union
against Calhoun. and later as the advocate
of the free soil" party. he lived to become
a bitter pro-slavery Democrat and the
ablest enemy of Lincoln, who was elected
president on the very same platform
Of mo more slave territory" which
Tilden, rs "a barn burner Democrat, al
vocated when he supported Van Buren, in
ISis. For years the confidant OF the Tam
many ring leaders, he was the first to leap
from the unseaworthy ship and open fire
upon his old mcssmates until he sunk the
craft on WHACls ne llaA 80 often SAlled NHeO
the weather was fair Then he turned on
Kelly. whose help he had accepted 10
crush Tweed; he seemed TO easily convert
his conscience to support any cause his
ambition approved; TO know no such thing
rs public Observation-Disclosures, SIS personal
loyalty to great public cause separated
from private interest.
Here Mr. Tilden tell short of the highest
moral qualifications for the first rank of
craftsmanship; he never sunk himself in
any cause; he had keen instinct which
taught him when he thought the reform
horse was likely to win. but he rode i; not
because it was the reform racer, but be-
cause it promised 10 win the cup. Tilden
was not primarily for corrupt politics or
reform; he was primarily for Tilden.
He stood over the drowning Tweed
and pushed his head under water.
bat he never offered TO hurt him until
he had been actually dung overheard