New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-08-21
NEW LIGHT ON A DARK SUBJECT

1t will Ire remembered that Mayor Oakley
Hall did, on the 22d of July, make the only
defense which has yet been responsibly set up
by any of the heads Of our Municipal Govern
ment to the grave charges of wholesale inf
deity and peculatioR on which they are ar
raigned. The gist Of that defense is as follows:
"Iho claims alluded to by The Times are largo and they
may have been eXorbitant; but inc responsibility
for Item really rests Nth either the Controller
myself 7hev all audited by The late
land whut is knorcn as The old Board Of Super
piSor abolished VIXEN the City Government was in
auguraed and OF the auditing occurred nearly two
years ago. Many of the claims for work and mao-
rails in 1868. That Board, 1t will be remembered, was
elected by tho people, and composed equally Of Demo
Gratis and Republicans. The same majority that audited
the claims had the power TO rGaudt them over the
Mayors veto. But the Mayor and tho Counsel TO tie
Corporation beth OF opinion las think every lawyer
will be- that under the Revised Statutes the audit Of tie
H9arl is final. and is not of those acts which
Mayor can veio.b
To this, we responded at once that the
Mayor was mistaken on a vital pOint-that the
Board in question ceased to be equally divided in
politics on the 1st of January, 1867, through the
election of Smith Ely, jr, Independent Demo-
crat) instead Of a Republican, in November, 1866
The rest of the plea is equally bad, but this
point sufliccd. But Mr.. John Foley, who was
likewise elected as an independent Democrat
in 1869, in a letter 10 Mayor Hall, printed on
our second page, tears his plea all to pieces
as follows:
at is charitable to suppose that, at the time you
penned this statement published your sigma
ture you forgot the fact Of the existence of interim
B0GrS. which had short OF power between the old
and The Boards OF Supervisors Let me, therefore,
a ne theri mt
body Chapter $50 section of the laws of s7oprovides
that All liabilities against tho County of NewYork, In
Cured previous to the passage OF this act shall be
dited 6g tie Mayor, Controller, and present President Of
the Board Of Supervisors (William NJ Tweed, and the
amounts which found to be due shall be provided for
by the OF bonds Of the County of New
York. payable during the year 1871 and the Board of su-
pervisors shall include in the ordinance leyying the
taxes for the 1871 an amount sufficient to pay said
bonds and the interest thereon. Suoh claims shall be
paid by the Controller to the party parties entitled to
receive the same upon .the certificate Of the officers
named herein!
"what this interim Board accomplished under OF
the authority thus conferred upon it, have certified
to under the signatures of both yourself and the Con
troIer in your message and accompanying accounts
dated June IL OF the present You there admit that
yOu tho Controller and Tweed, went through the form
of auditing and allowing claims made against tho County
to the modest amount OF s6,Sl25n 81, When you
pleted this audit which report says yOu did at sit
ting you raised the full amount by revenue bonds paya
bio IN 1871 and thereupon signed the warrants under
which the entire sum taken from the Treasury
The Controllers accounts OF Juno II make known the
frley important Jdct that 1t out OF this sum OF
$63l26l 81 THAT PAID ALL THE CLAIMS MADE
AGAINST THE COUNTY DURING THE YEAR 1870 FOR WORK
DONE OR FURNISHINGS SUPPLIED, except the sum Of
$37O,65O, on account of the Court House Building.
"Here therefore, is the evidence conclusive that the
responsibility does rest Nth you, and the Controller and
J. T9eed for all the payments made 10 Ingersolt, Gar
vey Miller, EelSer, he Smiths, and Others, during The
gear 1870 and hat these claims amount in the aggregate
to the enormous sum Of sG,5l26il 81"
Mr.. Foley proceeds to show that the claims
so audited and paid by the issue of bonds
were illegal-the Board having been expressly
forbidden to contract such debts by statutes
passed in 1868 and 1S69-and then adds:
a. ou allowed the clams-you passed them all-you
paid them-and, having done turn round and at
tempt to throw Off the responsibility, and place it upon
Board composed half OF Republicans and half of Demo
Gratis But Sir this will not do 1t is not matter Of
politics. but OF honesty and fair dealing; and the
this reaizedby you the better 1t must be admitted
and l. lifelong Democrat DO admit it-that not even
nominal Republican had anything to do with the passing
and paying Of the sG3l2 OF fraudulent claims paid
In 1870; and, when you publish the accounts have
promised undertake to show that under the operation
OF the accumulated debt bonds both you and the Con
roler equally responsible for all similar claims paid
IN 1909"
Now let us see what the Mayor has to say
to this and a hundred similar arraignments
He no longer signs his articles, but all who
know the man will recognize his whistle to
keep his courage up in The Leader of Satur-
day-as follows:
"The attack has only made the officials who represent
Tammany strong throughout the nation The question
despite efforts to connc II to the city, where could
be more thoroughly understood has assumed National
proportions The papers OF the different States which,
few weeks ago. could reason why Tammany should
have any voice in National politics. rise up and with
one accord have National voice for Tammany We are
stronger ia the country than cared to be a
month ago. when wanted only to do good for the City,
But to the many editors who have taken up logical pens
ia our behalf with strength which tells that all local
Democratic causes worthy OF all Democratic sym
pathy and support, say to-day that one merit Tam
many Hall claimsshe forgets To our Democratic
brethren from the contingencies wherein Tie Boston
Post IA read to the cOttOnhOuses wherein Tie Mobile
eyiser Is canvassed for good thought say You have
made our cause your own and the good that will come
ii that whether our strength the city be great rs
to make US vain, or not your cause Is ours.
and a word FOR the tmid and doubtful Jones' This
was political 1ght-a fight Of one and the weakest
wing Of the Republican party OF New-YOrk City against
officials elected by the Democratic party. IL used pOlt-
cal weapons. We might have come out in fight the day
Of the first gun City Hail. and have had our voices
drowned by its needless thunderinEs. We knew that
when the fight came to the thickest It could unmuzze
only Quaker guns 5rhat it go unwise as to fire all
Its powder in the first days dress parade, reason
why should return the bravadO barc. 1t has struck
the length OF its When at last the smoke shall clear
away 1t will be where the political sun viii clearly
shine that the proudest flag of them ALL waving uniform
from The highest staff Of the victorious army Is that
which shall never cease to be borne by Tammany Hall"
is this man mad Can he imagine the pub
lie demand that the accounts of the Citys
expenditures be made public will be silenced