The Portland daily press., 1870-11-05
Saturday Morning, Noyembsr 8, 1870.



----------------------
Tammnny 10 Democracy.
Lord Palnerston once called the opposltion
party "a fortuitous concurrence OF atoms.
Since the Democracy have lost, by the sup
preston of the rebellion, the abolition OF
slavery and reconstruction on the basis of
equal rights, the principle of cohesion which
was afforded by opposition to those great
achievements, we have often thought that no
other phrase would so accurately describe
their purely arbitrary association. But such
an association has in it the seeds of speedy
decay. Even an opposition party must hold
something afiirmstively. 1t cannot long exist
with the sole function of perpetually filing
general cdreat against the further progress of
the human race. We have looked, therefore,
to see the loosely organized elements crystalize
about some positive political notion, there
being strong antecedent probability that it
would be a corrupt and unworthy one.
This expectation is about to be strikingly
realized. As long ago as 1868 the Democracy
of the United States turned their faces to-
wards the shrine of St. Tammany. Tamma-
ny assumed direction of the national cam
paign and dictated platform and nominations.
Its Presidential ticket was defeated because
its machinery of fraud and violence could not
yet extended to all parts of the country. But
in tie Empire State its triumph was GLORIOUS"
Tammahy was never more efficient. Fore en-
ers were fraudulentIy naturalized, repeating
squads were organized and ballot boxes were
stuffed with eminent success. Seymour got
the electoral vote and Hoff nan, the tool of
Tammany's great masters, Tweed and owee-
ney, was electeu Governor. Tammany added
so much to its prestige by this success that
when it had crowned its victory by making
another OF its wards, A. Oakley Hall, mayor
of the city, the surprised and eratified De-
mocracy of the Union began to crystalize
round that buzzard's roost and the lacking
motive for permanent union was found.
That motive is piInder. 1t Hoffman is
elected Governor next Tuesday, it is well I'M
derstood everywhere that he will lead the
TammaDy formerly Democra.ic) party in the
Presidential campaign, and that an effort will
be made to nationaze weed and Sweeney and
the magnificent Tammany system of pilage,
compared with which the systems of provin-
cial Democrats are to the last degree rude and
pnremuneratve. Tammany steals ten or
twelve millions annually from the public |
funds oil the city OF New York alone-what |
may we lot expect it to realize from work |
ing SO rich placer as the national treasury? |
When single member of the Tammany |
ring, like Jim Fisk, Jr, promises to offer no /
less ,han!twenty-fve thousand Erie employees
in solid body as Tammany voters it is fool
hardy not to anticipate that Hoffman /
will be elected. If he is successful, not
wilhstanding the efforts of the general |
government to secure fair registra-
ton, there will be atleast this COM
pensation for the Republican defeat: it is no
fancifuI assertion that Democracy will in that
event lose its identity completely by reason OF
its absorption by Tammany, but it is univer-
sally recognized fact, and it is as certain as
anything in this avorld cdn be that it will re-
suit in the reelection of Gen Grant. For the
votels of the Country who so decisvely repu-
dated Tammany In 1865, when it was rela-
lively in a chrysalis state. will not endorse il
now when its unmatched recklessn and de- |
pravity are full-blown and exultant-yes. |
rampant in the maturity of their strength /
They will not endorse it now when, since the
successful villahles of 1865 even the New York /
World, lar the ablest Democratic paper in the
country, felt compelled to denounce the great |
ruling Tammany sachems as ''corruptioDists |
OF the ring" and freely confessed to the per-
petratlon OF unparalleled frauds in the cities |
OF New York and Brooklyn.
1t is peculiarly of the Democratic party
to give the worst constituent elements the
lead. as it is one Of the most helpful charac-
teristcs OF the Republican party 10 submit
TO the dictaton OF its best and most progress
I've members. In the case we are considering
the result will! surely be the indefinite contn-
ualion OF Republican asccndency. For in
substantially sinking their organization in
Tarnmany and establishing Tweed and
Sweeney auiocracy, the Democracy shock the
moral sense OF the country in several ways.
They put before the people as a type Of
Democratic excellence a clique that has made
New YORK the only city in America that is
notoiously Incapable of self government. S.
long as the Stale government was Republi
can itplovlded for the preservation of ordeI
in the city by governing it through metro
poitan police aud other State commissions
Tae present Democratic Stare government
has of course restored to the city its autono
my. The general government. to meet an
other local evil, has been obliged to intrus
federal officers with the supervision of the
elections for Congressman. The consequence
is that the local authorities array their clans
against the United States and threaten to
bring about bloody collisions.
They ask the people to nationalize an Or
ganiza,ion that has caused the metropolis OF
America to be invariably suggested by hostile
foreigners as proof of the failure of repub
lican institutions.
They are attracted by natural affinities to.
ward an organization which is incompatible,
the most unplincip.ed and most successful
political ring in The copntry-one that has
avaIled itself of more fraudulent votes, stuff
ed more ballotboxes and. in short, been re-
sponsible for more political decentralization
and corruption than all others in the aggre-
gate. "a
Therefore we affirm that the election o.
Hoffman by exulting Tammany will insure
the reelection OF Grant in 1872 by the strong
evulson of popular feeling.
.' Political.