New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-11-23
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER %, 1871.
The Redemption Of New York.

Inc redemption Oh new YORK.
The victory achieved by the people of New
York is an event of greater consequence in its
effect on the political situation of the whole
country, and the cause Of Republicanism gen.
orally, than even in its direct and immediate
results for the State and city, highly important
and gratifying as they are. Indeed, there
would be ample cause for rejoicing if it were
aquestion only of the redemption of New York
from misrule that had almost made the very
name of the city disgrace to the country.
There is hardly another place in the world where
robbery, fraud, vilainy, and crime have been
practiced to such an extent by those in power,
have been so systematically organized, save
perhaps under the late French Empire. The
corruption of the balot-box was the great
crime which paved the way for all others, made
them even necessary and consequently secured
impunity for them. The Tammany gang of
robbers, in order to carry the elections, needed
the army Of roughs, rowdies, and repeaters, all
the scum of society, all the outlaws, who are
kept down and watched in other, and bettsrregu-
lated communities, naturally became defiant
and ovsrbearing in the well-founded concious-
ness that every one engaged in the honorable
business of running the great Democratic ma
chine in return for his services enjoyed i'm
puuity for any crime, held license for all kinds
of immoral, prohibited, and vile pursuits. To
insure that impunity and shield great and small
scoundrels, no less corrupt and. mercenary
judges were needed, elected through the same
agencies. A Legislature possessed of equal
virtue was needed to sanction and legalize the
robberies committed by the leaders, and in
return was allowed share in the plumber. A
police was needed, ready to do in all emer-
gencies their part of the dirty work in the great
Democratic household, prevent legal voters
by intimidation and force from casting their
ballot, interfere generally in favor of roughs
and rascals against respectable people, and to
keep their eyes carefully shut to all the little
Irregularities of the Democratic fraternity, to
all the dsreputable establishments kept by
Democratic politicians in defiance Of law. The
outrages perpetrated in the management of
prisons, the shameless extortions practiced by
sheriffs and deputy sheriffs, whose exposure is
greatly owing to the exertions of the New
York Tribune originate in the same causes, as
in fact, all worked into each others hands and
each into his own besides. 1t would certainly
be very gratifying if the chief criminals could
be brought to suffer the punishment they so
fully deserve, if they could be compelled to
restore at least part of their plumber, and to
indulge for some years in the quiet and retire
ment of Auburn or Sing Sing in wholesome
reflections on the instability of human affairs,
and particularly of Democratic prosperity.
There are, however, results of such vastly
superior consequence to be reaped from the
overthrow of the Tammany Ring, that We can
even dispense with the qualification of seeing
practical justice carried out to its fall extent.
1t is more important that the State of New
York should cast the weight of her votes on
the side of Republicanism in the next Presi.
Dental election, and such success we can
now confidently hope for. The same degree of
activity, energy, and vigilance on the side of
the people that they have displayed on the
present occasion, is all that is required to in
sure it, and this accession to our ranks
gives to this success the Importance of
national rather than local affair, for
Republican victory is absolutely needed,
not for the sake of the men who will obtain
or retain power through it, but for the sake of
liberty, equal rights, and honesty for the
consolidation and completion of the work of
reconstruction, which, in the event of Demo
cratic ascendency, would be entirely destroyed
in substance and practice, if not by express
legislation Yet the moral effect of this triumph
ext IDS even further. 1t is not confined to our
own country, but will strengthen the cause of
republicanism everywhere. The villanies and |
frauds perpetrated under the guise and through |
the sham of universal suffrage, came near
bringing republican institutions generally in |
discredit, and monarchists or superficial OBJ /
servers, who failed to perceive how that state |
Of things had not been brought on by true
republican rule, but by its very antagonism,
and, in spite of it, would point to the republic
rs illustrated by New York as warning ex-
ample rather than a model worth initiating.
The imposing selfassertion Of tie sovereign
people is most glorious vindicaton of republi.
IAN institutions and republican principles the
and triumph of republicanism
pure and simple. 1t is true, the people, OPP
pressed by monarcbical misrule, will sometimes
'evolt against their tyrant and shake of his
Toke, send him into exile, or compel him to
give guarantees for the future; yet such victo
les are not achieved without great revolutions,
which will convulse the whole country, or even
he majority is defeated by the brute force Of
N organized military power-the obedient
DOL of royal despotism. 1t is only in a true
epublic, under the operation of republican
Institutions. that such a sweeping change can
e accomplished peaeeably, without the least
isturbance by the great republican means of
he ballot box.