The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-08-02


thick volumes to contain the reports on them.
lion will become fruition.
The Responsibility OF Disorder.
The press has been compelled to record for
many weeks past the prevalence of great dis
order in this city. Scarcely day passes that
stabbing afray, an actual murder, street
robbery or burglary is not announced, as an
ordinary occurrence. Our criminal courts are
thrOnged with offenders charged with offences
against life and property. II is dangerous to
be in the street after dark; even the city cars
are the constant scenes Of personal violence
and theft from the person. Such state of
things is disgraceful to the times in which we
live, and show decline in public morals
scarcely credible. The feeling Of insecurity is
rapidly spreading both in town and country
and something must be done speedily to stop
the progress of crime or our institutions will be
no better than farce, or, still worse, lite but
bitter tragedy.
1t is worth while to consider what Is the
canse Of all this mischief; and the explanation
is not very difficult It is to be tonnd in the
corrupt condition OF Our politics and the lax
morality Of orr leading and managing politi-
clans. When we see how UNANIMOUSLY corrupt
our local Legislation has become, how rings are
formed and concentrated, how Offices are bought
and sold, what crowds of venal men are in the
enjoyment Of place and salaries, how these are
multiplied and increased, how cliques Of I'M
principled Office holders fatten and thrive on
the public expenditures, how contracts of all
kinds are farmed out and the profits corruDtly
divided, il Is not wonderful that crime stalks
abroad with an unblushing front and bids
defiance 10 the laws. When these ruffians look
around them and see that the men they elect
to Office are llling their pockets, they do not
see why they cannot fill their own. When they
hear Of thousands Of dollars being annually
pocketed by some keeper Of rum hole or
grocery as a reward for political scrvi ,es, they
do not see why they may not cut purse.
When they know that their votes elect alder
men and mayors no better than themselves
they do not see why they may not plumber
with impunity. And this is the secret of all
our disorders. The men who control our cleo
lions, the men who are paid for their votes.
the gentry that pile the majorities, cannot
perceive any difference in principle be-
tween those who steal from the public
and those who rob individuals. We
therefore hold those party leaders who seek
for aud affiliate with such constituencies to
be the cause Of all these crimes. Az long as
they look to such support their aGinilies ap-
pear alike, at leas. TO the thieves with whom
they politically cooperate, and the public will
continue to be the losers aud the city be dis.
graced.
| We therefore distinctly charge OF the lead
ing and active politicians Of this city--thc men
| who control committees, wards and drinking
holes, who in primaries or sccondaries, or In
| any way pack, own, direct and control the vote
| of this ciy--wc charge them with being the real
| protectors of the criminals who arc now run
ming roughshod over this city by day and night.
| The men in office in this city and who rule il are
| elected by the aid of these lawless mon. and
know it. These lawless men also know it,
and defy punishment. We therefore insist that
10 our leading political managers we owe oil
the crime which now dsgraces and endangers
the peace of the city, and we call on these wire
pulers to pause before they all victims them
selves to the evils they have cngcndcred. II
nothing but vigilance committee can put stop
TO the bloodshed and murder of every days
occurrence, the consequences be on the heads
of those who have, step by step marshalled the
way downwards to proaigaoy and crime. Every
politician who il known to lead a clique or
manage an association is, in our Judgment
directly responsible at the bar of public opin-
ion for these disorders, for the mon who commit
them are those whose votes and support give
power TO these very politicians. Disguise 1t as
they may, our politicians are in reality the real
criminals. The real thugs are the men who
own and manage the rufIlans
FALSE RuMons ABOUT NORrH CARoTINA.-Wc
publish in another column an important tc'c
graphic correspondence between Governor
Holden, Of North Carolina, and two gentlemen
from that State who are now sojourning in this