The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-02-10

which none OF them were atterwartS entitled u ex-
cent.
On the following evening the Council met pursuant
a. aaiournment Primo fgcte evidence was produced
before il Of the election of the members Of the Genell
Committee from thirteen wards. resolution was
therefore adopted declaring that such persons hav-
inc been certified elected by "all, majority OF
the INSPECTORS duly appointed were entitled 10 seats
in The committee until II should otherwise determine
a. these thirty-nine persons, thirtytwo had recog-
rieod Mr.. Delavan az chairman and seven Mr. Barr.
From the other wards, entitled TO twenty-one mem
tors, no papers were presented. The persons zap
Iearing to have been elected az members of tie
committee for 1858, requested TO meet at Tam
many Hall ON the following evening (Jancary 2lst
10 be 80 organized was declared 10 DO "entited TO
the use OF Tanmany HAIL. Tie vote upon these
resolutions, was ten in the Affirmative. ard one Cor
neli) in the neratve.
During the tendency OF this matter in the Council.
rcithcr OF the rival bodies met In Tammany HALL
Mr. Berr and his associates have not met there yin
The members who formed the first committee, under
the craftsmanship Of Mr.. Delavan, met again on the
evening OF January 2lst, and reorgan'zed the COM
mittce by the election Of the same temporary officers
The mittSe gave the minority six days additional
tine to take their seats, and then passed upon the
cases Of contested elections and even unscaed, as It
had full right 10 DO, some Of the persons named in
our resolutions as appearing to be elected" II is
now permanently organized Lorenzo Ii. Shepard
being chairman, Jacob r. Oakley, treasurer, and
Thaddeus B. Glover and Abraham s. Vosburgh, Sec
withdrew with Mrl,arr, we do not know. Its 10 be
hoped that they will not set up an irregular organ
zaton, but over that matter we have no control.
Outside of Tammany Hall every democrat Is free to
act his own pleasure and is responsible only To him
self and those he may represent
Having set forth fully the facts OF the ease involved
IN our action, wewi now briefly consider-lst, The
proprlety OF any acton ON our pert; and I'd, The
justice OF the action We finally took.
The necessity Of action by us was beyond question.
The lessee Of Iammany Hall had important rights of
property involved. Large sums of money have been
invested by him in the improvement OF the building
for which he is 70 be reimbursed by bis lease and
that lease is dependent upon the faithful perform
anee Of the covenants we have quoted. He had u
right TO have the he to take distinctly
marked out by us that he could not possibly go
wrong. We we're hound upon receiving his notice.
to decide the matter in con roversy. The response
bity resting upon Us we could not eyade, neither
had We any desire 10 do so.
Again, but one General Committee IS entitled to
tie use of 'EaInInary Hail. That right is expressly
received TO the committee in succession to that OF
which Elijah r. Purdy chairman in 1919, by the
covenants OF the lease above quoted. That success
sion could not be in two committees at tie same time
IL there were rival claims to the succession we could
not avoid decision upon them, except by the hasest
reercancy to the duty which our predecessors in
office covenanted that We should perform.
But ii this necessity had not existed, the duty OF
the Council to act speedily and decidedly would have
been imperative. The democracy of the State of
New York have recently experienced the evils Of
divisions, which were disastrous not only to them,
but also to the democracy Of the Union. These di-
sions have fortunately been adjusted, and under q
common banner the whole party marched with
locked step to triumph. Ii as not To beallowed
that in Tammany Hall, in the moment of victory,
and upon the threshold OF the power which i in
volyed the note OF discord should be wantony
sounded, and the victorious column severed by per-
sonal dissensions. Experience has shown that dis
organization is best paayzed by prompt and
vigorous remedies. And If misguided brethren were
Unwise enough to attempt the fatal policy OF seces
sion, it was important that Tammmany Hall should
not be the scene OF their operations.
Not only the propriety but the necessity Of action,
our part, being clear the only other point il the
justice of the action finally took. Orr discretion
was confined to narrow limits. We could not pos
sibly recognise the regularity of Mr. Barr and his
associates as an organized body. As individuals
they bad 7r,naG foc,e right to membership OF the
General Committee, but there were fatal defects to
their claims committee. In the first place,
they were mdispGtahly secederS from the majority
Of the committee For this secession no justification
was shown. In the second place, they were net
numerous enough TO foIIn a quorum, and OF course
could take no action rs committee Upon their
own showing they numbered but twenty-five, while
full committee consists OF sixty. And if twenty
five could act, the committee, instead OF being split
orce. might, with equal proprety, have been d.
vided into many parts, each OF which though =
small minority Of the whole, would caim to &c u
General ComLittse
In these two particulars the Delavan organization
stood upon exactly opposite grounds Ito members
were not socedcrs and they constituted quorum or
majority Of the whole committee. Locking merely
10 the abstract question Of right, orr duty was
clearly to recognise 4 az the General Committee en-
titled to tie OF Tainnany Hall. This we did SUBJ
staDtialy but III such manner rs to give those who
had withdrawn from IT, honorable chance to relnte
with the majority. Although they have not awaited
Themselves OF it. we are not less grathcG that We
made the effort to harmonize the differences which
had arisen Its failure has not affected the important
end which was certain in any event, the exclusive
political use OF Tamaoy Hall by the regular orga-
xaricn.
Mr.. Bar, for himself and his associates, presented
protest to the Council which they have also pub
ished in the newspapers. In this document objection
is made TO any action by the Council the ground
that the Tanmany Society lis private association,
Incorporated for Charitable Purposes There is no
doubt that charity was one IF the objects contem
plated 10 the organization Of our society: but that
virtue is not diminished by adding thereto the more
extended benolcence which looks to the good OF the
whole country, and the political rights o. every class
OF its citizens 1T would be reasonable to aser 1T
monday in the face Of the SUM itself that that orb
does hot emit light, a. TO deny that the Tammany
Society is political organization Indeed, its poti-
cal lame y too extended to need mention, much less
proof Of its existence. But ii the society was not
political, il would nevertheless have the right to
trol tie Of is brdingr and that the only
right We have exercised
The other objection taken IN the protest l., that
the Council has never acted IN cases involving mere
e instances Of departure from, hostility 70, tie
established principles Of the democratic party The
inc0r1ectness OF this position Will be most easily
slewn by reference to q recent and familiar casc
The General Committee for 1850, before its pelma
Lent organization elected, became divided into
two htGies, one Of which was organized with Fer.
nando Wood o. Chairman, and the other with Henry
~. Western. TIE sachems called upon 70 de-
eide which should occupy Tammapy Hail. Instead
Of doing So the Council upon motion OF Cornelius =
Bogardus, then one 81 the eachems, and now one Of
the most prominent friends OF the Barr Organization
called City Convention for the reorganization Of The
party. This-the greatest degree oil political power
ever exercised by the Council-was acceded to by
both oil the rival committees and their supporters,
and the two committees remained in allegiance during
tie session OF Che Convention elected under that cell.
Tits convention ordered ton OF new General
Committee Tor 1850. 20 surersede both the Wood and
The Western Committees. The committee was chosen
accordingly, and organized with Edward G. West
as chairman and succeeded by the committee If
1861 elected under its call, 0f which Robert j. Dill
Ion was Chairman; which was succeeded by tho
committee OF ln5p elected under its call Of which