The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-09-01

to maintain them. He presented line
of action, lie prepared magazine OF
instruction. These were set aside, and
in lieu of them, a bridge was con-
structed, over which the conspiratorS
could, and did, walk in safety
Facts are presented showing that the
presidency was for sale, and that il was
offered the Democrats who refused to
buy it. Afterwards, duriny the inves-
tigation relative to the cipalcr dispatches
Mr.. Tildeu said
I had a perfectly fixed purpose, from
which / never deviated iu word or act
a purpose which was known to or as
sumed by all which whom | was in
habitual communication, if the presid-
eucy of the United States was to be dis
posed of by certificates TO be won from
corrupt returning board by any form of
venal inducements, whether of Offices or
money, | was resolved to take no part in
the shameful competition, and l took
none | had been nominated
and | was elected without one limitation
of my perfect independence
was resolved to go into the presidential
chair in full command of all my re-
sources for usefulness, or not at all.
These words are the index to his en-.
tire course during that reign of bargain
and sale by which the presidency was
put upon the block and sold. Mr.. Til
den would have been nominated in 1880
or in 1884, and the party wanted him,
but his health was such that he declined
to lead the fight. 1t was a great mis-
take, and if the party had bravely nom
mated the old ticket, the Democratic
party would have won four years sooner
than it did The crime of 1875 ought to
have been avenged by the election Of the
men who were defrauded. But Mr..
TiIden's i'll health and other ambitions
prevented.
Mr.. Tilden always held Senator Bay
ard and Senator Thurman chiefly re-
sponsble for the back-down which kept
him out of the Presidency. Mr. Bige-
low says that the late James G.. Blaine,
serving as one of the visitors at West
Point Military Academy, year or two
after the inauguration of Hayes, ex-
pressed himself to me as greatly sur
prised when the Democrats in Congress
assented to the plan of an electoral COM
mission He added that if the Demo
Gratis had been firm the Republicans had
no alternative but to yield, and such was
the result which he had anticipated"
There is so much of absorbing inter
terest in the life of Mr.. Tilden that needs
to be emphasized at this time that it is
difficult to know where to make an end.
His opponents called him "the greatest
politician America has produced" He
was a statesman-politician, that is, he
was a statesman who knew that thorough
organization and we'll disciplined forces
were as essential to win political as well
as real battles. He never went into cam
paign that he did not drill his men as
thoroughly as any military genius, and
near him he always had an "Old Guard"
that would fight where the battle ragged
the hottest. But timidity, coward
ice, fear, and lack of gener-
alship in Washington gave away
the victory which his career as a great
Reformer and his genius of generalship
had won. His career illustrates the best
side of modern Democracy; devotion to
party principles and independence of
party shackles. No man can read his
life without being inspired with frmer
faith in the stability of free government,
greater confidence in the ability of the
people to govern themselves, and I'M
wavering belief in the efficacy of the
principles of the Democratic party for
all time and for every condition, eft for
every change and chance"