The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-10-23

Tweed has become necessity in the Board Of
Supervisors, and is as much part of the
fixtures Of the great chamber as is the famous
bust of the democratic war horse, Elijah f.
Purdy. BY these nominations the leaders ap-
pear to have recognized the necessity of study
Ing and respecting the popular sentiment, and
have evidently sought to satisfy the masses of
the people rather than to subserve the ends of
selfish politicians or to promote personal
interests. This is the more gratifying since
the great strength of the democratic party in
this city and county renders the success of
their local ticket almost certain, and too often
induces in the leaders Indifference as to the
character and capacity of their nominees.
The present rulers of the Tammany organi
cation are shrewd and able political managers.
They know that with all the moral force of the
early elections against them; with cowardice
or treason sapping their own position; with
the record of their national candidate driving
all loyal men away from their ranks, and with
the laundering folly of their national conven-
ton pressing like dead weight upon their
party, they need strengthening at every point
in order to make any show of fight in the
coming election. Their majority of fifty thou
sand in this State last fall was made up of two
elements upon which they cannot reckon with
confidence in the present contest-the liquor
question and the disaffection of the conserva-
tive republicans. Their last hope of success
lies in the selection of young, active, honest
men for all positions not already unexception-
ably filed; and it is to be hoped that the good
judgment evinced in their local selections will
be carried into their Congressional and legis-
lative nominations.
But they must not stop here There is in
this State floating vote of sixty or seventy
thousand, which always goes with the party
bearing the prestige Of former victories and
likely in the ordinary course of events to be
successful in the final struggle. The certainty
of Grants election-now beyond question
will turn this important strength over to the
republican side for President, Governor and
local officers down to town constable, and
will in all human probability reverse the
result Of last year and give the State to the
republicans by twenty thousand majority.
Under these circumstances it is the part Of q
wise and prudent statesman to lay his grasp
upon what is within his reach, thus securing
a foundation for future operations, and not to
strain after results that are unattainable.
General Bismarck Sweeny, who is the COM
mander-in-c chief of the democratic forces, with
Brigadier Machiavelli Tweed for his lieu
tenant, should make himself master of the
situation by just such an adroit movement.
Seymour is overheard, and the stump cannot
save him. Hoffman is altogether too unim-
portant candidate to waste time over, and
he is doomed to share the fate of Seymour and
Blair. But the Congressional and Assembly
districts are still disputable grounds and in
these lie the nucleus for the future rcsusci-
tation Of the democratic party, with the solid
vote of the Southern States at its back, and it's
old follies and blunders no longer dragging it
down to destruction. Sweeny has already
himself above all the politicians
whose names and deeds are recorded in the
history of parties, by voluntarily giving up
to the taxpayers Of the city the fees OF an
office previously in his possession, amounting
to over two hundred thousand dollars year
and destined eventually to reach millions.
He has now an opportunity to render
himself as famous as far-seeing states
man as he already is as a practical re-
former, by boldly ignoring his Presidential
and State candidates and concentrating his
time, ability and means upon securing the
return OF conservative representatives to Con-
gress and the State Legislature. He is just-
fed in such course by the past history Of the
Tammany organization, which stood firmly
and consistently by the war for the Union
when Seymour and the copperhead organs
generally were sympathizing with the re-
belion and attempting to paralyze the strong
arm of the government. Let him now shake
of all the old associations with apprehension
forced upon the party by evil counscllors and
arm himself for the future. lie will elect his
local ticket by an enormous majority, and
with solid strength in Congress, the State
Legislature probably in his hands, aud the
large patronage Of the city government at his
disposal, he will be in position to build up
glorious structure of democracy upon the
present ruins and to restore the party in the
next Presidential election to something of its
pristine glory.
Crisis in Wall street.