The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-04-06
The Republican Party Betrnyed.

The Republican party Of this State has
inst cast aside one Of those great opportuni-
ties which seldom occur and which, when
lost, are never retrieved. Taken in connec-
ton with the failure Of GRANTS administra-
ton and the utter waste of the national pa
tronngc in the State, it is not too much to say
that the rejection Of this opportunity dooms
the party in New York to permanent and
hopeless impotence.
For many years the Democracy IN this city
has been ruled by q small number of per-
sons, known as the Tammany Ring. Tor
pecun'ary purposes this Ring has not includ-
ed more than eight or ten men; for political
purposes it las been limited to two-Wu.-
LIAM MARCY TWEED and PETER BARR
SwEESY. They ard their associates have
got immensely RICH and their exercise of
political power Las grown more and moro
corrupt, despotic, and dctatorial. At last
revolt sprang up against this dictatorship
Il was an honest revolt in behalf of liberty
for tho Democracy and good government
for the people. This revolt changed
the centre Of power in the Legislature
Previous to it the Democracy had been in
the minority, and the Republicans were help
less; hut after il neither lrarch Of the
pornooiacy could carry through the legs-
lation 1t desired without Republican aid
This created an opportunity for the Repub-
Leans 20 obtain charter for New York that
would insure honest administration of the
local nj nd 10 Nd
the dcspotism and the robbery of the Ring
They might also have obtained an election
law that would render fraudulent voting and
fraudulent counting impossible; and this
would have left the Democratic party divd-
ed and broken ly bitter fcud which would
have required years TO heal.
This, We say, was matchloss opportunity
for the Republicans. All that was necessary
for them WAS TO support the revolving por-
ton of the Democracy, and to pass
into laws such measures as they desired and
tho Ring deprecated. These measures were
simple, and there need have been no diff.
Guilty about the details. good democratic
charter for New York, taking the govern
ment Of tue city from the Ring and commit
ting il TO the people; and an efficient law
securing fair elections and just counting of
the votcs-ths was all that was necessary
But the Republicans of the Legislature could
not see it. What they saw was the hand Of
TWEED full Of greenbncks. They preferred
corruption and personal plumber for them.
selves TO good laws and the success of Re-
publicanism. They were willing to take
TwEEDs money and cut their party's throat
The result is that the Ring is more power
nl than ever. Mr., TWEED is now the mas
ter Of the Empire State. lie can SGT up and
lac can pull down whomsoever he will.
The Democracy, instead of being divided,
IRE moro united than ever Tho Republi-
cans have hastoncd to catch TwEEDs enc.
mics, and have slain them before him, and
those that are not killed arc scared and
discouraged so that they can f; Ut no more.
This lucklcss city, instead Of having a gov
eminent Of the people, is more tian ever
under the dictatorship OF the Ring, aud in.
stead Of an election law which will guaranty
a fair show to all ctilcns and all pl.t'os. vs.,
shall have a law under winch the R.pg will
doubtless repeat the same outrage. lat lev.
marked our history for ,hc last five years.
Such is the condition TO which the Lrpu..
lican organization in New York is now r..
duccd by the venality and blindness Of It's
rcpres 'ntativo men in the Legislature. In.
stead Of Strengthening their party, they have
Immensely siren gthencd it's enemy. Instead
ofopcning for hens Ives n reasonable chance
Of carving the State at future elections.
they have rendered it impossible to shake the
Democratic ascendancy Instead Of self.
government for the people Of this city, they
have pcrpctuated the robbery of the Ring.
Instead of checking and preventing cheating
in our elections, they Lave fortified it and
given it a prolonged lease OF life.
We trust for tho sake of justice that the
great body of the Republican party will not
remain in ignorance of these facts. II would
bea pity that such political folly and rascal.
by should 20 unpublished. But If the guilty
should now escape retrbution, lot them
tno" that they cannot escape always. They
may triumph for the hour in their iniouity