The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-31


that section on the splendid prospect before
them.
Tho Americas VS.. the Manhattan Club.
Democracy in Its generally accepted mean
ing is not always pure democracy. As there
are two sides to every question, there are also
two sides to the question, what Is democracy2
There is the democratic side proper, in which
a perfect vraisem6lance of the true idea is
always present, and there is that other side
which, under the name of democracy, has only
a superficial resemblance to the ideal. This
fact may be seen by a comparison between tho
two great democratic clubs of this city-0no
of them having its headquarters here on Man.
haitian Island, from which it has taken ito
name, the Manhattan Club" and the other
equally known all over the land as the Ameri-
Gus Club, and which has its local habitation,
if not name, at the delightful retreat Green
witch, Conn.,, on Long Island Sound. Ostensi-
bly, these two clubs are per 50 democratic,
but with difference az between their relative
claims to be so considered. The Americus
Club is composed of an elected few, according
the Manhattan, is only limited by tho arbitrary
exercise Of the right of blackballing candi-
dates for membership Both to th ese several
extents are exclusive.
The Amerlcus Club, however, in all other
respects maintains It's claim to general recog-
ton as purely democratic. Everything con-
nected with 1t, in it and Of It, is of the demo-
cratic type. Its founder and dubbed COM
mander-in-chief is William M. Tweed, Super
visor, Deputy Street Commissioner, State
Senator, Chief Sachem, and as many ct ceteras
in the same category as may suit bis own
digestive powers or satisfy the Aladdin
stricken imaginations of his friends, admirers
and constituents. Withal sterling democrat
Of the old school is William M, one averse to
all innovations which threaten to trench upon
the time-honored rights, privileges and immu-
| mites of the great unwashed, Of whom he ID
the true representative.
The presiding genii of the other club are
composed of very different materials. And
here's the rub. Materials" democratically
speaking, must have some spirits combined
with them to make perfect material or COM
potation, as an Irishman might learnedly and
feelingly express It. This Ingredient is
wanting in the composition of things at the
Manhattan Club, and therefore it lacks the
spirit to give it fine democratic flavor. And
hence the difference, no doubt, that has Of
late arisen between the two organizations.
| But the limiting to 80 small number as one
hundred of the Americas cotere must not be
supposed to have arisen from spirit of exclu-
siveness or off-standishness. On the contrary,
it was that this Spartan band and their sue
cessors for all time might give proof of their
democratic hospitality to all strangers landing
on the Greenwich shore, and who are at once
confronted by the Americus motto Of invita-
ton, 'Come and do as you id please"
Mr.. Tweed, as before said, according to the
record of his Official rank, IL commander-in-
chief of these democratic clubbists, all of whom
hold titles and grades of military and naval
rank, from commander-in-chief and admiral
down to two solitary privates, the last
eelected"-one private in the land and the
other ditto in the naval service, and who can
only be promoted and relieved from sing
ing "Cruiskeen Lawn" all the time while on
duty in case of resignation or a death In
these respective services.
Here is pure democracy as known In it's
palmiest days. On the other hand, the Man.
haitian Club belongs to set of ''bloated bond
holders" of the democratic stripe, who hold
admission to their Stances in their own hands,
and permit none to enter without the secret
sesame. This exclusiveness, however, does
not prevent us from knowing and contrasting
the inner club life of the Manhattan ''gents"
with that of the Americas ''bhoys." The
latter like the good fellows they are, sing
ticut fine cut in their hours of imbibatiOn Of
Bourbon neat, with Bully Bill Tweed at their
head Ginning the refrain. The Manhattanists,
on the other hand, in their city house, smoke
their Partages and sip their Roederer or Lac
Dor-lacking in everything but the ephemeraI
spirit thus imbibed, and lamenting over the
detection of the men whom they deceived in
the past, and would deceive again if they got
the chance.
From this lifting Of the veil may be dis
cerned the true nature and motive of the &C.
ton of the democracy of New York in their
first movement to wrench from what shey
deem the incompetent hands Of August
Belmont-the Augustan autocrat of the Man.
haitian Club--the sceptre of the National
Democratic Committee, and to place the same
in the hands OF William M. Tweed, one OF the
great trbunes of the democracy.
The Sultan and the vicerOy.
Affairs appear to be coming to point