The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-11-21
The Middle and Corruption or the Mayor,
atty Election.

The Mayoralty election, which day or two
ago promised to settle down into something
like definite shape, is again muddIed up in
manner that surpasses any former experience
in our city politics. Three candidates were in
the field, nominated respectively by the
Mozart democracy, the republicans and the
Tammany democracy, and Il seemed a. il the
lines had been finally drawn prior to the great
struggle in December. But another and highly
influential section Of the democratic party has
suddenly como forward with . fourth candi-
date, and Its action Is very likely to upset ell
former calculations and to impart an entirely
new aspect to the Mayoralty contest The
nomination Of John b. Anthem IL the best
movement ever made by the Miles O'Reilly
organization. II 1t had preceded the meeting
of the republican convention It would have
rendered the nomination Of Mr.. Darling I'M
necessary. No respectable republican could
have objected to the endorsement by his party,
in city so hopelessly democratic, Of . repre-
sentative Of the old Knickerbocker line, a. we'll
as Of the responsibility, integrity and worth Of
the great commercial metropolis. Al It ID,
Mr.. Anthem will command large vote under
any circumstances; and II he will boldly
declare himself In favor Of the popular Grant
movement, Darling, who is Grant man, will
undoubtedly withdraw in his favor, and he can
be elected by one Of the grandest msjorities
ever cast for Mayor OF New York city.
The importance Of such concentration
of votes upon the Knickerbocker candi-
date must be rendered yet more obvious
to the taxpayers and TO all respectable
citizens by the astounding developments
made in the latest illumination Of that
astute politician and shrewd old campaigner
Peter Cooper, who, in political tact and saga
city, beats Peter Cagger, Peter Sweeny, Peter
the Great or any other Peter that ever lived.
His letter to the Corporation Counsel has fred
. mine Of corruption more terrible than ever
spread CONSERVATION and destruction through
the ranks Of an army Of plunderen. Il u
nominally addressed to Richard O'Gorman, but
its thunderbolh are directed at the head Of
John T. Hoffman, who Is in reality responsible
for the contamination Of ell the political ras-
cality developed In its startling disclosures
O'Gorman 10 simply an Irish patriot and poet,
who dreamed rosy dreams Of liberated
Emerald Isle and came over to the United
States in l84S. when the explosion Of the
Young Ireland affair sent Mitchell frat to Van
Dieman's Land. and subsequently to our more
hospitable shores Mitchell went South, the
height Of his ambition being to become pro-
prietor Of plantation covered with good fat
niggers-and failed. O'Gorman, with more
shrewdness and good Judgment, saw that the
right place for nne young Irish gentleman
was New York city, and 30 he planted his vine
and fg tree among NJ and got . good fat
office. Gifted with ell the accomplishments Of
. model Dublin gentleman, winning In the
company Of his own sex, Irresistible In the
society Of the ladies, excellent ct . dinner. ex-
cellent at political, literary or religious meet
ing, and at all times fully competent to main
tain the time-honored reputation Of the famous
blarney stone, be won Peter Cooper and his
party to his support and swallowed the whole
Citizens Association with a. much ease - .
Bowery boy swallows an oyster. But his main
reliance and his greatest Aith were In the
Tammany democracy and the Fsnians, and he
felt that 70 them he owed his arst allegiance. He
believed In Tammany q he believed In the
Pope, and would ss soon have doubted the
purity Of the Holy Father a. Of the Grand
Sachem. When elected Corporation Counsel
be was instructed BY Hoffman and the Tam
many ring that II was necessary and proper TO
favor certain claims against the city, and to
bsstow large fees upon certain Tammany law.
ysrs, and he did not question The ediot any
more than he would haYs dared 70 run his
head against Papal bull. Indeed, O'Gorman
knows more about petticoats than politics, and
10 more familiar with Irish eloqusnos and Irish
poetry than with the corruptions Of the rings.
In oil the astounding rsscality disclosed BY
Peter Cooper he was the victim Of innocence
and faith, and the real culprit d Grand
Sachem Holman, who advised and conmm-
mated the several jobs by signing the warrants
necessary 70 draw the money involved In them
out Of The city treasury.
The terrible Peter Cooper tells " that within
. year judgments have been obtained against
the city for advertising to The amount Of one
hundred and ninsty-four thousand dollars. OF
this the sum Of one hundred and two thousand
dollars goes to an obscure paper owned BY the
Tsmmany ring, and seventy-nine thousand dol
lars 70 another paper, without any circulation
and only seen 10 the lowest barrooms Of the
city. It was perfectly natural and justinsbls
for O'Gorman 10 allow Ben Wood 70 get -
many thousand dollars Is be could out Of the
city; for he came here 70 help The Fenians and
relied on their support but u wss an of'cial
outrage on the part Of The Puritan Holman TO
back up Ben Wood and the others In their out
rsgsous raids upon the city treasury.
Peter Cooper tells M that the sum o. one
hundred and Aisy-ihres thousand dollars waa
drawn from the city treasury for expenses Of
The Corporation Counsels department 10
twenty-five months. In this expenditure
n,n>~~so ~sa huN A. sosfvr1rnont In Abe