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CHAP. XXXV.

SAMUEL JONES TILDEN.

1843 great Northwestern railroads were his clients. In 1848 he had joined in the Free Soil schism which that question provoked in the Democratic party, but throughout the war maintained that the struggle against the Confederate States could be carried on to a successful termination without having recourse to unconstitutional methods. In 1868 Tilden was the leader of the Democrats in New York State, and, to his honor, he opposed with the utmost determination the corrupt ring which, under the command of William M. Tweed, plundered the city of New York. He became the directing spirit which carried out the impeachment of Judges Barnard and Cordoza, and gave his energy and time and labor to prosecute the suits by the city against the "Tweed Ring" and its agents and allies. He became Governor of New York in 1874, and his first message denounced the extravagance and dishonesty that had prevailed in the management of the canals of the State. In 1876 he was nominated the Democratic candidate for the Presidency, and although the Electoral Commission gave the high office to Mr. R. B. Hayes, yet Tilden had the popular vote, the numbers being 4,284,265 for Tilden, against 4,033,295 for Hayes. Henceforth he was the first of Democratic leaders, but his state of health compelled him to decline the nomination in 1880, and again in 1884. He died, after a protracted period of feebleness, in 1886. His last important act in public affairs was a letter addressed to Speaker Carlisle, urging the necessity of liberal appropriations for the purpose of making our coasts safe against the attacks of any naval power. In public life Mr. Tilden was more a politician than a statesman. Astute, secretive, and dextrous, he was an excellent organizer of his party and held them together in defeat, although he could not lead them to victory in his lifetime. To his advice Mr. Cleveland owed the presence in his Cabinet of its strongest man, Mr. Manning, the Secretary of the Treasury. Mr. Tilden will be long known from the contested result of his candidacy for the Presidency; he will be perhaps better known for the munificent legacies he left to the city of New York to establish a free public library in the large and stately house in Gramercy Park, which he also bequeathed to the city.

Another unsuccessful candidate for the honor of the Presidency died in 1886, General Winfield Scott Hancock, who was defeated by J. A. Garfield in 1880. Whatever slanders political malignity had scattered abroad during General Hancock's candidacy had been forgotten before his death, and his deeds during the war were alone remembered. "Hancock," wrote General Grant, "stands the most conspicuous figure of all the general officers who did not exercise a separate command. His name was never mentioned as having committed in battle a blunder for which he was responsible. He

was a man of very conspicuous personal appearance; tall, well-formed, he presented an appearance that would attract the attention of an army as he passed. His genial disposition gained him friends, and his presence, with his command, in the thickest of the fight, won him the confidence of the troops that served under him." General Sherman spoke equally highly or their fellow-soldier. "Sit down," he said to a raker-up of scandals during the heat of the Presidential campaign, "sit down and write the best thing that can be put in language about General Hancock as an officer and a gentleman, and I will sign it."

To these may be added the name of one who had been nominated by the Republican party as their candidate for the Vice-Presidency in 1884, General Logan, of Illinois, equally distinguished as a soldier and as a

statesman.

He

John Alexander Logan was born in Illinois in 1826, and died at the capital of the Union in 1886. He served as a soldier in the Mexican war, and after it was over embraced the profession of the law, where his pleasing address and forcible oratory soon rendered him popular. After some experience in State politics, he was elected to Congress in 1858 as a Douglas Democrat, and in 1860 advocated the election of that statesman. declared, however, on the first suspicion that the election of Abraham Lincoln would be the cause of strife, that he would "shoulder his musket to have him inaugurated." He fought as a volunteer at the first battle of Bull Run, and afterwards organized the Thirty-first Illinois Regiment, of which he became Colonel. He greatly distinguished himself in the field, and refused to interrupt or abandon his military service by accepting a nomination to Congress. "I have entered the field to die, if need be," he said, "and never expect to return till the object of the war is obtained." He was conspicuous for his skill and gallantry at Vicksburg, Resaca, Atlanta, and marched with Sherman "to the sea." When active service was over he resigned his commission and was returned to Congress, where he was one of the managers of the impeachment of President Johnson. In 1871 he was elected to the Senate, and in 1884 was nominated as the Republican candidate for the Vice-Presidency on the same ticket as Mr. Blaine. The most fitting tribute to his memory is expressed in the words of Mr. Blaine: "General Logan was a man of immense force in a legislative body. His will was unbending; his courage, both moral and physical, was of the highest order. I never knew a more fearless man. He did not quail before public opinion when he had once made up his mind, any more than he did before the guns of the enemy when he headed a charge. In debate he was effective and aggressive. While there have been more illustrious military leaders in

CHAP. XXXV.

THE CHARLESTON EARTHQUAKE.

