Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-09-27
CIT FREEMAN.
MONTPELIER, VT,
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. u, 1871.
How 70 Profit by the COrruptiOnS of
Iammany

more than partisan value, and be improved
% the advantage of honest government,
rather than to the strengthening Of mere
party machinery 1t is true that the chet
managers of the Tammany frauds, by which
the tax payers Of New York city have been
windIed out Of untold millions Of dollars.
have been leaders in the New York Democ-
racy, and influential in the management Of
the Democratic party in the nation, for
years L Is just as true, however, that
these thieves could rot have reached their
gigantic stature as villains, and made them
selves immensely rich from their scarcely
concealed stealings, if they had not found
convenient and helpful tools in who
have been called Republicans and who have
been influential in that political organ
ization. The Ring has always subsidized
enough Republicans t. carry It's schemes
through the Legislature, and to prevent any
successful Organization in the city from car
rying the election against che Ring candi-
dates Now the Iriblne and the Iines. each
representing wing Of The Republican party
in New York. relieve the monotony Of their
daily exposures Of Il rascality Of Tweed
and Connolly, by calling each other liars,
corruptionists and allies Of Tammony Hall
and the most melancholy part Of it Is that
they come little, if any, short Of proving
their charges. The chairman Of the Rcpub-
lean State Committee Of New York writes long
letters to show that what Mr. Greedy claims
is the regular Republican organization in the
Of Tammanv, and Mr.. Greeley makes shorter
but not less sharp reioindefs. to show that
his viliiers are no better than the hired tools
Of Sweeney and Hall. Il thus seems to be
pretty well established that the corruption in
politics in New York cannot be laid wholly
at the door Of the Democratic purty that
while the chiefs Of that organization have
been the most conspicuous managers in the
vast syst IN OF plumber which has been bleed
ing the property owners Of New York city
for years. thousands Of Republicans, many
Of them prominent and influential, have been
feeding themselves fat on Tammany Jobs
while doing the work Of so managing their
own party mach merry, as to leave Tammany
the power to carry out its gigantic plans Of
gorging itself on the money it extOrtcd from
the people. Ia shore, the whole machinery
of politics, in both parties in New York, has
become thoroughly the mere agencies OF
political jobbars and has been operated in
the interest Of the politicians. who make
patriotism and plrtisanship as much bust
ness matter a they DO stock gambling or
betting at horse races To these men, success
or failure at an election Is not a thing they
care anything about SO far az the country Is
concerned, bat is wholly a personal matter il
which they have a direct pecuniary interest
It they succeed, they have fat Offices, rich
jobs, heavy contracts, and high commissions.
IF they fail they have to get a living az other
men %.
This state of political rottenness is NOT, We
are sorry to say. confined to New York. It
is ound everywhere, where the control Of
large sums of money, the appointment Of
many officials, and the management by gov
eminent Of large interests, are in the hands
Of the successful party. 1t is hardly too
mach t. say that the nomination and election
Of president and Of the men who control
national affairs, is influenced to great
extent if not controlled, bv-the nen who
expect or desire to be inside the ring after
the election. and make money our Of their
success. However unpleasant it may be to
believe it, we yet fear it is true, that politics
has degeneratei into q trade, and " active
politicians = just as much expect if their
party succeeds to be rewarded for their activ-
e. IL
his work They are to have the best offices,
the latest Jobs, the choicest mOrsels Of
government patronage, as comp nsation-for
what?-why for voting and working for the
success of the candidates which tlev insisted
it was necessary to elect in order to save the
country. What Is the corruption of Tam
many but an advanced stage Of this same
condition Of political affairs If an active
politician > is to be paid by government
patronage, for doing his duty as a citizen in
helping TO secure the election o the proper
persons to Office, why should mt the officials
themselves have some share of the plumber
for their self-denying patriotism, in accepting
Office? And how natural and easy the steps.
according to this logic, to an organized
system OF party machinery in which . active
politicians become necessary in order to
secure the success of ''our ticket - and our
party and cunning schemes Of plumber are
devised by which the public is made TO pay
iberaIly,-in New York tremendously -for
allowing itself to be managed pol tically by
these men no make politics their
trade and means of living and getting rich
How deep this disease has gone in the body
polite now it is not easy 10 say, but it has
certainly reached point to occasion the
proloundest alarm. Noone who has observed
public affairs for a few years can have failed
to see that political principles the success
Of great measures Of public or nationai
pOlicy-have become to great extent,
instead Of the real life and soul Of parties,
the mere dress in which they hope to attract
attention and secure votes. All parties cry
out for reform, reform, reform. They alike
demand economy and honesty in administra-
ton. They alike insist that the many shall
not be plundered that the few may roll in
wealth They alike proclaim their devotion
to the interests of the people. They alike
denounce their adversaries as enemies of all
beneficial progress, and of all sincere reform.
Yet there is scarcely a political crime for
which they arraign their opponents that they
themselves are not uIty of, or would not be
If they had the same opportunity aud tempt
alton to evil courses.
These Tammany exposures should not teach
mere party lesson. They show less a need
or Republican government than Of honest
er1,-nrrrnort hr rrhnrnsnnrnr administered