cursed the City of New York, and of which William M. Tweed was the
master-spirit.

Judge Noah Davis said to an acquaintance that 'Mr. Tilden's preparation
of the cases against Tweed and his confederates was one of the most
remarkable things of which he had ever seen or heard. He said that
Tilden would take the mutilated stubbs of check-books, and construct a
story from them. He had restored the case of the city against the
purloiners as an anatomist, by the means of two or three bones, would
draw you a picture of the animal which had inhabited them in the
palaeontological age.' It will be remembered that Judge Noah Davis tried
the cases and sentenced Tweed.

It is not necessary for us to conjecture whether Mr. Tilden would have
appeared as the reformer if he had not been grossly insulted by Tweed.
That he had not so appeared until the occasion referred to, and that
immediately afterward he began the investigation and movements which
ended in the total overthrow of the ring and its leader, are beyond
question. There came a time when Tweed, trembling in his very soul, sent
a communication to Mr. Tilden offering anything if he would relax, but
no bronze statue was ever more silent and immovable than Samuel J.
Tilden at that time. It is remarkable that a man so silent and
mysterious, not to say repellent, in his intercourse with his fellow-men
could exert such a mighty influence as he unquestionably did. He did it
by controlling master-minds, and by an apprehension rarely or never
surpassed of the details to be wrought out by other men.

Mr. Tilden was capable of covering his face with a mask, which none
could penetrate. The following scene occurred upon a train on the Hudson
River road. Mr. Tilden was engaged in a most animated conversation with
a leading member of the Republican party with whom he entertained
personal confidential relations. The conversation was one that brought
all Mr. Tilden's learning and logical forces into play. It was
semi-literary, and not more political than was sufficient to give
piquancy to the interview. A committee of the lower class of ward
politicians approaching, Mr. Tilden turned to receive him, and in the
most expressionless manner held out his hand. His eye lost every
particle of lustre and seemed to sink back and down. The chairman of the
committee stated the point he had in view. Mr. Tilden asked him to
restate it once or twice; made curious and inconsequential remarks,
appeared l