The New York herald., 1871-09-19


warning upon the men who were guilty of that
and other sins. When the Tribune was apollo
giving for republican crimes and screening
republican criminals the HERALD warred
upon them as earnestly as it did upon the
democratic leaders in New York This was
our function and our pride as an independent
newspaper, caring only for the peoples G""a a.
II is therefore our duty now to denounce this
new usurpation as pregnant with evil to the
welfare of the city and the cause Of good gov
ernment in the nation.
Judge Barnard, of the Supreme Court,
speaking for the people, says judicially that
certain acts have been done which are no less
than ''highway robbery" He indicates the
abettor of these deeds to be mainly Richard B.
Connolly. the Comptroller of New York. At all
events, he declares that Connolly is respon-
sible for them more than his colleagues,
although he does not release his col
leagues from the general condemnation.
The Mayor asks Mr. Connolly to re-
sign. He points to the burglary that has
been committed in his office, and on its face
an atrocions defiance of law and decenoy, and
reminds him that this circumstance alone, un-
explained, unpunished and unatoned, is enough
to destroy all confidence in his integrity. Mr..
Connolly replies that any sins he has com
mitted were also committed by the Mayor,
which is, 80 far as this argument is
concerned, as absurd as if Mr.. Joshua
f. Bailey, the dcfaulting Collector, had
explained his robberies by charging them
upon the Commissioner of Internal Revenue
or Mr.. butcher, the Revenue S upervisor. He
straightway proceeds to Mr.. Havemeyer, the
head Of this gathering of merchants and law
yers, and as the English organ frankly puts it,
turns estates evidence" In other words, he
says, "Here am, Dick Connolly, condemned
by the Supreme Court as calm spec
tator, if not more, Of ''highway robbery
condemned by you and your committee as the
embezzler Of public funds, generally believed
to be this and more by the general voice of
the people. am asked to resign. am i'm
plored to explain the robbery OF
my Office, which you and all the
world know to be a trick. Mayor Hall,
Judge Barnard, you, Mr. Havcmeyer, and
all this surrounding of wealthy and respect
able citizens, regard me as the chief spirit Of
all this wickedness. propose, therefore, to
become your ally 1 will enter your counsels
so far as can! I shall betray the men who
have served me--the party which has given
me wealth and dignity. l will take Mr..
Green and make him the real head of the de-
partment, and be myself the dummy Comp
troller." And straightway the voice of reform
rises, led by Mr. Havemeyer, echoed by the
English newspaper. chorused by O'Brien and
Ledwith Morrissey and Fernando Wood -
''Blessed be Connolly! Hurrah for Green!
New York is reformed at last! Tammany is
dead!"
Now, if this is o movement merely to reform
Tammany, then it sinks into the dimensions of
an ordinary caucus quarrel or tavern brawl
Why, we thought it was meant to reform the
whole government of New York! Are we 10
have the comedy of the Citizens Association
re-enactedp That ended by the active leaders
sliding into profitable and easy snecures. The
men who howled for reform, and made edio-
rial life one of terror by their persistent and
distressing assiduity In pamphlets and commit
nications and evening calls, became as placid
and content as doves in autumn when they
were graced with Office and emolument. This
was the meaning of that reform" This,
we fear, will be the meaning of this ''re
FORM" All the old corbies are on the
wing-how familiar their plumage is Wood
and OBren, and Purser and Brennan, and
Green and Havemeyer, rich from the gains
of Office, whose reign was as corrupt as any
known in our history-all eager for new plum
der and willing to ally themselves with Dick
Connolly or Apollyon himself TO gain admit
tance to the treasury. Green is IN and they
are satisfied. Connolly retains the keys and
holds the door open, and we hear no more of
"'highway robberies." The Mayor is defied,
and all representative authority as seen in
representative government is overridden. The
most fragrant usurpation of power is mildly
accepted, and we are called upon to gloriry
fraud and trickery merely because these old
corbes croak Reform and "Retrenchment.
New York cannot permit this usurpation.
Mr.. Green is Tammany appointment, now
holding Tammany office, who has been for
years pensioner upon the city treasury. He
is no better and no worse than nnety-nine
out of every hundred Of the Tammany place
men, and our English contemporary, if, in-
deed, it knew anything outside of Temple Bar
or Bow street, would know this We have no
special objection to Mr.. Green, but he cannot
be taken as the apostle of new gospel when
but yesterday he was the minister of the old
and now forbidden creed. On the other
hand, General Mcclellan is precisely the man
for Comptroller. He has served the city
simply as an engineer, as man of rare scien-
tiic accomplishments. Tammany honored Mr..
Green by giving him place. Mcclellan
honored Tammany by taking place. This is
the difference. Green as Comptroller means