The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-26

A Case for the Considerntion OF tho
Opinion.
Six months ago the State of New York was
excited by the exposure of the gigantic frauds
by which knot of politicians in possession of
our municipal government had managed to &C
cumulate enormous wealth at the expense of
the citizens of the metropolis. As the leaders
of the conspiracy happened to be members of
the democratic party, their political organiza-
ton suffered from their misdeeds, the republi-
can journals making all the partisan capital in
their power, as matter Of course, out of the
disgraceful developments. The Democratic
State Convention did all it could to remove the
prejudice excited against the democracy, by
repudiating the Tammany delegation and de-
nouncing the misconduct of the New York
''Ring but the people of the State resolved
to hold the whole party responsible for the
action of the men who had for the past four
or five years been allowed to control its
conventions, guide its legislation and shape it's
policy. They were confirmed in this determi-
nation by the earnest pledges of reform made
by the republicans, as well as by the exam
pie Of honest democrats, who cast aside the
trammels of party and the ties of association
and aided in carrying out Charles O'Conor's
advice, to reach the foundation of official cor
ruption by securing thorough reformation of
the State Legislature. At the close of the
polls on the 9Th of last November the mighty
power of the ballot had accomplished great
revolution in the State, and the fact that the
republicans had secured three-fourths ma
jority in both Senate and Assembly was hailed
as the most valuable fruit of the reform vic
tory. In the first flush of triumph the people
were assured that the reign Of corruption
had come to an end in the State
of New York; that the metropolis
should no longer be left the prey
of political adventurers, but should be en-
dowed with charter framed, without regard
to party, for the single interest of the citizens
that the Erie Ring, which had shared the
notoriety and rivalled the corruption of the
Tammany Ring, should be unsparingly de-
stroyed; that the canal plunderers who had
for years been engaged in robbing the State
should be brought to an account; that the few
Tammany conspirators who had escaped de-
struction should be summarily dealt with at
Albany that Tweed should be expelled from
the Senate and Tom Fields banshed from the
Assembly in the first week of the session.
Before the Legislature convened 1t became
evident that the lobby was more conversant
than the people with the character of the men
who were to ill the chambers of the State
Capitol this year. A holder combination has
never been seen than that which awaited the
gathering Of the new members and un-
dertook to force their chosen candi-
date into the Speakership of the Assem-
bly,. Canal contractors, impregnated with
corruption; Erie railroad officials and en-
ployes notorious in the lobby operations of
1869 and subsequent years; needy adventure
ers who hang about the State capital every
session picking up whatever jobs may offer;
professional lobbyists who make trade of
bribery and act as the agents between venal
members and those who purchase their votes,
filed the halls Of the Albany hotels and boldly
avowed their purpose to control the Assembly
organization. They were unsuccessful, 1t Is
true. Speaker Smith secured the coveted
position; but while he himself stood aloof
from bargaining and corruption, 1t was
charged that undue means were resorted to by
his supporters to bring about the result; ana
the fact that shortly siter the organization the
majority Of his own party was found in oppo-
sition to him on the floor, fighting under the
leadership OF the defeated candidate, certainly
aives color to the rumor. II is significant,
too, that the lobby was not discouraged by It's
failure to elect Speaker. 1t had received q