Happy 200th Birthday, Samuel J Tilden, NY Governor/NY Public Library Founder

Born, February 9, 1814
February 9, 2014 marks the 200th Anniversary of Samuel J. Tilden's birth.

If his friends and family were here today, they would hold up their glasses and toast him for his competence as a first class man and reformer politician. To them he was the go to guy to get things done the right way. His best friend, John Bigelow, wrote these words after publishing his biography:
.

“I am disposed to regard as my duty to a faithful friend, as well as to the great community of which he had been for full half a century a devoted servant and benefactor. “His public life spanned a larger portion of the history of our Republic than that of any other eminent American statesman, and he occupied the unique position in our history of being the only one selected by the nation for its chief magistracy, who was never clothed with its responsibilities. That there was much in such a life which those to whom the future destinies of our country are to be confided, may study with profit, there can be no doubt.

“The contribution to the facilities for this study, attempted in these pages, inadequate as I am conscious it is, and imperfect as any record of such a life must be, written before Time’s effacing finger has obliterated the transient memories of a more or less stormy career, and revealed its durable outline and grand proportions, will, I trust, be not without some value. When the passions and prejudices engendered by political strife shall, as in due time they will subside,

“Mr. Tilden’s place among the foremost and wisest statesmen of our country will be cheerfully recognized. If, however, I owe to his memory, as I suppose I do, any further duty as a friend and patriot, it is a duty which my increasing years admonish me must not be deferred.” ...John Bigelow

Since my discovery of Samuel Tilden early 1990's I find myself still amazed by his wit and humor. His generosity and genius during and after his life ended. Following political news daily, I have yet to find one anyone that comes close to his love of country.

Few, if any, will remember his legacy as the Greatest Democrat Ever. Especially those in his own party that has changed so drastically over the years, Tilden would be horrified by their incompetence. When Tilden was elected to the Presidency in 1876 voters across the nation knew nothing of free cell phones, Food Stamps or Welfare benefits. Tilden didn't have to buy voters, they willingly cast their ballots for a candidate they trusted.

My efforts and writings have not gone un-noticed - many politicians know my work regarding Tilden, but ignore the message to cease their corrupt practices.

One lady in particular wrote an article I was thrilled to read which exposes the truth about Tilden's gift of a free New York Public Library for the public which planned well before his death. He didn't do it for a tax write-off as many do today (there was no Income tax in those days). He did it because books were very expensive and only available to the very rich. Read her article:

Celebrating the Centennial: The Tilden Library by Kathie Coblentz, Rare Materials Cataloger, Collections Strategy/Special Formats Processing August 25, 2011

Contrary to what you may have heard — or thought you heard, at least — this year does not mark the centennial of The New York Public Library. The centennial marks the opening of what many still think of as the Library's "main branch" on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, the Beaux-Arts landmark recently rechristened the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. But we could also call it the centennial of the Tilden Library, as I'll explain...read the rest at:  http://www.nypl.org/blog/2011/08/25/my-centennial-post-tilden-library

Published in New York Times:

HONORING HIS BIRTHDAY; BANQUETS IN MEMORY OF SAMUEL J. TILDEN. HENRY WATTERSON AND OTHER DEMOCRATS RECALL THE GENIUS AND VIRTUES OF THE DEPARTED STATESMAN.

Samuel J. Tilden would have been 75 years old had he lived until yesterday. The members of the Harlem Democratic Club remembered the anniversary and honored it by a fine banquet in their clubhouse in East One Hundred and Twenty-fifth-street. Nearly 150 gentlemen, including many distinguished Democrats, participated in the event...click here to read full article.

In closing, my Tilden work continues--hopefully, I will complete the documentary before my death. God knows I've growled many times when I read of millions of dollars being wasted on junk films, yet can't get Hollywood or any so call liberal politician interested in producing a film about in my opinion, the Greatest Politician Ever...words most of us would choke on about politicians in office today...Harsh comparison maybe you're thinking...but in my opinion, the truth. They place their egos and wealth ahead of the people --something Tilden, would never have even considered. His dedication to his work and life was his purpose, to see America succeed.







 

Bourbon Democrats - when the Dem Party had Officials that stood for American Values and Reformed Corruption

Bourbon Democrat was a term used in the United States from 1876 to 1904 to refer to a conservative or classical liberal member of the Democratic Party, especially one who supported Charles O'Conor in 1872, Samuel J. Tilden in 1876, President Grover Cleveland in 1884–1888/1892–1896 and Alton B. Parker in 1904. After 1904, the Bourbons faded away. Woodrow Wilson, who had been a Bourbon, made a deal in 1912 with the leading opponent of the Bourbons, William Jennings Bryan; Bryan endorsed Wilson for the Democratic nomination, and Wilson named Bryan Secretary of State. The term "Bourbon" was mostly used disparagingly, by critics complaining of old-fashioned viewpoints.^[1]
They represented business interests, generally supporting the goals of banking and railroads but opposed to subsidies for them and were unwilling to protect them from competition. Bourbon Democrats were promoters of a form of laissez-faire capitalism which included opposition to the protectionism that the Republicans were then advocating. They opposed imperialism and U.S. overseas expansion, fought for the gold standard, and opposed bimetallism. Strong supporters of reform movements such as the Civil Service Reform and opponents of the corrupt city bosses, Bourbons led the fight against the Tweed Ring. The anti-corruption theme earned the votes of many Republican Mugwumps in 1884.^[2]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bourbon_Democrat

Obama is no Clinton - Dems should to find someone to replace him.

