New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-02-21
THE RING REDIVTVUS.

THE RING REDIVIVUS.
No opprobrious epithets have been too vile
In denunciatiOn of those who have heretofore
asserted the alliance between the old Ring of
Tammany and the new one of the Custom
house. But abuse has been the only answer
to the charges; the suspicious circumstances
which first indicated the intrigue remain un-
explained the facts which have since sub
stantated the charges are undeniable; ana at
the present moment the proof OF collision Is
clear and complete. The personal relations alone
of the principal characters of the two Kings
are sufficient to establish it to any thinking
mind We cite few which we commend to
the Legislature. 1t remains to be seen II the
country representatives of the Republican party
are willing, by the passage OF the pending
Charter in its present obnoxious form, to make
the party of the whole State responsible for
the reconstruction of the infamous Tammany
Ring in its new disguise, and the corruption
which must inevitably follow such leadership
Of such an organization.
Mr.. William NJ. Tweed rds the head of the
Tammany Ring he was so openly; he assumed
in the party organization, in the public offices,
and the memorable Board of Audit, the full
responsibility for all his offenses against party
purity, the security of the ballot box, and the
raids on the Treasury. Mr.. Thomas Murphy
is the head of the CustOm-hOuse Ring; not
openly, for his character is such that the
party can only endure his anonymous Dictator
ship Now it is already familiar to all, that
these two men are partners in business; they
have been concerned for years in joint
speculatiOns III real estate in this city,
and Mr.. Murphy's transactions in real
estate with Messrs. Tweed, Connolly, Sweeny,
and Hugh Smith aggregate more than
n half million dollars. These transactions con-
tinue TO this date; much of the property held
Jointly with his Ring colleagues year and
half ago Mr.. Murphy has found unstable be
cause of the doubtful character of the titles
since the Ring suits began; and in business as
in politics these men are to-day, as they
have been for years. actual partners. That
Mr.. Tweed is so ready to trust Mr.. Murphy
and the CustOm-hOuse is not strange and it
is well known that last Fall during the Presi
dental canvass he announced he was going
"where he was to be best treated" Where
can he expect better treatment than with his
old paTtners9
1t will not escape observation that one of
the officials specially excepted from removal
by the new Charter is Corporation Counsel,
Hon. f. Delafield Smith. Do readers gener-
ally and the Assemblymen particularly recall
who Mr.. Smith is, and by whom and under
what circumstances he was appOnted9 He is
a Republican, in whose favor the famous Ring
Corporation Attorney, Richard O'GOrman, re-
signed month before Mayor Halls term ex
pred and it was Mayor Hall who appointed
him, Republican though he was, to hold Office
for five years over the head of Mr. Havemeyer.
1t is this officer, thus suspiCiOusly made way
for by one notorious Tammany Ring official
and appointed by another, who is to construe
the doubtful passages of the new Charter;
and there is little doubt he will do it to suit
the new Ring. Under the former Tammany
Corporation Counsel there was Clerk of
Street Openings whose outrageous corruption,
exposed and proved in these columns, COM
PEELED his resignation it is now understood
that the new Custom-house Ring Counsel has
restored him to his place and practice. The old
Ring is certainly revived in the Law Depart
ment of the new one.
Assemblymen and Senators will not need to
have pointed out the coalition of the two
Rings in their own bodies. With Mr.. Tweed's
purchased Senators ardent in support of the
new Charter and the same old Ring lobby
laboring for the new measure, the old
DAYS seem come again. But what will
legislators say when they learn that the con-
duct of the new Charter in its passage through
the Assembly is to be intrusted to the same
James W. Hustled of Westchester, who was
denounced year ago by his present allies as
an agent of Tammany, and whose gravel con-
tracts with Tammany agents were the subject
of legislative inquiry Words were not bitter
enough to express scorn of this Tammany
ally; now the CustOm-hOuse organs pipe of
him as "withOut a rival as a parliamentary
"tactcian," and rejoice that In his hands the
Charter is sure OF swift and certain adoption.
1t is clear this city is to suffer plague of
both these houses; unless public indignation
shall scare them from their purposes.
DTpTONACY or THE EHIVAN QUESTION