The New York herald., 1871-03-14
The Tammnny Regency-Hisiory Repeas.
ing Itself,

OF III tuo MAR agreement.
The Tammnny Regency-aistory Repsnx.
ing ITSELF
tt is an cid and trite saying that history
repeats itself. Every dynastic change and
revolution subversive of established customs,
laws or forms Of government but makessway,
not for something new in government or laws
but for the temperance of something old;
which had fallen into disuse or temporary dis
favor. These changes are simply the repro
ductions, in altered forms, no doubt, of events
that, having had their influence on The history
of the past, are still required to shape and
mould the history of the present Solomon
said there was nothing new under the sun.
This may be accepted, Independent Of the
wisdom Of its author, as truism as far-as his
tory is concerned; for there is hardly an
event of great public national psomineace
transpiring in the present for which parallel
may not be found in the history Of the past.
From the discovery of this our island of Man.
haitian by that famous and renowned navigator,
Hendrix Hudson, in this very month Of March,
l6lO, through all the throes Of early coloni-
zation to the administration of the govern
ment by that redoubtable and valiant Cover
nor Peter Stuyvesant, the worthy burghers of
Manhattan maintained intact or whenever
threatened or imperilled, disputed Justify for
their political rights and franchises. Those
old Mynheers were, in fact, most dispxta-
tious race, who, knowing their rights, dared
to maintain them, and were thus the source Of
''peck of trouble" to the easy-going, huge
eating, profuse- drinking, Understanding
aforesaid Peter, nicknamed the Headstrong.
This Peter carried things with high
hand, or it might be said that his
wooden leg was the high hand with
which he ''ruled the roast" during his
long administration Of the government. Like
the Tammany ring Of the present day, pre-
sided over by another Peter (history repeating
itself) the Knickerbocker Governor believed
in the policy of relieving the people Of all the
cares of government. To this end he centred
in himself the sole power and oil the RESPONSE
bilities appertaining thereto, admitting none
to his counsel or his confidence save and ex-
cept his trusty trumpeter and herald, Antony
von Corlear.
The Peter Of our day-the head and front OF
the ring which runs our city government,
running muck too at that-imitates the old
Knickerbocker's policy as closely as possible.
The ring has full and unchecked control of the
public purse, and SO long as a liberal and sat
isfed people supply the funds to replenish it
whenever exhausted, the task of governing is
made easy as well as profitable. There is no
party in the State to modest the Regency or to
make it afraid The elements that 60 10 the
formation of parties and by their agitation Of
questions touching the public veal maintain the
body polite in healthy condition are held in
restraint-in abject subsection, in fact--by
the all-powerful ring, the self-constituted dis
pensers Of all place and patronage under the
city government. The ring is the government.
1t is said that corporations have no souls, but
we have municipal corporation without body
or soul. The Boards of Aldermen and Assist
ant Aldermen are bereft of even the semblance
of the power intended to be conferred upon
them by the charter. Perhaps there is no
cause of regret in this, knowing the stuff they
are made Of in the first instance, and also
from the fact that they are the plant tools
the mere puppets of the ring-at all times and
for all purposes.
From the time of Peter the Headstrong
dates the rise of the old Knickerbocker fami-
lies, which long held paramount and elevating
sway in the higher circles Of Gotham life,
and exercised benign and civiizing
influence through all the strata of
society in their day. Among these
were the Stuyvesants, the Beekmans,
the Van Cortlandts, the Livingstones, the
De Witt Clintons, the Van Rensselaers, the
Van Zandts, the Van Hornes and the Schemer-
horns, the Suydams and the Van Dams.
The representatives Of these former legislators
and leaders in the councils of the government
of the city and State have been elbowed and
thrust aside from the path of politics and state