The New York herald., 1873-12-19

mus Barnacle, ar. lite. Barnace, Mr.. William Bar
nacle Mr.. Ferdinand Barnacle and other junior
Barnaces, OF the Circumlocution once. and their
numerous cousins and co,,freyes; the Noodles the
Doodes and the Poodles, who know so well -'How
not 10 do it, were there TO mpart the highest
possible touch OF responsibility to the meeting anu
ionaple, out more numerous and powerful, group
was the throng OF ex-sherlffs aud shers. "a esse
~ posse e. t,a Jtt,uo. supported by protonotares
clerks OF courts registers or Wits, recorders OF
deeds. district attorneys councilmen, mayors, tax
collectors gas trustees collectors OF internal rev.
other UnIted states ofiice-holders and State
oniciais OF every degree, accompanied by
positions, and by hungry-eyed, INSCRIPTIONS
satellites who regard themselves as the coming
| League remain unoroken. The election for direc-
tors gave tire Ring special triumph John I.
Verree. republican, one OF tne commissioners mn
election had declared to his colleagues that "he
| would not consent to the appointment OF any man
he republican or otherwise !" and Mr.. Verree, re-
sistlng the opportunities of his republican col
leagues, acted with the democratic Commissioners
in carrying out his determination, until the Court
enjoined them all. This was contumacy 10 the
party and the Ring undertook to execute the
party's vengeance on the too daring Mr.. Verree
He had been an active director OF the League for
many years.a position much coveted, and when
once gained has always been regarded rs an en-
dorsement OF all the virtues inherent in man, and
as insaring to the happy possessor speedy ele-
land. The Ring concentrated its vote on
his colleague and rival OF the Board OF Com
sacrificed for his independence and honesty, and
his ri val rewarded for the proof he had given OF
his Willingness to recognize and obey the man
dates OF the Ring. Can these things be done in
the Union League-the Institution tnat boasts Of
its established renown throughout the national
Union for loyalty, Independence patriotism and
public spirits The League lives on its renown,
and ,supposes that to be an exhaustless capital
unaffected by the "shrlnkage in values,n which
now pervades the moral and political as well as
| the financial world. Hundreds OF respectable,
| proud OF their membershp-they only know the
institution by its past. Once year they come, on
special invitation, to enjoy the felicity OF an an
nual meeting AT which they hear, usually in glow
ing periods OF the prosperity Of the association, of
shot in the report, and never failing to bring
down clatter OF canes and old umbrellas-and
the present. They see noary.headed men,
converts from Buchananlsm-s0me call them rene
gades-brought forward specially on these occa-
sions, rise and second the resolutions OF the direc
| TORS praise all their actions, echo every one OF
their recommendations, and .devouty return
thanks, In nasal tones, that they have been allowed
to cooperate much that Is great, glorious and
imperlshable. The very respectable citizens
eagerly drink the posset prepared for them, APP
paud, vote as they are told and go home early,
honestly believing there was spOntanaety in the
proceedings, that everything was right normal
and natural, and that the country must be safe
while the League stands and nothing is allowed to
yex its harmony.
The stupendous vote Of the people yesterday pre-.
monishes political revolution IN the State-"it
frights the League from its propriety."
THE OBSTRUCTIONIsTS.
After the insoent boastings Of the Ring the oppo-
sltion most noticeable to the constitution was the
hypocrisy OF ultra conservatism. 1t took as many
shapes as the chameleon assumes colors; it com.
planned OF the expense OF q special election; 1t
said the secrecy OF the ballot was violated-that
the rights OF the lately enfranchised c0lored men
were endangered-it misrepresented every new
feature In the new instrument, but was most Peck
sniffan when 1t whined about charity, and most
mendacious when 1t declared that the Legislature
in the iuture could not vote pubic money for
benevolent objects. Exhortations on charity were
their varied career and changes from party TO
party never gave US any distressing examples OF
Heart Yard" threatened much and believed in
themselves If nobody else did. These patriarchs,
head, SO very benevolent with their long
gray hair at the sides and at the
floats looks like floss silk or spun glass; because 1t
is never cut whose whole expression teens with
NSboa1 na saw wnsre cary ana ae IN ne
or where their virtue was or where their bengnity
was, but their virtues all seemed to be somewhere
emblems OF their supposed graces were not with
out influence on such people as do not understand
cemetries exempted from taxation.
PER CONTRA.
In striking contrast TO the graspng spirit OF this
''patriarcha,n selfish Set slowly slipping into SEN
ity Is the lofty position OF the Nestor OF the Bar
Horace Binney who in his ninety-ffth year, with
manhood, laughed at the decree OF the Supreme
Court and gave his name ann e influence and vote for
Henry g. Carey, the active, keen, resolute octo-
genarian
We may now reasonably hope the day Of our re-
generation is at hand. Our Legislatures can now
Giant corporations cannot command and be obeyed
as they have been. And In this city once more we
can nave lair elections the thousands or good
give color to the mockery which only recorded and
returned vote predetermined upon will again use
their franchise. Our city will soon be emancpated
from the thrald0m OF the meanest and vilest band
OF corruptionists that ever robbed the treasury,
debauched public morals and undermined self.
government. The decline In public sentiment since
the war is appalling. Every wrong act every sor-
did, selfish, plundering m scheme, II successful, has
the party TO which the depredators belonged. The
more apdacious the villahy, the viler the gang
the success and the reader the acquiescence
in the outrage Politicians chuckle over the vic
steal a franchise or levy blacKmaii % on vested
right, and hasten to get their share OF the plunder
Others laugh at the success, and lament only tnat
they are not included. The masses have been
stupidity Indifferent. only few have reflected
'how much OF powers excess Is theirs, whs raise
the idoi,n but many have acted II the Hud-
Drastic distich was an automatic truth
Doubtless the pleasure is as great
From this deplorabe condition OF political morals
we may now hope for deliverance. We now have
the power to purge ourselves OF bad men and their
vicious 0ctrnes five fail to do 1t we shall have
to confess there Is not enough OF public virtue left
to save the Commonwealth from ruin and infamy
and that the calous preachments go mucn heard
or late, that, bad as the government has been and
Is 1t Is as good as we Deserve IL biting truth
DIVORCE NEEDED.
Now, we may be able to establish municipal re-
form, that great question OF the day, in which the
whole nation is interested and In which much OF
its future welfare is involved. About a sixth OF
the population OF the whole nation live In dense
communities in towns OF 10000 persons and up
wards. All these cities and towns governed
on partisan principles and badly governed--at least
they indisputably are not as well governed they
would be were they governed Independently OF
party politics There is no connection or affinity
between the questions OF good police. well paved
streets, sewerage, good and cheap gas, moderate
purely municipal wants, and the questions OF the
foreign or home policy or the national government
Uur great cities are the great political sores
that Franklin feared they would become and which
jefferson predicted. We here eroan under the
despotism OF a Ring not the least OF whose power
emanates directly from Washington, and which
finds Its barracks and fortresses In the Custom