The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-01-12
The Festival Mt Tammany Hall.

II itb erpSSi"A SsNS.
The Festival mt Tammany Hall.
No small part Of our space was occupied
yesterday by an account Of the festivities at
Tanmany Hall in honor of the anniversary of the
battle of New Orleans To criticise after dinner
speeches is usually an ungrateful task under
the genial influence of social bottle men are not
apt to weigh their words, and though champagne
may lend ettrvescence to the fancy, it certainly
does not cool the head Or clear the eye. But the
speeches at this celebration were something more
than after dinner oratOry. The speakers knew
what they We're going TO say before hand their
words were carefully premeditated, and in not a
few instances the probable effect of every SEN
tepce was deliberately pondered. For it is well
known that while General Jackson. was the
nominal hero Of the festivity, Mr.. Buchanan was
the real deity at whose shrine the democrats
were wOrshippiDg; the real battle that was sung
was the battle of the spoils, AID the only enemy
that was heartily denounced was he who seeks to
share OF the public plumber.
The big mouthed eloquence which was
Jet off on that occasion wears q comical
aspect when it is remembered that it was
aimed solely at pelc One can't help
laughing at these poor fellows, who pour forth
such grand phrases about Jackson and New
Orleans and the glory Of old Tammany they
are really such sorry actors, they take such little
pains to hide the cords and springs which set
them jumping. There is not theatre in the city
that would employ performers who were 30 awk-
ward in assuming the personality Of their role.
There is not a manager who could tolerate such
clumsiness Of style and SO mach forgetfulness.
But the comical is not the only side of this
affair which is worth looking at. Read the
speeches-Ludlow's Walbridge's Van Buren's,
Schell's, Cochranes and the others-and you will
think there never was, in all the world, so happy
and united family as these democrats. Damon
and Pythias, Pylades and Oresies, and all the
other classic types OF brotherly love were fools to
them The New York democrats, it would seem,
are in perpetual embrace; they have not
secret from each other; not a cloud overshaiows
the beautiful harmony Of their intercourse. From
Schell to Cocbrane, the public must conclude that
they spend their whole leisure in private caresses
and interchanges Of mutual affection.
Whereas the fact is, that without exception
every one of these loving creatures deyotes
his whole thoughts to the subject OF cut
ting his neighbours throat. Not one OF the
speakers on Thursday but would jump at an op-
portunty of contriving the political assassination
OF his colleagues on that occasion. Cochrane
woinl kill of Schell, and Schell would kill Off
Van Buren,, and Van Buren, would XIII OF Lud-
low, who would kill them all off il he could: at
the last opening every one Of these model breth.
rem would fall 10 an in.ernecine war, and would
fight until strength failed him. Nor will the OPP
portunity long be wanting. When the fatal mo
ment arrives that the Offices must be divided and
the sheep finally separated from the goats We
hall see with what rage and fury this democratic
band of brothers will fall upon each other. If
classic history failed to supply parallel TO the-
love and affection on Thursday, IL will be founc
equally barren at this time, too; unless, perhaps
the famous crop Of armed men who sprans fro
the Dragons teeth, and fought steadily till Il,
last couple fell dead on their shields side by side
may BE- assumed as faint picture OF the New
York democracy during the first week in March
next
happy thing II is for this country that poll
tics have 50 little Ia do with IL, and the people
have SO little with politics. Men buy and sell;
cow and reap; turn logs into gunstocks, or iron
into Soy tbes raw cotton into printed dresses earn
their living in what bonest way comes easiest
and best; and think no more, q. heart, OF ques-
tons of politics than OF problems in astronomy.
On the other band, politics returns The compli-
ment- II passes by the quiet citizen, the farmer,
the merchant, the producer. the mechanic the
man of mind, to stir up the Cochranes, the Lud-
lows and the Van Burens To the verge OF frenzy;
but who cares-vhat matter. 3 what these poll
ticians do or say
L., u