It was at his instance that the Democratic party of New York, in the same Convention, pronounced against third-term Presidents, and eftectively strengthened the exposed intrenchments which the country, for eighty years and more, had been erecting against the insidious encroachments of dynasticism. During his career as Governor Mr. Tilden applied the principles of the political school in which he had been educated to the new questions which time, civil war and national affluence had made paramount. He overthrew the Canal Iting, which had become ascendant in all the departments of the State government. He dispersed the lobby which infested the legislative bodies. He introduced a practical reform in the civil service of this State, and elevated the standard of official morality. In his messages he exposed the weakness and inadequacy of the financial policy of the party in power, the mismanagenieni of our canal system, the Federal assaults upon State sovereignty, and

THE BENCH AND BAR.

55T

the pressiiiK need of radical reforms both in tlie Stjite iinj Federal iidministrations." '

It is due to Mr. Tilden, also, to say that he has rarely discussed any matter of public concern without planting the structure of his argument upon the solid ground of fundamental principles. Always cautious in the selection of his facts, singularly moderate in his statements and temperate in his language, he, better than perhaps any other statesman of our time, can afford to be judged by his record. Who that has figured so prominently in public affairs has said or written less that he would prefer not to have said ; less that his maturer judgment cannot approve; less that will not commend itself to the deliberate judgment of thoughtful men and to an uni)rejudiced posterity ?