New-York daily tribune., 1858-12-10

Now that the thdfler Erection IL passed ana the
-e,ult made known to ALL let us contemplate the
Lessons which it has inculcated. There were, in.
deed, but few men in this city, on the morning o
election day, who hoped thst Mr.. Haws would be
elected to the Office Of Controller; and that he was
successful (bapply for the taxpayer. of this Me-
tropolis) is owing to spirit Of political revolu.
tion on the one hand, and to the independent &C
tion Of upright citizens on the other. rather than
tothe machinery Of party organization. For, il
can mel her be concealed nor denied, that the party
TO which Mr.. Hsws belongs is in a large minority
here; and >cOnseq equently 1t is TO the rebellion Of
the anti -Tammany wing Of the Democracy that
New-York is, in great degree, indebted for the
moral triumph which has been achieved.
Passing over the fact that honesty and INTEL gent
selfinterest have for once conquered political
prejudices and predictions let us view the result
Of this election in its aspect Of rebuke to Tammany
Hall. The pride Of the Wigwam has been COM
pletely humbled; the arrogant assumptions Of the
Sachems properly and, We may add, efectually re-
buked. They went into this contest with every
advantage that experience, organization, prestige,
power, patronage, money aud rufiian.m could i'm
part; yet they we're completely routed Indeed,
The moral insienifcsnce of the Tammany vote is
remarkable. For instance, the Sachems candi-
date, Mr. Purser, was sustained by the patronage
of the Federal Government in this city By the
Mayors Office, by the Street Commissioner and his
underlings by the contractors aud their employees
in short, by almost every Federal and Municipal
dependent in New.York, from the Collector and
r.. 4 Al
and the laborer in the public stores-numbering
in all, at low calculation, eight thousand
voters. Now, it is not extravagant to suppose
that, at least, four thousand other citizens were
influenced by these to vote for Purser, making
together a solid phalsnx of twelve thousand votes
to commence with. And yet, over AMI above
Ibis number, Tammany Hall could only poll
few more than six thousand votes But how
much did it cost TO secure even go many' There
WAS not, we are most credbly informed with a
few rare exceptiOns), an officer Of the Federal
Government in this city-not man in the employ
nent Of Mayor. OF the Street Commissioner,
&c-who was not constrained TO contribute a
portion of his salary to defrsy the election ex-
,enses Of Mr. Purser. In this way, by the volun-
tary contributions OF some wealthy adhcrents of
tie organization, and by large subscription from
the public contractors, over $50,000 were placed
in the hands of Mr.. PurserS friends. 50 that
zach vote cast for him, beyond the reserve corps
of twelve thousand, cost Tammsny Hall, on az
average, over eight dollars
On the other hand, the Anti-Tammany Demo-
crats hbored under every possible disadvantage
They lad, comparatively speaking, but new, im-
perfect and inexperienced organization. They
could boast but OF one experienced leader. They
had no funds, had never before fought Il political
Sight, and, therefore, were without prestige. Ihey
lad no patronage. no Official power Their public
meetings were broken up or interrupted by the
hired fighters Of the TsmmaDy faction. Never
theless, they fought gallant battle and have &C.
complsbed much. They have polled direct vote
ranging from twelve to fifteen thousand, for their
own nominees; and, certainly, Mr.. Haws received
between seven and ten thousand Anti -rammany
votes. They put in nomination for County officers
h.ne,. men, and thus initiated brilliant and sue
ccssful revolution, for which New-York is their
debtor.
But apart from these party considerations We re.
gard the result of this election as great triumph.
1t proves that political fraud and corruption can be
crushed. 1t shows that there is a sense OF right
and independence in the community which Will
sometimes rise above the dictstion of political
managers. And it teaches men that they are them
selves responsible for the continuance of political
wrongs and grievances.
A,pta1