New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-11-09
THE CAMPAIGN.

It ia only three months since the campaign
against Tammany began, and already we have
won glorious victory. That the City Gov
eminent was controlled by clique of rogues
and pecuatOrs, that the taxes were misappro-
priated, and the suffrage tempered with, every
body knew long ago. 1t was plain enough
too that by one means or another the public
money found its way into the pockets OF
Tweed and Connolly. Still, there was no abso-
Lutte proof of these frauds until last July, when
James O'Brien, who had quarreled with the
Ring over claim of three or four hundred thou
sand dollars which Mr.. Tweed refused to allow
caused the publication of series OF startling
transcripts from the Controllers books. 1t ID
not enough to say that the disclosure justified
our worst suspicious Prepared as we were Tor
almost any evidence of raScality, the truth,
when il confronted us in black and white, was
actually appalling. There was the record
of millions paid away for work that never was
done, supplies that never were furnished, chairs
and carpets that never were seen in any OF the
city or county offices. There were warrants
drawn in favor of men who had no existence,
and Endorsed to the order of particular friends
and instruments of William NJ. Tweed. There
were proofs of the most daring forgery as we'll
az of wholesale robbery. The whole country was
aroused. Europe rang with the scandal. Inc
Ring seemed stunned; they made no defense;
they offered no explanations they pretended to
believe that the excitement would expend itself
in newspaper denunciation, and "this thing
would blow over" Then came o general
demand for publication of the Controllers ac-
counts. Mr.. Connolly put us off. Mayor Hall
al ho oHa nv I1a
from the first was fulfilled the accounts never
were published, and while the Ring retain con-
troll of them they never will be.
The excitement, however, did not expend
itself in angry denunciation. The temper of
the people grew hotter and hotter, and it
grew more resolute at the same time. 1t
found adequate expression at last in the great
Cooper Institute meeting on the 4th of Sep
TENDER, and then for the first time the Ring
seemed to comprehend their danger. They
found the respectable Democrats, whom they
had supplied for years with bogus ballots and
repeaters, were turning against them. No man
who valued his character had a word to say
in their defense. Even The World was COM
PEELED to attack them, and The Herald,
on the 9th of September, unexpect-
eddy discovered that things were going
wrong at the City Hall. The Ring tried to
make delay by the appointment of an invest-
eating committee, from which they carefully
withheld all facilities for conducting an in
vestigation but it was of no avail. Seventy
good citizens, appointed at the September
meeting, took the business in hand, raised
money, employed eminent counsel, and charged
themselves, first with further discovery of the
character and extent of the frauds; secondly,
with the punishment of the guilty; thirdly,
with the organization of a non-political reform
movement to affect the November election.
The last of these purposes has been carried
out. Now we have to push ahead with the
others.
As soon as the Committee got to work, the
Ring began to break up. The first movement
was the Foley injunction, and that was the
signal for the detection Of Judge Barnard.
Mr.. Sweeny had already virtually retired. The
theft of the vouchers was followed by Tweed's
treacherous abandonment of Connolly, and the
Controller threw himself at the feet of the
Committee and begged for mercy. Since then
it has been every rogue for himself and the
devil take the hindmost. The Democratic
Governor has been driven to interfere and
authorize the employment Of Charles OCOnOr
to look after the interests OF the taxpayers;
and though Tammany succeeded in forcing
itself upon the Rochester Convention and IN
surfing the defeat of the State ticket by die
tating the nominees, it has been evident for
the last three weeks that the Democracy will
not stand between Tweed and justice. The
victory of Tuesday completed the rout of the
swindlers, and left them for the present
utterly helpless
But the Ring though broken may be formed
again, and therefore it is Of the utmost I'M
portance that we should persevere in the effort
so well begun by the Committee to sift the
frauds thoroughly, and send the thieves to
Jail. Mr.. Tilden's examination Of the books
of the Broadway Bank was fortunate device
but the discovery of evidence directly impli-
eating Tweed in the appropriation OF public
funds will be Of little use il the only result
Is to be q civil suit to recover the money, and
the farce of 0 constructive arrest by the gen.
tlemanly Sheriff. It is doubtful whether any
of the stolen millions can be re-
covered but 1t ought not to be doubtful
that Tweed can be sent to the State Prison'
and if we reach that fortunate contamination
Of our wishes we really care very little what
becomes OF the plumber. Mr. Oakley Hall has
been arrested for his share in the wrongful