The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-04

j Ends-Tr0uble aud Change Every where.
1t is written in Dante's immortal poem that
when Virgil and the poet were passing
through one of the spheres of hell they looked
and saw broad, dark lake, miry and forbid
ding. The surface was covered with bubbles,
which rose and sank and kept an uneasy
motion. When the poet asked his ghostly
companion the cause of the strange unrest he
was told that under the waters were impris-
their signs, ever rising upward and seeking
escape, made this strange commotion.
Something of this we see as, at the outset Of
the new year, we look at our beautiful metrop-
oils. When the last year came there was no
sight more peaceful and happy. The Mayor
stood in his chamber, while thousands of his
fellow citizens swarmed around, full Of cour-
tcsy and congratulation. The silent, mysteri-
GUS Peter Bismarck Sweeny slowly moved from
point to point in inscrutable majesty, like some
immortal charged with command of the
thoughts and will of men, whose beck was the
enchanter's rod of Prospero. The mighty
Tweed reigned with the pomp Of old
Nebuchadnezz and surrounded his per-
son aud bis family with Oriental and barbaric
| splendor. The imagination is cerried away
with ecstasy as 1t dwells upon the glories of
the jewel-emblazoned chief Oh, the memory
of It'll What diamonds threw their enticing
rays over his noble face, radiant with the light
Of Golconda and Singapore! What hoops and
bands of purest gold encircled his sacred
forml What rolls of linen and purple and
elder down enveloped his tender limbs and
soothed him to happy dreams! Like Caesar,
he declined statues and monuments. When
he went abroad upon the highways charlots
did his bidding. When he went upon the sea
it was in a yacht that rlvalled the magnia-
cence Of the famous barge in which
Antony sought Cleopatra. When he
came to show his 'love and affection"
to his kin he gave millions as his
guerdon. He waxed proud and fat and royal.
But if Nebuchadnezzar reigned, 80 he fell, and
went on! into the fields to live N ,rass, even
as the kline. And where is TweedP The
master of New York in 1871 is dodging the
Sheriffs in 1872. The man whom all men
feared is now of all men despised His own
Tammany casts him out and the men whom
he took out of the mud and lowed with
millions are eager to remand him to jail. And
so with the satellites of the king. In exile. ia
prison, in despair, hiding in the orange groves
of Florida, In dismal isolation at some German
watering place, or shivering on the confines Of
| Canada-was there ever such rout since the
Master forced his way into the Temple and
did His will upon the money changers Why
go to the play to see the transformation scene
We pass from the ruins Of this shattered
Ring, wondering as we go when the next will
be formed, and who will be the heads of 1t.
| Why here we have medieval Venice over
| again! Yes, even as If it were the ghosts of
| the old Council of Ten. We have mysteri
| GUS power that seems to be immortal, omnipo-
tent, omnipresent Truly Council of Ten
Secret, swift, implacable. The jury comes
into court, the Judge receives secret paper,
he signs secret document, the Sheriff steals
away, and behold the prison doors clang
harshly behind a citizen who an hour before
was secure in his liberty and peace. Not only
one Council Of Ten, but two, with other coun-
ellis behind them. Here Is Judge Bedford's
Grand Jury doing the work of reform. Here
Is the other, simply so many Tammany Ring
crows sitting on a bough, waiting for the
carrion. Here Is the great Committee Of
Seventy Care there really seventy?), which
seems to have a semi-monthly existence,
going TO sleep and waking up again only to
fall asleep. The dear old Committee, what
fine show its members would make in some
| all tho
pauseless and intense and indispensable as the
Greek furies-we have OConor and Tilden-
giants showing giants strength. Yea,
more-for why should the little things escape
attention p-we have following hard in the trail
the crowd Of jabbering Cheap Jacks with their
notions for sale, in the shape of unread and
unreliable newspapers, filling the air with
their administrations noted Jack from
Islington or Bethnal Green leading all, claim
ing that he is the ma gican who conjured up
these scenes and actors, and that Providence
has failed to reward him by not calling him
into society.
And if we have two Councils of Ten we
have two Doges! There is the Doge Oakley
Hall, who sits in stern and specialized seclu-
[ sion at our city palace Of st. Marks, his
hand upon the municipal sword, surrounded
by his trusty henchmen, Van Setback, Coch-
rane, Hart and the remainder. Oakley, may
the Muses. do you honor for this one act Of
nerve for having had the genius to see and
the courage to do, and may it be lesson to
D you and an incentive, and keep you from the
r Philistines and the snarers, and those who
stand upon the corners. Yea, even the
strange women who lie In wait for ingenious
MAYORS and lead thnnn into Tho aha mo nd