The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-14
THE STATE CAPITAL.
The Struggle for the Leadership
Of the Assembly.
TACTICS OF THE NEW aBoss."
A Lively Debate Expected Over
the New Charter.
The Machine Running a. Of Old Only
with a New Engineer:

-~0>-
ALBANY, Jan. Is. 1873
Nobody who happened to be here few days
before the first caucus was held need be reminded
OF the extraordinary that took place at the
Delavan and Congress Hall, when several members
OF the previous Legislature and now members OF
the present, went about proclaiming, without fear
as to who heard them, that they were not sent to
Albany to do
THE BIDDING OF ANY ONE MAN
or bow down to the mandates of any particular
clique.
1t is well known that not less than fifteen OF
them, soon after their arrival here, held meeting,
at which they arranged plans which they deemed
would form barrier to any dictatorship on the
part Of any faction IN the party, come from where
1t would. AS they made no concealment OF their
action, or rather, on the contrary made every
laudaDle effort to give the rulers to understand
that they were up in arms, 1t is needless
to say that the unanmity they helped
In the end to bring about does not look promis-
ing for the future smooth sailing as many antici-
pate, especially as It Is not denied that the NAL
contents, whose dsinterestedness was plain that
he who ran could read, did not join hands all round
with everybody else before Tom Murphy had been
telegraphed for to New York and was dragged out
OF q sick bed and brought up here to appease the
hungry and
COMFORT THE AFFLICTED.
It so happens that the members who were not so
unanimous about who ought to be Speaker-those
who held the refractory meeting, and many others
who did not-are members who had been in nowise
consulted after their arrival about what ought to
be done. The fact that they had been members OF
last years Legislature was considered enough to
make them, the leaders thought mere tools In their
hands, After the new members had been all nxed to
do whatever was to be done it was the intention to
let the old members know what decision had been
come to- and then what could they dO2 Why
FALL INTO LINE
to be sure; and thus every one OF them from the
start was treated with the utmost contempt, with
the exception OF three men-Alberger, Fort and
Prince.
secure the harmony OF the past week. and, what Is
more, l am positively assured that many Of the
sess BARGAIN. wa that CERTAIN out par 1s
who will be nameess for the time being,
should be placed on on certain
chairmanships. They were asked to submit their
applications IN writing. and they did So and thus
Writing were asked for simply that tkey who have
in charge the onerous task OF making up the
with an advice Of peremptory kind how they
should be made up, might beforehand know the
the applications we're asked for they were asked
for in good faith; but it now turns out that owing
to circumstances over which certain high and
dignifed party In Washington has considerable
control, members who were not before even
thought Of as against the applicants must be at
applications win be carefully kept and in case OF
A MUTINY IN CAMP
| they will be suspended over the heads OF the
| mutineers Damascus blade fashion, with the
threat OF exposure II the begging bargain Of peace
The great struggle in the matter Of chairman
ships Is OF course going on over the Ways and
Means Committee and l venture to s say that not
If unsuccessful that his rejection is meant as a
personal degradation to himself, and feeling thus,
disappointment known at some time when his
| good will would be of value
| Like everything here below the struggle for the
leadership OF the House must have an end and,
when the chief OF the clan Is chosen be the choice
good or bad, the wheels within wheels that are
| certain to be set In motion will begin TO
, and Just What way they will turn Or
ponds In large part upon the distribution OF the
minor forces on the various committees and the
by the Custom House party. First and foremost,
the biggest wheel to be set In motion Is
1t Is unnecessary to tell who had hand
in the framing Of 1t other than those
who are already known tps to the public
with the determination that 1t should pass just as
| II was introduced. Certain amendments that are
form, and il the plans Of the Custom House
engineers can be carried out to the letter there
| will be lively debate. But this and the amend
| ments to be allowed which are Of no real impor-
lance and viii not anect the charter in any way
that anybody need care about, will go to show that
DRUMMING IN OF MEMBERS,
which, you can perceive, viii be proved beyond
doubt, when, after the debate, even among the
faithful, one and all Of them will, when the vote is
taken, be found ranged In good order on the side
that carries the bill through triumphantly. The
idea OF most people here just now who
have studied the situation with any care
il that the republicans OF both houses will
be made to pledge themselves in caucus
to go for 1t in whatever shape the leaders indicate;
in other words that the dictatiOn for which Boss
| Tweed and Sweeny were so justly denounced for
in comedy years Is to be practically assumed by the
| new regt'ne, with but one change In the general
| operation-viZ.: Tweed and Sweeny gave their
orders and they were executed without any caucus,
and that was the end OF the business
THE LATER LEGISLATIVE FRANKLIN
| will do the same thing, but hold caucus before
hand III order to give f0rmality to the after pro-
| ceedDgs In the two houses, which can always be
conveniently resortcd to as party pledge cover by
garded too independent to be tied hand and foot
| by any one-man power In this decent work, be 1t
| connected with the charter or anything else that
the leaders want you Will be sure to find the virtu
Gus Robertson and the patriotic Woodin, OF the
| Senate ever ready to lend helping hand, ana. II
need be, prove by rule OF there aerward that they
are very
CAREFUL OF THEIR POLITICAL FAME,
| and that they wouldn't do anything at dictation
| though the heavens should fall Yet there are two
| the charter is disposed Of that caucus or no
caucus on the subject, the sweet and pronta L
be influences OF the Custom House added
| to the prospective niceties to be distributed
all around In the city departments should
| the charter pass, may be Offset by induce
to the ear, and made many slip between the cup
and the lip.
The Senate met at half.past seven p. NJ, but only
eleven Senators being present an adjournment till
tomorrow morning was taken.