New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-05-06

1he lion. J0hn an buren, appears Ia Inc Hcdtd
as champion of Mayor Tiemann against certain
charges which he Gays we have preferred against
that magistrate. Whether this defense is to be
regarded as volunteered professional, We are not
able TO decide; but TIE latter impulse is indicated
by the facts that Mr.. Van Burtn announces himself
as the Mayors legal counselor in procaiming that
the Mayors proceedings TO remove Devlin were
call tsken uIder my legal advice" and distinctly
threatens US with llbelsu unless we retract or
correct something We have alleged with reference
to the Mayor and Mr.. Devlin. Now as we have
never before had occasion to allude to Mr.. Van
Buren, in connection with this matter, and as he
cannot we'll be the illegal adviser Of both the
Mayor and Mr. Charles Devlin--at least, not exten-
sivey ,c-it can only be the Mayor in whose behalf
this hbel-suit is threatened As "short settle
"men.s" are said to g. make long friends, +" We will
first attend to this matter.
Mr. Charles Devlin is man of very decided CO.
pacity-abOut as clever man as Fernando Wood.
He knows how to be good Street Commissioner,
if be would act as we'll as lie knows. But We have
for months been hard at work to keep him out or
get him out of the Street Department, not because
he was a Democrat nor even because he was
Fernando Wood man, but because we believed him
a gre at rascal, and therefore unfit to hold most
responsible ofice; and because we ubdoubtingly
believed that he has been largely concerned in
swindlirg the public, whether as contractor, as
sgnee, or otherwise On this ground, we have
earnestly endeavored to have justice done him, not
merely in his expulsion from Office but in his in
dictment and trial as a malefactor. Mayor Tie
mann we have regarded a colaborer in this work.
Suddenly, we hear that Mr.. Dsvlin has surrendered
his claims to the Compissionership, and that smal-
taneously the Mayor has withdrawn the papers
ipcupatipg him which he had caused to be laid
before the Grand Jury. This confederation strikes
us most uDplessantly. 1t seems to imply an ar
rancement, or understanding, or compromise, or
adjustment, Olive are not particular as to the
term: Mr. Van Buren, may select one for himself, 50
that il be not lbelous Of His Honor the Mayor
il is the thing and not the name that we grieve
over. Has there or has there not been some
armistice, or fx-up, or wnking across-board, be-
tween the Mayor and his Street Commissioner and
the ,r MAYORS Street Commissioner If there is
nothing of the kind, We shall be very glad to be 50
assured; but the bluiter Of the Mayors illegal
"sdviser" is not calculated to dispel our original
impressions.
And now few words with Mr.. John Van
Buren, in person. He says:
"Allow me to add word in reply to your polit
ical complaints of the Mayor. l differ with you
entirely TO the expectations OF those VINO elected
N.yor Tiemann. Your columns bear witness thst he
was sci. cted as the candidate TO oppose Mayor Wood
manly because he Democrat Of the most ortho
| dox stamp. / understood the great desideratun OF
those OPPOSED to Mayor Wood was 10 get candidate
whose Democracy could not be impeached. Some of
our beet ci.izens rejected because thsy did not
come fully up to this standard 1t was conceded that
| nCne other could be elected.
To which responds The TRIBUNE:
|. Mr. Van Buren, is good authority with respect,
| not 10 the Forty Thousand Republicans and Ameri
cans who voted for Mr.. Tiemann, but for the Three
| Thousand Democrats, who, more or less stealthily
did the same thing. They, We will take Mr.. Van
| Buren's word for it, would have prolonged the
reign of Fernando Wood rather than have voted
for any opposing candidate WHO was not of their
party. But, 90 far was this from being generally
realized by the Opposition that every effort, every
entresty. was employed to induce William +.
| Hsyemeysr to run against Wood, though be was
| unaer.tood not TO be "a Democrat Of the most
"ortbodox ,tsmp," but a Fremonter. Though
ve,y far short of the standard indicated by Mr.
Van Buren,, Mr.. Havsmeyer was not 81 rejected"
lie stubboInly refused to run.
| II. Our "columns" do not " bear witness " that
Mr.. Tiemann was selected to run against Wood
"usinly because be was Democrat OF the most
orthodox stamp" On the contrary, We urged
! his lection GA the assumption tha! he WAS an hon