New-York tribune., 1872-11-06
THE MdYORALTY.

We congratulate the City of New-York
heartily upon the result Of the MayOralty cleo
ton, If it Is not precisely that which we
wished and for which we laborcd, ii tisGt any rate
| infinitely better than the disastrous result
which, in common with the whole city, we
regarded az possible. When Senator O'Brien
| first came prominently to the front as cahdi-
! date for this high office, The TIIBUNE, alone Of
| all the newspapers in New York, spoke OF his
antecedents and his associations with the
frnnkness which the exigrneies of the case re-
| quired. We used no word which was not
carefully chosen. We stated no facts for which
! we had not the fullest proofs. The danger
with which the city was threatened in his
election justified the severity which
the truth compelled us Ia use in refer
enco to him. As usual our contemporaries
found fault with this, and some of them as
sumed the defense Of the ex-SheTin. So inti-
mate and so suspicious were the relations
existing between him and some of the Custom
house leaders, that tho impression became
genezal that lie had made a combination with
them by virtue Of which no was
to be elected. This impression gained
such strength that in the well informed
gambling circles which surround him the bet
ting was greatly IN favor of 0'Brien mp to
noon of yesterday. But if any such bargain
was made IT was rutblessly broken. ana the
Grant Republicans, the various Reform organ
izations, and large portion of the German
population, casting their sufiIages for Mr..
Havemeyer, have probably elected him Mayor
of New-York. The result at the hour of
writing (2:4O o. m.), is still in doubt though
Mr.. HaVemeyer seems to have the ibad in all
the earlier imperfect returns, as well as
in the few complete ones at hand. The
vote promises to be exceedingly close aad the
nominee of the Liberal Republicans and Dem
ocrats may yet DO found 20 be successful, but
the tendency appears now to be rather to Mr.
Havemeyer.
1t is needless to repeat that we think the
choice Of Abraham X. Lawrence would have
been better one. lie is younger and
stronger man than Mr.. Havemeyor; more thor
oughly acquainted with the city and its
needs; q better lawyer and man of equally
unsullied record and reputation. But we have
no disposition to, reject the good we have
attained in tie eleetiOn Of Mr.. Have
meyer simply BECAUSE Mr.. Lawrence
would have been better. Mr.. Havemeyer
is infexibly honest and thoroughly In earnest
in the work Of refoxm. He will no doubt de-
vote himself energetically to the task of bring
ing a Lgher degree of honesty and account
ability to bear upon the condact of public
affairs. The large vote divided between him
and Mr. Lawrence was in great part cast by men
who desire nothing of the municipal government
except integrity and efficiency. The men who
make trade of politics went largely for
OBren, and their limited number is a most
gratifying symptom. In the interest Of the
public good we have made loyal opposition
to Mr.. Havemeyer. la the same interest we
shall give his administration our support in
proportion as it carries out those professions
of reform upon which it has been installed in
power. We trust that the satisfaction with
which we now regard the defeat of O'Brien
may never be turned into regret at the cleo
iinn of HaVampVpr.