The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-02-19

| on the wane and this has been particularly
| true of the character Of tho men Who have
assumed the lead in their councils. The
! party suffered severe loss when, in 1866,
on the opening Of the new epoch in American
| pol tics, large body of its ablcst and best
members left its standard, Of whom BRYANT,
KING, WADswonTn, FIELD, OrDYkE, Sell
ply, PonTEU, HUNT DAVIS, aud CAMPBELL
may be named as representative men.
Notwithstanding this serious detection q
good many high-minded Democrats, who
had been trained under the old regime Of
ToMPKINs and VAN BUREN, still remained
to lead the party, among whom SEYMOUR
DICKINSON, RICHMOND, ThDEN, Church,
and TREMAIN stood conspicuous. On tho
outbreak of the Rebellion some of these went
over to the Republicans, while the rest, after
fierce but hopeless struggle, were COM
| PEELED to succunb to power In this city,
the outgrowth of system of corruption and
rascality which has no parallel in American
| politics, known az the Tnmmany Ring.
This Ring, whose central figures and chief
managers do not exceed half dozen in num-
bcr. has, for six years past, ruled the Demo-
cratic party of New York as with rod Of
iron. This Ring has no clearer conception
of what genuine Democracy is than q Turk
| or Hindoo. II cares not whether Demo
crot or Republican occupies tho Presidential
chair; nor whether Democrats or Republic
| cans hold the mnjorities in the two Houses of
Congress; nor whether we have free trade or
protective tariff; whether the national debt
is paid in grcenbacks or in gold. or is rcpu-
dated whether Cuba achieves her iudcpen.
dcncc, or wears the chains of Spain wheth-
er the Alabama claims are honorably dis
charged, or CONTEMPORARY hurled back in
the face OF the Federal Government; whether
we have new State Constitution, or stumble
along under the present one; whether our
State canals arc prosperous, or lapsing into
bankruptcy whether, in n word, the great
State of New York maintains her old posi-
tion as the leading member of the American
Union, or is gradually sinking beneath the
contempt of her sister States.
The Ring cares for none of these things
Ito highest idea Of policy is to swindle and
bribc greasy jobs through the Legislature,
and through the Common Council aud tho
Board of Supervisors OF this city, whereby
its mcmbors may make money. Its loftiest
conception of statesmanship is to carry an
election by manufacturing reams of fraudu.
lent naturalization papers, organizing gangs
ofrepcaters to stuff ballohboxes, subornng
inspectors TO cheat in counting the votes ac-
tually given, and, when hnrd pressed to
alter or forge official certificates of the results
of the canvass.
The members Of the Ring care not how
this metropolis is governed, watcher by Com.
III ssions emanatirg from Albany, or by
rulers of its own choice, provided the Ring
can work it as q California miner works q
placer. 1t has no regard for the prosperity
or reputation of one of the foremost and
wealthicst cities Of the world, but looks upon
il as buccaneers in the seventeenth century
looked upon Spanish galleon laden with
the riches Of Mexico Peru. or, TO come
down TO our own times and the level Of the
subject, it looks upon the city OF New Y ork
as n burglar looks upon the vault of one of
our banks, rs something to be bored into
and plundeied.
Such is the Ring which now holds in
chains the once famous party of the first
State in the Rcpubic--a party which has
been led by some of the most eminent men
IL our annals. Without honorable lineage
or gcntlemanly breeding, without learning
or genius, without statesmanship or expe.
Ecncc in public affairs, without skill except
for roGucry, without power except for evil,
without tact or ingenuity except for dcvising
new modes for corruptng officials and rob
Ling tic people, tie Ring has dcbauchcd
the politics first Of this city and now of this
State and made the very name of tho De.
mo"rncy of New York Il byword, n Kissing,
and rpronch throughout the Union.
And now, what DO the hiGh.mlnded men of
the party, who cherish III ancient fame, and
its honest masses, who hold fast its tradi.
tonal doctrines, propose 10 do about this
natter Disgrace has already ovcrtaken
them, and irretricva1lc ruin trcads close upon
their heels There is no time for delay, and
there is but one thing left for them to do.
They must smash the Ring They must
tighten the Democratic ship by compelling
tho mcmhas Of the Ring TO walk the plank
They must not allow them TO skulk out of
Eglt til tie rising storm of Indignation
passes away; Tut they must openly, in tile
light Of day, aud before all the y, oplc, throw
every ouc Of them into the depths of the sea
Thus, and only thus, can the Democracy of
New York maintain its asccndancy in the
State, AID regain Its former prestige and
power in the nation.