The New York herald., 1872-11-06
Apollo Hall in Weeds Of Mourning and
the Tremendous TammanY Wigwam
Echoing to Alternate Notes
of Woe and Merriment.
AFTER THE BATTLE.
The People Calmly and CoOlly Canvassing
and Accepting the Results Of the
Fight, and Discussing Facts Posi-
tive, Probable and Possible.

Twenty years ago ELECTION Day. was one OF the
most maddening excitement-a season OF con-
tinual enaeute. Great crowds gathered in the
Streets filing them from curb to curb with black
swaying mass, where the use OF deadly weapons
was more frequent than pleasant, and which was
susceptible to the influence OF passion a nerve
OF the human frame. barred by the surgeons knife.
to the keen edge Of the merciless blade.
Popular impulse ruled the conduct OF the
ballot and determined what portion OF its
voice should be audible and potent.
Arrays and tumults filed the day with alarms,
and when, as the shades OF twilight would lal,
the last votes were deposited, scene in Paris, on
the eve OF a fresh revolution, would not have had
more elements OF grandeur, danger, anger and
anxious excitement. The force of muscle was
then supplementary to the instrumentality of the
franchise, and the mobs OF New York had much to
do with deciding the nations destiny, which. bya
strange chance, or mschance, still continues SUBJ
Iect for conjecture. AS darkness deepened the
storehouses OF the Oil merchants were frequently
attacked through the roofs. and barrels OF tar
and pitch were freely appropriated by the
crowds. All manner Of wooden debris was piled
ON the street; the combustible stun was lowered
down the dark outer walls OF the buildings by
means OF ropes, and huge pyres were erected and
lgnited and their red flame leaped up in not hiss
Ing, forked tongues to the sky to glorfy success,
while the black masses OF people, with lurid faces
rejecting the restless fire, waved eagerly in the
gloom and sent up intermittent shouts that filed
the very air with a continual tremor or emotion
and excitement.
Yesterday, in the most striking contrast with
that period, or with the election OF 1862 when Lin
coin was elected despite the madness and fury of
the mobs OF all the cities OF the Union was more
peaceful than day OF the Olympic or Athenian
games in Greece. Before MONDAY it seemed like a
sabbath; after MONDAY, for about two hours, 1t
was like New Years Day, only 1t lacked the
frigidity of winter; and only ar nour before the
closing OF the polls was there palpable much
Of the excitement which has so long been
considered as characteristic OF the use OF
the privilege OF franchise by the citizens
OF great, free Republic. The morning dawned
pleasant and cold, the air biting with shrewd-
ness that favored the exercise of ones wits by
enectualy arousing most OF his faculties, physical
and mental. which might otherwise be dormant.
The habit OF early voting was not SO much prac-
tised as IL was at times when to be at the polls
late In the day was to endanger one's life; but
people went lazy and easily about the perform
ance OF this great duty and right considered by
large majority to be great borel and the tide of
voters depositing their ballots In the glass
padlocked receivers was quite steady in its
now until the hour OF closing the polls, when the
great wave was but momentary, and ebbed away
as soon as begun.
The popularity OF Yesterdays election was that
1t part0ok more OF the nature OF cold business
transaction than any previous In the history OF
our city. In all the wards an unusual and almost
unnatural quiet prevailed, and not single fight OF
any consequence occurred to annoy the prce
Illegal attempts to vote were less frequent than
ever before, and the era OF ballot tbox stunlng has
iv I'm laot
cast the booths speedily vanished from the side.
walks, which they had encumbered with
their ugliness, and the small boys, who had
gathered In motley groups, grasped ca
gerly the uttering bits OF useless paper that were
then thrown regardlessly to the wind In many
places pyramids OF old barrels we're built and fired,
and late into the night they burned, without re-
gard to the success OF any candidate. Around the
HERALD building the crowds of inquisitive and
anxious people began early to gather, and as
the figures were placed before them on the huge
transparencies they were repeatedly greeted by
shouts as they excited the pleasure OF different
sections OF the multitude. Betting continued up to
the latest hour OF uncertainty and suspense and In
oil the hotels the excitement ragged at It's highest
as the night waned into the wee sma' hours
First Ward. .
There was no disturbance OF any kind whatever
In this ward during the day, despite the excitement
0ccasioned blythe triangular fight over the Assem-
bly, nominees. II was rumored at one time that
Judge Hogan and John Fox had determined TO
.spaster Lawrence, on the Tammany ticket and
give O'Brien q 'show." The Tammany rank and
file were highly indignant over the report but in.
vestIgation showed that there was no foundation
for IL, and so the voting went on merrily without
row between the factions. II IL said however.
that good deal of scra.cA.Is . .s zone by the
regular Iamnlany wlrepullers. Notwithstanding u