The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-12-06
The Farce Of tho Municipal Election
To-day.

TO~Q0Ys
1t is one of the greatest farces we have ever
witnessed. The scene-shifting and mannu-
wiring and sharp tactics Of the respective parties,
their leaders and understrappers drilling
and marshalling of their forces-their marching
and countermarching general excitement
that prevails-all render the contest farcical in
the extreme. There will probably be dozen
Of fights about it in the course of this day and
tonight, and at least score of heads broken
which have no brains in them. While we write
we perceive that the Seventh regiment is order
ed out-not man to be absent. This is pain
fully significant of what is expected.
The most ludicrous part Of the farce is, that
the parties who have most interest in the result
take least concern in the election. The tax
payers, who will have to pay the bill, whether
it amounts to eleven, or thirteen, or fifteen mil
lions, seem to regard the struggle with indiffer
ence. But not so the candidates for the
Common Council and their hackers. They are
more deeply interested in the event than even
the taxpayers, who, being numerous, have
less to lose and gain than the plundering few,
amount to thousands upon thousands of dollars
to every man Of them. The candidates for mil
lions of plunder-the aspirants to seats in the
Common Council--are the greatest set of scoun-
drels and cutthroats that ever dared to put for
ward their namesin municipal election. They
are indicted thieves, convicted felons and al
legged murderers-men who ought either to
dangle from the gallows or be sent to Sing
Sing, where there are far better men, instead of
great intelligent city like this the CONNER
cial metropolis Of the United States sending
them to the City Hall to represent it, and en-
trusting them with the absolute control of the
public money. Surely there never was such a
farce as this before. Yet these rogues and ruff
fans, nominated on the Tammany Hall ticket,
will be elected, while the silly taxpayers are
diverted from the game of plumber to the cleo
ton of Mayor, which does not concern them at
all
The election Of Mayor is of no Importance
whatever in a municipal point of view. For, if
Wood, who is the ablest administrative man
among the candidates, should be elected, which
is very doubtful, he would be Immediately
stripped by the republican Legislature Of even
the paltry power which still belongs to the
Office. II Opdyke should be elected, the Com
| mon Council, which will be democratic, will be
shorn Of its strength, and power added to the
republican Mayor. If Havemeyer, the half
andhalf republican and Tammany candidate,
should be elected, the anti-slavery party in the
Legislature will have the matter all their own
way; for he is already with them in principle,
and is prepared to so all lengths in their cause.
Should he be successful the republicans will be
well provided for as far as his power extends.
st. Tammany, turned Judas, will get one-half
the spois, and Havemeyer's republican sup
porters the other half; and, between the two
sets of thieves and spoilsmen the city will be
feeced more completely than it ever has been
under any former regime
The chances are that one or other of the two
republican candidates will be elected, and
Wood, the national democratic candidate, de-
feated There is every prospect, therefore, OF
the State being numbered, after this day,