The New York herald., 1863-10-26
had been presented openly and Hatfootedly.
Viue Ia Replsbliqsle Noire de Massachusetts,!
Mysteries OF city PoIitfcs-How co Elect

the Best Candidates.
The politics Of this city have always been a
mystery to all except the select and initiated
few. We do not know that the mystery is so
very profound, fpeople would only make up
their minds to grapple with it; but there seems to
be general understanding that this operation
is rather difficult, and that the operator is
pretty sure to bemire himself in the undertak-
ing. The truth, we are assured lies at the
bottom of well; but the well is very dirty
and the descent dangerous. The Scriptures tell
us that we cannot touch pitch without be ing
defled; and the proverb is equally true of
pitch and of city politics. Consequently it
usually happens that those who take up this
subject as study end by becoming themselves
corrupted. The knowledge they obtain makes
them vicious, just as Satan's information about
the trees in Paradise transformed Adam and Eve
from saints to sinners, or as man who should
habitually associate with thieves, in order
to learn their ways and means. would, in
nine cases out of ten, become thief him
self, from the mere force Of associ-
alton. Upon this hypothesis alone can we sa-
tisfactoriy explain why those who profess to
be most thoroughly posted in regard to city
politics and politicians generally reveal none of
their valuable secrets, and use the knowledge
they have acquired. not to expose and defeat
the political tricksters, but to assist, conceal
and defen them.
To this explanation Of the surprising igno-
may be added the fact that our politicians, like
the swell mob or the Wall street brokers, have
a peculiar slang language of their own, differ
ing entirely from ordinary English, and there
fore almost unintellgble to those outside of
the political circle. For in stance, the term
"machine," which the firemen understand to be
their engine. and which the general reader de-
fines, like Webster, as ga complex structure.
| consisting of combination, or modification, OF
the mechanical powers" is used by politicians
to describe a regular political organization,
| like Tammany Hall. "To smash the ma
chine" is the political slang for defeating
such regular organizations. "a private ma
chine" is a special organization, started for
the purpose Of selling out to the highest
bidder. So Caucus means a meeting
| Of political managers Of the machine. A "can-
didate" is person who is willing to pay the
machine managers for nomination. A "pri-
mary" is gathering of politicians and roughs,
| who send few Of their number as dele
| gates to nominating convention. A "conven-
tion' is the slang term for a collection of dele
| gates who nominate such candidates as the
managers have chosen. (" To ratify the ticket"
is a phrase used to inform us that certain assem-
| nf GV1n ko rbov <bo
of the candidates selected by the managers aud
nominated by the caucuses are read before
them. can election" in political sense, is
therefore equivalent to formalty by which
our citizens 60 to the polls and vote the
tickets which have been thus selected,
nominated and ratified. This little for
mality is unfortunately necessary before the
candidates can Gil their Offices and re-
ceive their salaries. If it were not for this
silly legal necessity, we might proftably dis
pense with that costly ceremony altogether.
1t is very evident, therefore, in spite of the
mystery Of city politics and the obscurity of po-
litical slang, that the people have nothing
whatever to do with the selection of their off,
cial representatives The political managers
attend to that. The people simply elect the
candidates brought forward by the managers
Nor is it less evident that these candidates. as
general thing, do not take office for the
purpose of making money out of their
salaries. An Assemblyman receives a salary
Of three dollars day, for one hundred days.
from the State of New York. This sun would
not pay his hotel bill at Albany; and yet be is
| willing to spend one thousand dollars 10 secure
his election. 1t requires about ten thousand
dollars for candidate to procure an Office
which pays him only three thousand dollars
year for three years. This would leave him, at
the close of his term, minus one thousand dol
lars and the interest Of his money. Now the
| question is, how do these officials make up such
deficiencies and retire from the public service
with large private fortunes! That is one Of
the mysteries of city politics. An accurate and
critical examination of our State and municipal
finances, and a careful perusal of the evidence
in bribery and lobby cases, may perhaps ex-
plain it; but our design at present is rather to
call attention to these secrets than to fully elu-
cidate them. Nevertheless. il must strike the
public as very remarkable that there are al
ways so many eager aspirants for those offices
| which arithmetic proves to be honestly un-
profitable. At this time there are FIVE or
six different tickets in the field for the ap-
preaching election The republicans have
regular ticket. Tammany and Mozart have
united upon another regular ticket. Then there
are three or four sorehead cliques. each of
| which has its ticket, more or less bad, and the
most of which will crystalize with the regular
nominations before election day, or will be
quietly purchased and withdrawn. Does any
one suppose that the majority Of these Office
seekers desire the honor Of the positions they
seek, or that they are patriotically anxious to
serve their country and their fellow citizens
Echo answers Decidedly not Why. then are
they 80 eager to get Office, This is another
mystery Of city politics.
We have earnestly and consistently labored
TO reform the abuses to which we have just al
| luded and we shall succond In our >ndoavor ..