The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-26
streets were highly favorable for marching.
For many years Evacuation Day has not been
so periodically honored by our citizens.

streets were highly favorable for marching.
For many years Evacuation Day has not been
so periodically honored by our citizens.
The Now Democratic Exposition and Pro-
In another place In the HERALD will b
found most interesting article on the coming
political programme of the democratic party,
with regard not only to important local ques-
tions but embracing all the salient points Of
controversy involved in the Presidential cam
paign of 1872. The article referred to is do
serving Of most careful perusal, as well by our
general readers as by those who make the
policy of leaders in State and national affairs
matter of special reflection and study It is
the result of an interview between HERALD
reporter and Mr.. Peter B. Sweeny, Chamber
lain of the city, and the admitted and recog-
nized leader of the Tammany Regency.
Though not speaking altogether for the party,
and, indeed, disclaiming against bis utterancss
being SO accepted, Mr.. Sweeny's exposition Of
the political programme Twill be taken substan-
tally as that of the new Regency, and as such
is subject to party and general criticism. In
oomprehensiveness the article is all that the
most thorough political Gradgrind could desire.
Not only are facts-stubborn things in them
selves-copiously interlarded, but they are, be-
sides, stubbornly advanced and relied upon in
making out the whole case of democracy versus
republicanism in this State. 1t is true that the
democratic party has gained Q temporary
ascendancy from the result Of the late State
election, and that the party is now represented
by majority in the three branches of the
State government-by democratic Governor
and democratic Legislature and Judiciary.
Tho Regency must. however. bear in mind
the fact that its late triumph was accidental
more meretricious than real-that the State
election in November went by default as
against the republicans, and that the victory
was not so much attributable to democratic
gains as to republican desertion, for the reason
that it presented no question invested with
Importance from national standpoint to call
forth decided vote. In this connection it is
paramount causes for this detection to party
and principles on the part Of the republicans
throughout the State. That there were causes
patent to all 1t is sufficient to intimate to be
understood.
But what is the position of the democratic
party to-day as represented by the Tammany
Regency? With some few exceptions the sub
ordinate leaders of the party were particularly
noticeable in the past for their partisan opposi-
ton to the war-an opposition that compelled
many of their best men to abandon the party
and to throw their political fate into the same
scale which was to decide the fate Of the
nation But still among those who, while
clinging to the old ship Of State, tena-
ciously, through good and bad repute, adhered
to party, were some of the leading men Of
to-day in Tammany politics, such as Mr.. Sweeny,
Mayor Hall, Mr.. Tweed and few others. 1t
is hardly necessary to remind these gentlemen
that faithful observance Of all our wan obi
cations is cardinal article of faith with the
whole people Of the country, and that the
slightest deviation therefrom in theory or
practice ought and must be fatal to the party
advocating or permitting it.
Mr.. Sweeny, twill be seen from the reading
Of the political horoscope" cast by him, does
not finch from the question. He refers to II
incidentally, it may be, but with sufficient
clearness to sustain and justify his war record,
which was, first and last, in council and In
acts, in support of the government and against
the leaders of the rebellion. It is not, there
fore, likely-accepting him as the exponent Of
the coming policy Of the party-that the
democracy, in this it's first flush of victory,
will wreck itself upon the quicksands which
annihilated the federal party at the time Of the
last war with Great Britain. Mr.. Sweeny
gives his conclusions and opinions in anticipa-
ton of the coming political programme for
''what they are worth" No doubt they have
deeper import than these disqualifying words
would imply; but at any rate as the opin-
ions of the recognized leader of the party in
the State, they will have great effect in pre-
pairing the minds of the people for the course
Of policy to be pursued in the coming Legisla-
ture and in the Presidential contest Of 1872.
Lesson of tho Erie Fiasco-The Duty Of
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