New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-09-21
NO SCAPEGOAB.


now to make clean sweep of the corrupt
olicarchy who have been plundering US, it
may be as well to admit that we do not de-
serve a good government; that our Tammany
masters govern us better than we can 40 1t
ourselves. BY marvellous succession
Of fortunate accidents the press and
the public have boeA placed in pos
session of the most convincing evil
dence of the knavery Of the city officials.
The people have been at Last reused from that
discouraged apathy which resulted from many
years of hopeless subsection to illegal political
rule. Every circumstance combined to assist
the popular cause. The Ring, with unpar-
alleled stupidity, played constantly into the
hands of the honest citizens. They did not
take one step which did not weaken them.
They encouraged the general movement
against them by their cowardice and vacillation.
They strengthened public indignation by their
fecbly reckless expedients. The burglary In
the Controllers Office was a no less bungling
contrivalce than the Mayors attempt to
remove Connolly from Office, and each equally
increased the confidence of the reformers and
the DISCRIMINATION of Tammany. The in
tended support of the Ring journals In New
York was 80 ftful and uncertain that it was
of no advantage whatever. and, on the
other hand, the country press, with most inc0n-
siderable exceptions, joined heartily in the
CRY for light and justice upon the perpetrators
of the apparent frauds. There has been no
cbbing, no eddy in this great and rising tide
of popular feeling. To-day the sentiment In
opposition to the cOrruptiOns Of our municipal
government is stronger, more compact, aad
more serviceable than 1t ever was. Inc
Ring has lost most Of ito audacity and
all its cohesion. Its members are seeking
to betray each other, and to make
some provision for their own salvation.
That power, which seemed invncible a few
months ago-which was 80 strong and so cyni-
cal that political virtue and morality seemed
impossible in the town where it bore sway. is
now 80 weakened by attacks from without
and by treachery from within that 1t requires
nothing but patient courage and endurance to
accomplish its entire disintegratiOn and aboli-
ton as political power.
1t cannot be too strongly insisted upon that
now, when the promise Of success is 80 clearly
indicated, there Is no necessity, and certainly
there would be no wisdom, in making any
coalition with either member Of this panic
stricken conspiracy. OF course, there would
be no trouble in making very favorable terms
with any one of them. There is not one who
would not be too happy to compound for all
his misdeeds in the past by pledges of honesty
in the future-which would be kept or broken
according to circumstances. They have no
idea of party fealty nor of obligation to
each other. To each one of them the
first thing in his life is his place, which
enables him to buy houses and horses and
yachts and Americus Club badges set with
Jewels; and when this is no longer possible
they only wish to be guaranteed the peace
able possession of what houses and horses and
diamonds they have already secured, and
bonds enough to keep these in order.
Especially after the worrying they have gotten
this Summer, it is not difficult to
imagine that they might look with
positive relief to the prospect Of being
out of Office, with whole skin and plenty of
money. But it Is not necessary to guarantee
these terms to any of these worthless. There
is nothing now in the way of q thorough and
searchiHg investigation Of all the frauds and
corruptions Of the notorious quartette who are
all equally guilty of the shameful maladminis-
tration of the last few years. Gen. Green will
do his whole duty in the matter without fear
or favor, and the assistance Of any member
of the Late Tammany despotsm Il not
needed nor desired. If any one chooses to
make some slight reparation for . vicious life
by confessing and assisting In tho prosecution
Of his colleagues, an opportunity may be
afforded when their trials are begun. But this
is not question Of popular or political action,
but q legal one, and one to be decided, &C.
cording to the value of the information given,
by the law officers who conduct the prosecu-
ton. r.',
Without taking any especial interest on
either side of the controversy now raging
between the severed fragments of the Ring.
we cannot but see that the vulgar recrimina-
ton now 30 freely banded between them arc
most efficient means of emphasizing and con-
frming the popular distrust and condemna.
ton of the whole organization. Hall insinu-
ates that Connolly robbed the archives Of tho
tell-tale vouchers, and Connolly retorts
by saying 1t was only the Mayor and
nus colleagues who feared the rove
lataons OF these documents, and
they have planned and executed the b..
In either case the fact ia scandalous. en-, uxn
70 destroy the Ring altogether, for they have
TOO often made themselves responsible for
eaoa other to attempt at this day to Olsen
tanste themselves from their mutual relations.
lney should al 60 in one common verdict
and punishment. It IL not possible that any
OF them can again b useful to this community
In an ofacal position. It 10 true that no strictly
partisan movement can rescue this city. It 10
only by coalition OF the honest man that
this can be accomplished. Bat w believe the
honest men are majority otherwise the Of
iot 70 save the city would be In yaip, tits