The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-06-20
THE ALBANY TYRANNY AND UsURPATIoN.

II VIII be laid before our readers
THE ALBANY TYRANNY AND UsURPATIoN.
Since the days just preceding the war of the revou
ton the annals of America have scarcely afforded
instance of tyranny and usurpation equal to that
enacted by the republicans at Albany last winter
The revolution originated in the tyranny and injus-
tce of the mother country towards the colonies en-
acted by Parliament and executed by despots sent
to govern them. The civilized world has given
judgment against her, and applauded the spirit and
patriotism of those who resisted her aggression.
Great Britain, in the short space of tme never
passed great number of tyranncal and unjust
acts as were passed last winter at Albany by re-
publican Legislature and approved by governor
of that party, who gores in the blood of ancient
federalism of the Hartford Convention and Dartmoor
stamp. Like their illustrious British prototypes.
these Albany imtators sought to deprive municipal
corporations of their ancient rights and privileges
and to govern and control them by agents of their
own, forced upon them against their interest and
wishes, and, like them, they seeking to enforce
the wrong and injustice intended at the point of the
bayonet. The offence of the free Americans at the
time of the revolution was that they exhibited an
cal opinions at the dctation of the ministers of the
King or Of Parliament. This is the precise offence
of which the city of New York. and some other
places, had been guilty. They refused support to
an inexperienced and weak political adventurer and
the party using him their tool-pigeon, through
whom they expected to control all the public Offices
and to open a free and unobstructed railroad into
the national treasury. The democracy of New York
like the people of Boston before the revolution took
strong ground against political heresy and wrong,
and like them, awakened jealousy, and called forth
wicked vengeance Mayor Wood has aroused their
fears, as the patriots of l776 did those of King
George and his minister's The legislature of Albany
passed divers laws, and among them the police BILL
to crush and humble him and those who thought
and acted with him. These laws are believed by
thousands to be invalid, and especially the police
bill Those interested had appealed to the courts for
their determination whether valid or not. With
needless and wantonh haste the Albany representatives
sent by Governor King to rule and subjugate the
city, at the very moment the counsel were arguing
the questions involved before the court of appeals
with a strong hand. and by violence and bloodshcd
attempted to install themselves in positions to secure
the coveted rewards of political subservcncy They
could not wait for the courts in the usual and only
legal way, to pass upon their cases and determine
whether they legally officers and rightfully en-
titled to GUST their adversares and to take posses
sion. The chief magistrate of our great commercial
emporium, elected by the suffragcs Of free people,
is made prisoner and confined to the custody of
police officer of questioned authority simply because
ko rrvI,< 10 H. J,2~. IL
formity to his oath and the advice of able jurists
whom he consulted. The peace of New York has
been broken, her citizens assailed and overborne
by the hand of power reaching from Albany.
and intermeddling with affairs pertaining exclu-
svely to the city authorities under their ancient
chartered rights. The representatives of the Al
bany power instead of calling upon the Judiciary to
execute the laws and putthem in possession of the Off
ces if entitled, have undertaken to adjudicate upon
their own claims and to assert them by force and
arms, committing violence, to nAicting murde-
rous wounds. The laws provide peaceful remedy
for those who have lawful claims to offices which
others unjusty withhold from them. The New York
reports contain cases whore the judiciary
have interpreted and executed these laws Mayor
Wood has resisted no process issued to test the
rights Of the city, and directing him to surrender
any power heretofore exercised by him. His adver-
sarcs. without the shadow of apology for it, have
avoided the peaceful remedies within the jursdic-
ton Of the courts and have rcsorted to unlawful
lcncc which cannot be justified, if they are legit
matcly entitled TO the Offices which they claim
The mayor has yielded to force welded by the ex-
ecutve of the State rather than to sustain his author
ity by the effnson of blood. The wrong is with the
adversaries of the people and they responsible
for the consequences. The mayor has wisely left it
with them and trusts his vndication TO the courts
and the ballotboxes, instead of following the PERM
cious example Of his adversaries in bathing Off
DIAL seat in blood The fate which befel those who
undertook to punish the patriots Of the revolution
for their honest independence viii follow the Albany
dynasty, which, for like cause, sought to punish
the city of New York for her support of democratic
principles, instead of those tending, if net &C.