The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-08-24

IL PY1n0Ty Ele0tx00o om0 xS0WOyboua IN
Tammany Hall.
il another part Of this days paper We publish
nj account of . disgraceful scene Of rowdyism at
Tammany Hall. This 10 the most daring outrage that
il has yet fallen to our lot to record in connection
with our city politics We have been long familiar
with similar scenes of violence ut primary e.ec
TONS but If We arr greatly mistaken, this is the
FIRST time that an organized band has committed an
act Of burglary in breaking into the committee room,
and threatening the lives Of the members of the
General Committee, If they did not vote the gang
dictated The next thing, we suppose, will be to
assal and wreck the private houses Of every man Of
ipdeI endent mind, as the mob did at the recent
elections in the city of Limerick, in Ireland.
Under this system of terrorism, the elections in
New York have been controlled for years, both in
the democratic and whig parties; and now, en-
boldtned by impunity, the rowdies proceed to such
length as make the most sacred right Of American
citizens q nockcry and q farce The free and
uncontrolled right to exercise the franchise, either
Mt the primary elections, or ut the final polls, is
rendered null and void if we lived in a country
where tho right to vote was denied by the laws to
the great body Of the people. Our Revolutionary
ancestors fought and bled, and threw of the British
yoke, in contendpg for the principle that there
be no taxation without representation But the citi
zens Of New York are INSTRUMENTATION with taxation
without having any more voice in choosing those
who levy it than if they had no votes ut all 1t is
OF the primary elections the candidates are Sc
lected, who afterwards fill those offices of honor,
trust, and emolument, the aggregate Of which
are called the city government. But these
elections, for several years, have been taken
possession of by blacklegs and lullies and rowdies
and "fghting men, and respectable citizens have
been driven away from them, rather than como in
collision with rufanism, that practically, and in
effect, they might as well have no votes at all.
The result is that the nominations have been of the
worst possible character. So bad were they two
years ago on the democratic charter ticket that the
candidates for the most important Offices were de-
feated by the independence Of democratic voters
who either erased these candidates names and did
not vote in their ut all, inserted instead the
names Of the candidates on the other side. If the
rowdies succeed in making nominations at the ensu
ing primary elections, we trust the same course will
be adopted, and that another lesson will be taught
the rufians, rather those who hire them, ana
stimulate them to deeds of violence by the use of
intoxicating drinks. The Temperance Alliance
never had better cnse against the grogshops than
now, and never had better chance of success. Irk
some as the yoke of liquor law would be TO thefree
spirits of American citizens, it would be Light and
easy compared with the iron dictatorship Of mob rule
and grogshops. But it is to DO hoped that one ty.
rspny can be crushed without resorting to another
tyranny in the opposite extreme.
Demagogues talk Of helping the Hungarians to
free themselves from the Aus rian yoke, the Cubaus
from the Spanish power, and the Irish from tho
dominion of Great Britain but here is despotism
in our very midst worse than oil these-worse than
the autocracy Of the Gar Of Rassia. 1t is every
day growing more odious and abominable. How
long win it be endured! Disgrace is brought upon
cur institutions, our elections byword md re-
preach, and strangers are continually making coma
parsons with other countries less free in theory
comparisons by means iattering to orr national
vanity. But they viii be doing this country great
injustice if they judge of the practical working OF its
institutions from the city of New York. which, from
its position the Empire City, and from the intel
gence of its people, ought to set example to all
other cities and districts in conducting its elec-
tions but has the unenviabe notoricty and the bad
prc-emncnce of being the political plague spot Of
the nation. How long, we ask will New Workers
tolerate such state Of things and allow mob des-
votes to be practically wressed from them by the in
tmidation Of set of hired desperadoesl To US it
is matter Of no moment which of the two par
tics-whigs or democrats succeeds in an election;
but it is Of the highest Importance to all classe, Of
citizens that the best men, instead OF the worst,
should be selected as candidates from either party,
and that the freedom OF election should be main.
tanned against every attempt to overthrow it. i'm,
pair its efficiency.
1t is the peoples own fault that this evil is per-
mitted to gain such On asccndency; and thcy have
the power OF putting down rowdies and no wdyism if
they will only exert it. Let the independent and
respectable men of both parties come forward and
hold meetings, and dcnounce these scenes OF vio-
lense, and rcpudiate the primary elections when
swayed by such influences. Let them, in every ia
stance, refuse to vote for the nominees OF the bull
lies, and either decline voting ct all, vote for good
men Of the other side, Cf there should be any,)
set up independent tickets Of their own. few
lessons Of this kind would be productive Of the best
results Far better to lose election, and to look
forward 10 future triumph, as the consequences of
temporary defeat, than to submit TO the dicaton of
the very Of society, in order to present
victory, not only not worth having, but positively
disgrace to the party
We have DO doubt that the democratic par
ty will suffer seriously from this quarrel
in The tall elections for the county. A sim
liar feud broke out in Albany, few days
ago, and it is very likely to extend all over the
State, and win probably affect the result Of the State
election to an extent not now anticipated But il
win not injuriously affect the democrats in the Pre-
sdential campaign, as might at first sight DO sup
posed. On the contrary, it viii serve their national
ticket 1t is all strife for local Offices and influence,
and power, between the hunkers and barnburners;
and those members Of the party who do NOT for
local plumber, but lock to principles than the
operations of cliques, and to the general triumph
of the party rather than to moro local victories,
ought TO feel rather gratied than otherwise at all