New-York daily tribune., 1854-04-01
ARCULhRIUS A

lie is fallen we may now pause OeiOre bndt
splendid prodigy which lowered among us like some
green young tree whose beauty fascinated the glance
its uaopifceuce attracted Grand, ndoeht and self
satisfied, be sat at his desk jolly good fellow in
office. wrapt in the mplatiOn of his own bright
fortune A mind free, easy and democratic-a will
regardless Of public reprehensiOn-an nertness that
crucGed hope, and conscience steeled to all com
plants marked the character of this extraordinary
man-the most extraordinary, certainly that in the
annals Of this City ever elected, failed and fell.
Dragged into Office in the midst of whirwnd which
carried away the senses of the people, he commenced
his course-a KnckerbOcker by birth aud an office
holder by charity. With no friends but the boys
and 10 fortune but in prospective he knew no
object but public spos-he acknowledged no
criterion but success-he wOrshiped no god but
Arcuorius and with an eastern devotion he
knelt at the shrine of his idoatry. Subsidiary
to this, there was no creed OF Democracy
that he did not profess no party that be did not
caiole In tie hope of a place, be went in
for tie HuDkers to make it a certainty, he
made love to the Barnburners the avOrte of bOth
with paIricidal ingratitude on the ruins Of both
factions he reared the throne of his office pro
fessed Reformer he fearfHly bled the treasury and
ia the name Of Democracy, be grasped without re-
morse and psuched without shame the revenues
Of the Street Department. Throughout this panto-
mine OF policy fortune played the clown to his
cspriceg At his touch, Wings vanished, old fogies
disappeared, 1.-The boys" reigned, order fled, the
widest theories took the color of his whim; aud
ell that was venerable and all that novel, changed
places with the rapidity OF drama. Even apparent
failure assumed the guse Of success bis returns Of
loads removed confirmed his stability and dirt aud
fhness itselfonIy streng ghened him in Office. Bat if
his fortune was great, his genius was transcendent;
indecison wayered upon Lis councils, and it very
different thing to decide and to perform. To inferior
intelleets his qualifications appeared perfectly mex
pcable bis plans imprscteabe but in his hands sim
pc.ty marked their Development, and failure yindi
Gated their adoption. His person parook Of the char
acter OF his mind If the one never yielded in the
council the other never ben. in the field. Mud
had 10 obstacle be did not spurn-garbage
DO opposition be did not oyerleap and
whether amid March glaciers July stencil, or JANUARY
SHOWS he seemed proof against duty and emPanopied
with insersibty. The whole City hoped at behOlding
the great promises OF his advent and prayed for their
execution Reform bowed TO the prOdigies Of his
prophecy; romance assumed the air of history
there aught too Incredible for belief or too fancul for
expectation, when the country saw such fellow
wayirg Lis imperial fnger over the desinies Of
tie streets of the metropolis. All the visions Of the
past became poor in lie contemplation the citizens
were his people wards were his outposts and be dis
pCsed Of cartmen and sweepers and lamplghters as
though they were-aad are they not the titulary
figures of the political cbessboard Amid all these
charges, be stood as imnOyabe as adamAnt. IL mat
tered little whether in the City Hall or the Pewter
Mug-in public solemnites or private frolcs-wearing
the air Of Of fashion or the epiderms # q rowdy
-toastng fayorite or oxeerati1g an enemy-he was
sill the same jolly, gOOd-ratured worthless Commis
ioner IL this remarkable combination bis aectations
ofteraure mustno be omitted The reports that came
from spen models Of their kind. At touch OF
lis quill white became black aud black the deepest
carnne The bu;t Of the press, be affected T.
scorp lis ueledictiOrs tee writer OF business
reports, he loved to be ornate asi bonbsstc