The New York herald., 1872-12-22
THE REFORMERy RUMPUS.
Disputing Over the SpoiIs Of
Election.
The Custom House Committeeman Fighting for
the Spoils-. he sedate Seventy Spoil
ing for q Fight

The Jacksonian doctrine ITO the victors belong
the spoils,' is still the rule politics. but where
IL is undecided question who the victor Ia II Ii
likely to result In rumpus. Such seems to be the
status of affairs with the reform and republican
vt.tors Of the November election. They were
banded like brothers during the campaign-the
Committee OF Seventy, composed OF old time
democrats and men OF all creeds, and the Custom
House republicans, composed Of the Murphy.
Arthur and Bliss adhercnts. They took no thought
then but OF the best way to heat the common
enemy. and they beat him. They emerged from
their fight victorious with Dix for Governor.
Havemeyer for Mayor Phelps ior District Attorney,
and every man OF -
THEIR TICKET ELRorED.
Why should they not be happy Why should
they not continue inithe bands OF that brotherhood
that had characterized and welded their conduct
of the campaign An old Arab provcrb says that
Success is the bane OF rcfOrmers." In this case
1t has proven too true. Success has excited
jeaiouses enmites, dssens0ns and trouble among
the great reformers OF 1872. An eminent public
ist OF our own time and country has said. "NO man
can be a ref0rmer who Is respectable In his own
neighborhood." The reformers OF the Committee
of Seventy bid far prove the contrary OF the as
sertion. because they were all, Havermeyer, Salo-
mon, Stern, Foley. all eminently respectable in
their own neighbOrh0od and along the
entire length OF their own avenues. so much can
not possibly be said OF the Republican General
Committee of which Murphy and Arthur and Bliss
were leading spirits, for that was a thorough po-
htical committee, which did not aim at
REFORM OR REsPECTABlLITY,
prove the State and city government, or to reform
legislation, but to elect Its canddates and. while
a great deal for high success. The success which
came was the success Of both-the reform respec-
liability. as well as the radical rule partyana sue
cess according to the old Arab prOverb, threatens
to be the bane of the refOrmers.
ON TUESDAY NIGHT
the old Committee of Seventy held q meeting at
its rooms, on Broadway and Twenty street,
to hear the report OF It's subcommittee on legis-
s
sin. chairman; Jackson S. Schultz and Dorman b.
Eaton This committee, unluckily for the peace
and quietncss OF the party, had consulted regard
ing its report with q similar committee Of
the Republican General Committee, and on
There was lul attendance. The dignity
and responsibility OF municipal reform was fully
represented, and the great magnates OF the Sey.
| the polls but by no means incOnsiderate OF the
more diicul! task OF securing success afterwards
The report OF the subcommittee was very elabo
rate. 1t comprehended all the phases OF city gov
ernment for the nturs not iorgetting the en- need OF
| missions usually termed "Albany Commissions"
ONE IMPORTANT CLAUSE
was to the effect that the appointing power for
~
| sisting Of the Mayor (ir. Havemeyer), the Pres-
| dent or the new Board Of Aldermen dntended to
be Mr.. Vance. OF the present Board), and the new
| District Attorney, Phelps The subcommittee Of
| the Republican General Committee consists Of
George Bliss, Jr. and Hugh Gardner. The pro-
| posed new commission consists OF two radical
| republicans, Vance and Phelps, and only one in
dependent reform man, Mayor Havemeyer. The
| Committee OF seventy were at once alarmed, and
alter excited time, in which Vance, 1t is under
| stood, made most angry demonstrations about the
| room, the Seventy insisted upon adjournment.
| ON FRIDAY EVENING
the meeting was held again and the charter was
| again presented, but very dignifed warfare was
| made upon 1t by those refOrmers who care as much
! for municipal good as for political spOils. One
! member announced that 1t was the intention OF
| the reform movement to put reform government
into the hands of the reform men; that 1t was the
intention to let New York city govern itself as 1t
| was entitled to do, and that as they now
had reform Mayor they wanted him to have
| ballot in November mad put it into his hands He
| objected to distributing the appointing power
among the various officers elect, even at the
! demand of the Custom House republicans, and
insisted that the proposed charter OF the amalga
mated Custom House and Seventy subcommittee
be rejected, which was agreed to by vote OF 81
| toe
THE REFORM MEN
| have therefore carried their point thus far. How
the battle for municipal supremacy will stand after
| the Custom House men have made the grand
charge which they are preparing for can only be
| tremblingly awaited. The Seventys men ad-
journed subject to the call OF the Chair and until
they meet again the matter must rest In allegiance
but stout battle threatens, and, however it re-
suits, the dsintegratton OF the reform republican
party has commenced.