The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-11-03
Our Impending Eicctions-Generai Graui,
the Republicans and. the Democracy.


Our State and city elections come of on
Tuesday next, and from all the indications on
every side the democracy, under the broad
ensign Of the ''big Indians" of Tammany, will
rout the republicans, city and State, as the
splendid army of MacMahon was routed near
the Rhine and in the Vosges, infantry. artil'
lery and mitrailleuses, cuirassers, Turcos
and all.
This is the prospect, and there has been nc
other prospect in the State since the despe-
rately contested and decisive Presidential bat
| tie OF 1868, in which the democratic majority
of the city overtopped by ten thousand on the
President and twenty-seven thousand on the
Governor the combined republi can majorties
Of the rural districts. But HoHfmans sixty
nine thousand majority in this city OF 1868 was
so amazing and incredible to the incredulous
republicans, and blow so stunning and de-
moralizing withal, that in 500 they permitted
the rural districts to go by default, ana thus
lost even the Assembly, their last foothold
in the State. In losing this they lost their
city commissions, for in our new City Charter,
which followed, they were all turned over to
the Wigwam--s transfer which gave the
| sachems the means and machinery for holding
city and State.
But as o sort Of equivalent for this surrender
Of their Rhine frontiers the republicans at
Albany secured from "Boss Tweed new and
more stringent registry law for this city, not
withstanding the abolition OF registration over
the rest of the State. The republican leaders
appeared to be satisfied with their bargain, on
the idea that their city commissions were SO
unpopular as to damage instead Of strengthen
their cause, and that q good registration law
for the city, rigidly enforced, would be apt
to turn the scale in the aggregate vote of the
State, in cutting of from the city repeaters,
ballot suffers, perjurers and doctored returns
to the extent of twenty or thirty thousand
fraudulent votes The republican managers
however, in order to enforce this new registra-
ton law, deemed it necessary to call upon the
strong arm of Congress to help them. They
did So and they secured Congressional
investigation of the returns Of our city cleo
tons of year or two, and report thereon of
apparent and suspected frauds which resulted
in the passage of two new election laws by
Congress, with which, in the proceedings for
their enforcement here by the authorities of
the United States, our readers have become
familiar.
We have heretofore explained and sustained
the provisions of these laws as properly
designed to encourage honesty and to dis
countenance and punish frauds of all sorts in
our political elections. We have also sus-
tanned the President in his policy of enforcing |
these laws, in view OF hts constitutional duty
to take care that the laws are faithfully exc
cuted. II is apparent, however, that his
subordinates have permitted their zeal in this |
business to outrun their discretion, that there |
has been too much of pomp aud parade. and
of the mastering Of troops, aud of warnings
and threatenings OF the armed Intervention Of
the United States in this approaching city
electiou-too much of all this in the general
estimation of our citizens of all parties. The
consequences are that, while there is a gen.
eral disposition to recognize the laws in
question, these very officious and offensive
proceedings for their enforcement have ope-
rated to weaken the republicans and to
strengthen the Tammany democracy. The
republican journals upon this question have
contributed much to this state of things
by their foolish course Of suggesting military
occupation of the polls on election day rs an
imperative necessity, and as, perhaps, the
only expedientfor securing a fair election. In
denouncing this military Intervention as the
application to New York Of the military sys-
| tenn adopted in the reconstruction Of the rebel
| States the Tammany democracy have gained
ground on the floating republicans, and the
''Young Democracy" are heading for the Wig
| wan.
| There might, perhaps, have been power
| full alliance effected among all the elements
| here opposed to the Tammany Decemyirs,
but for this unfortunate and offensive idea of
| the interposition Of the United States army
! for Tammanys overthrow. But how could
the ''Youpg Democracy" with all their
| precious antecedents, and all their peculiar
| notions of the freedom of elections, be
expected TO rally around Marshal Sharpe and
| his deputies and his soldiers against repeaters?
And as for the Tammany republicans, in being
| elected from the Custom House and the Post
Office, how could they be expected to support
the ticket of General Grant and Collector
Murphy? ''Do men gather grapes from
thorns, or figs from thistlesf" Not often.
Hence we find that while the Tammany
republicans are too indignant to support
Woodford, and too dainty and dignifed to
fraternize with such fellows as the ''Young
Democracy" these boys, while they do not
believe word of il, are 80 shocked with
the slave trade affiliations charged against
l N ;ako