1845

the United States and more illustrious leaders in legislative halls, there has, I think, been no man in this country who has combined the two careers in so eminent a degree as General Logan." General Logan was a man of striking personal appearance; swarthy, as if he had Indian blood in his veins,

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with jet-black hair, which he wore long, a heavy black mustache, dark eyes, and regular features, he looked the type of the Western American.

Before passing on to narrate the foreign relations which the Secretary of State had to conduct, and which brought upon him much obloquy, it will not be out of place to take some notice of the alarming earthquake-or rather series of earthquakes-at Charleston, the first and most alarming shock being on August 31st, 1886. This was felt, indeed, throughout the whole region of the United States between the Mississippi River

and the Atlantic Ocean. It was especially severe in North and South Carolina, reaching its climax in the city of Charleston, where it caused terrible destruction. The city was wrecked, and the streets encumbered with masses of fallen bricks and tangled telegraph and telephone wires, making it almost impossible to pass from one part of the city to another. Most of the people, with their families, passed the night in the streets, which were, for some days, crowded with men and women who were afraid to re-enter their houses. Fires broke out in different parts of the city immediately after the earthquake, adding to the general alarm. An examination of the ruins showed that the damage was greater than was supposed. The loss was variously estimated at from ten to fifteen millions of dollars. Though few persons were killed, the suffering of the people was very great. The city was, for a time, virtually cut off from the outer world. The rails had been twisted like threads, so that no trains could approach or leave the place. There was some prospect of famine, the principal hope of relief from such disaster lying on the seaward side. Famine was, however, happily averted by strenuous effort and by contributions in kind from adjoining cities. These were, later, supplemented by considerable money donations from all parts of the world.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

OF

THE BARTHOLDI STATUE-LIBERTY ENLIGHTENING THE WORLD-THE LARGEST COLOSSAL STATUE MODERN TIMES-A GIFT FROM THE FRENCH PEOPLE TO THE AMERICAN NATIONSPEECHES BY W. M. EVARTS, PRESIDENT CLEVELAND, M. LEFAIVRE, C. M. DEPEW-THE FISHERIES QUESTION—HISTORY OF THE QUESTION-THE RECIPROCITY TREATY OF 1854-THE CONVENTION OF 1877-WITHDRAWAL OF AMERICA IN 1883-AMERICAN VESSELS SEIZED BY CANADA-RETALIATION MEASURES-BRITISH SHIPS SEIZED IN ALASKAN WATERS-THE FISHERIES COMMISSION-SITTING IN WASHINGTON—THE TREATY SIGNED, BUT REJECTED BY THE SENATE THE SAMOAN QUESTION-AMERICAN INTERESTS IN THE ISLANDS-GERMAN OUTRAGES THE KING DEPOSED-PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE ON THE SUBJECT-conference of gerMANY, ENGLAND, AND AMERICA AT WASHINGTON-SUSPENDED, BUT RENEWED AT BERLINTREATY SIGNED-THE HURRICANE AT SAMOA-LOSS OF THE TRENTON AND "VANDALIA -HEROISM OF THE SAILORS-CENTENARY OF THE CONSTITUTION AT PHILADELPHIA-THE

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PRESIDENT'S SPEECH-THE MESSAGE OF 1887 ON FINANCES-THE SURPLUS-THE MILLS BILL -THE GREAT TARIFF DEBATE OF 1888-THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION-GENERAL HARRISON AND L. P. MORTON ELECTED-CAUSES OF CLEVELand's defeAT THE SACKVILLE-WEST LETTER-DISMISSAL OF BRITISH MINISTER-THE REBEL FLAGS-APPOINTMENT OF LAMAR TO

SUPREME BENCH-INSURRECTION IN HAYTI-DEATH OF GENERAL SHERIDAN-THE PENSION BILL-THE INDIANS.

I

N the fall of 1886 a ceremony took place which rose to the dignity of a national event that was, the solemn unveiling of the statue, "Liberty Enlightening the World," which now stands in New York Harbor_" a grand beacon enlightening the waves at the threshold of free America,” and holding aloft her torch of invitation to all who seek to escape from obsolete laws or conditions repugnant to souls inspired with liberty. The idea of this work, the largest colossal statue made in modern times, is due to M. Bartholdi, who began his labors in 1879. The cost of the statue was over a million of francs ($200,000), and was defrayed by a popular subscription throughout France. It is thus essentially a gift of the French people to the American people. The pedestal on which the figure stands was completed by popular subscriptions in America, and thus the complete work symbolizes the fraternal union of the two republics. The summer of 1886 was spent in its erection, and on the 28th of October the ceremony of accepting it took place. A procession of imposing dimensions, comprising not only military

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