The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-12-03
THE CONVICTION OF VIM. M. TWEED

The conviction ana sentence ol
William NJ. Tweed, of New York,
presents one of the most remarkable
cases in the records of tho criminal
whcthcrw regard the great
ness of the offender and the depth OF
nE,my to which he has been con"
signed, or the triumphant vindlcat'on
Of public justicc which has been e1.
rccted over the arts and influence OF
the public plundcrcr. A great politl-
cal magnate, who ruled city and State
ut his pleasure, who was able to buy
up Legislature with the means at
his command, and 10 parcel out Offices
high and low like an. autocrat, and
who assumed the airs and dispensed
the patronage of prince, has been
brought low, has been
forced to stand as convicted crimi-
nal in the dock, and to receive at the
hands of a judge a lecture detailing
tho cnormity Of his crime, and SEN
tencc consigning him to twelve years
in tho penitentiary. Tho story is
moro like one Of romance than Of
everyday life, but it teaches the use
full lesson, that power corruptly. used,
in its very audacity prepares the way
for its own downfall. Tweed in his
power laughed at courts and juries,
and believed himself too big crimi'
nal to be caught in the mcshes of tt Q
law. AS president Of tho Auditing
Board Of l,::s county, he lent himself
TO q sci;cmo of wholesale plumber, by
which he rooiSScd the public out of
millions, for the purpvo" Oh enrich
ing himself and his associates, and in
his grasping rapacity, was too litLlo
careful to cover up the tracks which
led to his conviction. In that con-
viction all good men must rejoice, as
indcod the most prominent, without
of party, lent their best
efforts to bring it about; but natu-
rally there is something of pity in the
contemplation of fallen greatness,
and in tho misuse Of talents which
might have achieved noble purposes.
Tweed is said 10 have exercised great
axccutive ability, and to possess many
excellent qualities, but in the total
lack Of principle, he has committed
crimes which put him in the category
Of tho thief and robbcr, and which
will approve his sentence in the judg-
ncnt of all who wish to see the laws
luly executed and the public justice
Judge Davis in passing
sentence thus refers to the efforts Of
Democrats as we'll as Republicans, in
securing the result:
'It is in vain to suggest that your
rial and conviction nave been the re-
;ut Of any partisan feeling; that this
vas, after all, as ono Of the jurors
on the panel expressed it,
struggle between the ins and outs
No. The whole struggle has been
trugglo between honesty and fraud,
,etwccn virtue and crime. 1t is true
hat prominent, able, honorable men
If all parties united at once to inves-
isate and develop the true character
If these frauds. Mr.. O'Conor, who
las been named in connection with
hesc frauds in the course Of the
rial, has aided in the work-a man
Who holds the foremost rank in his
profession, and who stands without a.
tain upon his character, as pure and
loble a man as any in this great city
= Immediately came from his retire
nent to aid in tho rescue Of this great
.ity from the systematic course Of
,lundcr to which it had been so long
ubjected. Mr.. Tilden, who stood as
he leading man at the head Of the
Democratic State Committee, devoted
weeks end months Of toll in ferreting
'ut these crimes and ascertaining,
Trough the bank account, their ex-
ent and character, till he was able to
ay bare the whole course Of fraud
md plundcr, as presented on the trial,
With absolute clearness and simplici-
y. The truth is so plain that no
nan can fail tc read it. l need not
lame other prominent men of your
'arty who took an active part in
hcse proceedings, and which led to
ho development of these great frauds
nd to your conviction. 1t would be
wrong and unjust to entertain for a
moment the idea that your convic-
ion has been the result of persecution
It the hands of any person or party.
t has been the result Of the asccr
ainmcnt and production of evidence
o clear and plain. that never in my
experience or reading have 1 seen Il
ase where the evidence was so utter
y overwhelming and where it was so
for the jury to fail to come
0 just and conclusive verdict.
through the whole Of the trial you
cmaincd up the very moment Of
car conviction as calm and serene as
hough you relied upon your inno-
cncc, when tt was overwhelmingly
pparcnt to all that your serenity was
My that of audacity, that confidence
l the omnipoloncc of corruption
,t thor than reliance unOn vOur inuO-