Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from The Writings and Speeches of Samuel J. Tilden, Vol. 1 of 2
Indeed, so far as the literary faculty can express itself in practical politics, it may be said to have left its impress dis tinctly upon the character of Mr. Tilden's leadership. He always relied for his in?uence upon ideas rather than upon patronage or party machinery, while fully comprehending the limited efficacy of both; he studied rather to satisfy universal than individual needs, and to guide his party by general prin ciples than by temporary expedients. Of what is called patron age he can scarcely be said to have ever had any to dispense. He held his ascendency with the Democratic masses Of New York at a time when he had to confront the opposition of the executive, Of the heads Of departments, of the judiciary, of a majority of both branches of the Legislature, and Of at least one third of the county leaders. He also held a majority in New York State against at least twenty thousand hostile Othee holders. It is true he carried on his politics upon a plane which for a man Of inferior abilities would be impracticable, and to most of his own friends seemed impracticable, a plane upon which he probably would not have ventured himself if he had not been ready at any moment to return to private life. It was his notion Of leadership to hitch his party to a star and he had little esteem for men pretending to be great political leaders who, while swaying all the patronage Of the country, - Federal, State, and local, - failed to hold their own party or a majority Of the people.
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