This video is when President Clinton talked to the press about the 1995 Government shutdown...Putting the issue of Monica aside - Obama no how compares as a Statesman to Clinton...who you will see in the video, as annoyed as he was kept it together...Compared to Obama who acts like a five year old throwing sticks and stones. Clinton didn't run around putting up fences and barricades up with "armed" guards to protect cement sidewalks and stone monuments. Obama, simply put is behaving like a bully thug toward the American people. The armed guards and police do not care who you voted for - they have their orders and will, arrest or shoot and ask questions later. Obama should resign and the Dems should find a replacement that is a professional statesman/woman to finish his term...Obama has proven one thing to me, in five years he has learned nothing about diplomacy. It's not the color of his skin - it's the lack of content in his character...Bill was right, he was not ready for the Presidency then and he is a fairy tale...Captain Hook comes to mind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EUn5YwLtB0
 

Preserving purity in the government-are not wasted by the prodigality, fraud, or peculation of your public agents -Excerpt from - Tilden's Farmer's Speech.

Excerpt of a speech Tilden made to the Farmers regarding high taxes and needed tax reform, which still rings true to this day:

"Fellow-citizens, if I were to talk to you about the culture in which you are engaged, no doubt I could point out what and who your enemies are. I could point out what agency it is that destroys your crops. I could allude in particular to the potato bug, with which the farmers of this county are particularly familiar. But I have to say to you that there is a bug far worse than the potato bug; a bug that consumes not merely your potato crop, but that consumes every one of your crops, consumes them partly before they are gathered and consumes more after they are gathered — and that is the tax-collector. This little animal appears every year. You may have straggled and toiled, you may have worked in your field and in your workshop, but he eats up your substance at the end of the year.

In this country far too much of the net earnings of society, far too much of the fruits of labor, are consumed in carrying on the government: and there ought to be a stricter economy in our affairs, both in the town, in the county, in the State, and in the Union. Within the last ten years there has been taken from" the fruits of industry in the American Union $7,000,000,000 to carry on the government — $700,000,000 in each year. Think what a monstrous and appalling amount! Think, fellow-citizens; whatever may be your party affiliations or party opinions, say to me whether there is not a great evil and a great wrong here which every good citizen ought to join hands with all other good citizens to rectify. I am quite aware that a state of things has existed in our country that would naturally create these evils. In the exigencies of war, issues of paper money were supposed to be necessary, and habits and tendencies the reverse of frugality and economy were engendered among the public officers. This is a condition of affairs that requires the considerate, patriotic, firm action of all citizens of all parties, of all classes. There are none more deeply interested in this reform than the farmer.

Today about half of the tax contributed by the farmer goes to the State of New York to carry on public affairs. If, therefore, that amount can be reduced one-half, it will reduce one-quarter what the tax-gatherer claims. If you do not reduce town and county taxes, that is your own fault, because the thing is perfectly within your control.

When it comes to State taxes, that is within the power of the Legislature and the executive at Albany. In regard to that, you will have no difficulty whatever if you send there the right men. There will be no difficulty in reducing the State tax one-half within two years, if the farmers only say they desire it and are determined to have it.
 

"Fellow-citizens, you have the most beautiful climate ever vouchsafed to anybody. You have here a soil capable of producing everything that the human mind can desire. You have a government framed by our wise ancestors to secure to you every blessing possible in human society.

It is necessary only for you to see how that government is administered, and to see that when the fruits of industry are gathered for the use of the toilers, that they are not wasted by the prodigality, fraud, or peculation of your public agents. I am sure, without reference to any question which may excite difference among you upon this great duty of enforcing economy and frugality, and of preserving purity in the government everywhere, you will be united as one man. It is not merely a question of what you shall lose or what you shall save. Republican government cannot exist unless the public agents and servants are pure and honest. It is, then, the very institutions won by our immortal ancestors that are at stake. To reestablish these upon a firm foundation, to hand them down to your children after you, and when you depart from the world to carry with you a sense that you have performed every obligation and every duty — these great objects should fill your mind with a sense of what you owe to the community, to mankind, and to future generations."

Election 2012 - READ for FREE The Life of Samuel J Tilden, Vol One

 

New York Governor Samuel Tilden was known as the Greatest Dem ever...yet many don't know who he was or his great accomplishments...From now until Election Day, November 6, 2012 - I am going to allow FREE access to the online pdf version Vol One of his biography, "The Life of Samuel J Tilden" Written by: John Bigelow... Go to www.SamuelTilden.com and you will find the file on upper right column...Enjoy!