The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-11-29
TEIE STORY OF WILLIAM NJ.
A PLAIN NARRATION OF BIS LIrr AMI
TIE RISE AND FALL OF THE FAMOus
RING
From tho Utlca Observer, Soren,lsr %,


| tho drama is played. The man who little
While ago was senator, a supervisor, q
| comm ssioner--the chief power In the Chief
city o. the continents now condemned
convict. II any measure Of SUCCESS attends
the efforts Of his counsel to secure a mitiga-
| ton Of sentence, a stay Of proceedings. or a
new trial, it will not alter the essential fai
that Tweed's place hcnce(orlf. is with the
| outlaws Of society. 1t is time 10 consider
the mans life and character With the same
calm, dispassionate view that we should
take of tho dead, for Tweed is dead beyond
the hope of resurrection.
William NJ. Tweed was Dor in the city
Of New York fifty years ago last April. His
parents were poor people, aud the boy was
| early thrown upon his own resources. He
learned the trade of n chair-maker, and
worked at It for a few years. lie soon be.
came ambitious of political distinction, and
to increase his qualifications and improve his
chances lie entered the University Law
school, from which he graduated as n mem
Der Of the bar. His power began in the old
volunteer fire department Of the metropolis.
He became foreman of "Big SiX"-an en-
CINE company famous in the lower part Of
the city. His immense vital energy ind his
organizing ability were here developed and
exhibited. In that day popular fireman
was positive power in local politics, and
Tweed began TO make himself felt.
In 1851 he was elected alderman from the
Seventh ward, serving in the Common
Council through tue years 1928. IN the
fall of 1852 he was elected to Congress from
the Fifth district, which then embraced he
Seventh and Thirteenth wards OF New
York and the village of Williamsburgh,
Long Island. He took his seat IN the House
in December, 1858, while his term as alder
man was about expiring. Ee was thirty
gears old at that time, with the promise OF 4
fair future before him. While in Congress
he wos elected school commissioner OF Tie
Seventh ward. The year after bis term rs
representative expired be WAS chosen To the
board Of supervisors, and continued 20 hold
a place there until the day OF his overthrow.
IN 1SC1 lie was candidate for sheriff on the
ramnany ticket. The office is one OF enor-
nous. cmolument, and Tweed struck for it
with his usual energy. lie reckoned him.
self worth $4,000 ut that time, and he had
made the money honestly. lie expended
every dollar OF It in the canvass, led on by
the hope aud belief thai be would triumph.
he was beaten, and during the winter which
followed he found great difficulty in meet.
ing the house-rent and paying his butchers
and groc"r's bills. 1t is probable that his
ca;eer ~ a public VluEdcrer dates rom the
ia OF his defeat as sheriff.
He was not fine-griued mau nor tron-
oieG with many conscientious Scrupes. lie
saw himself as the victim Of what he looked
upon Us Il conspiracy. lie had distributed
nl2 money among various ward or-aniZl-
They divided bis fortune end withheld their
support. He resolved to "gct even" with
| the public, who had preferred another TO
him, aud he set about the job with the cool
| ness Of great general aId The wichednCS>
OF great robhcr. Iii 1862 he became dep.
My street commissioner, aad while holding
that office he got his hand freely iuo
| the public purse for the first time. At
about the same period he made blp>cIf the
leading spirit in the TammaDy organization.
lie showed soon tliat his power as IN or
ganizcr WAS very great. He drew men
around him usually by appcalst0 their selfish
| natures. To one he gave money; to another
| some place ef honor and trust. He pro-
| ceedcd on The theory that every man had
| bis price. If q rival arose TO dispute his au-
| thOrity he crushed that rival if he could,
aud il he couldn't he crushed The rivalry by
supporting the man for some office, and thus
maklug him his ally. In this way he spiked
| The guns Of Fernando Wood, and called IL
truce with his most populIr enemy, the
Big Judge" Michael Connolly.
In 1857, Richard B. Connolly. u timl man.
plausible in manners but exceedingly cor
| rupt ut heart, became controller Of New
York. With him Tweed formed IN alliance.
Connolly was greedy and closo-isicd. lie
| never could secure popular following. lie
held Office at the pleasure Of Tweed, who
! was, however, compelled to share equally
| with hun in the division Of the money plum
dcrcd from the city. That same year QS61
| Tweed was elected 10 the State Senate from
! the Fourth district by large majority. In
!. The Senate he found Il majority opposed to
him politically. How be used TINT majority
to effect his purposes is one Of the chrog-
| icles of Albany which Is yet To be written
| We may undertake the task hereafter.
| In 1869 Tweed found Il counsellor far
| wiser and much more honest than binscll
| in the person of Peter i. sweeney. He alsu
found q fippant but brilliant advocate IN
| A. OIkey Hall, q man free from corrupt mo-
tves, bat one willing to blind his cycS t0
The crimes committed around him as Il II.
ward Tor temporal power and pleasant 10.
| toriety. When these four mrn-TWeed
| Connolly, Sweeney, and Hall-jioined theil
various forces and talents thu Tauimauy
conspiracy was complete, In 1870 the Gr>l
revolt against this concentrated power be.
gan. 1t was badly planned and di,reputa5ll
Differed. Norton, Genet, Dreamer, Pet"l
| Mitchell, Michael Murphy, and others VIC
led the movement in the Legislature, wer,
not the men through whom rclorin uvul {
come.
| 1t looked for n time, however, as ii Tho
movement would succeed. Tweed wa,
beaten in tue preliminary skirmisb In til,
| Senate. He pretended to surrender, and
voted for The charter of The Young Domoc
racy. But be had secretly formed an ALI
auce with the Republican party in the Lesis
lature, and could afford TO Gide his time
| Meantime his rivals had lost their heads. Ii
| the flush oftenporary success they divided
on paper-alitAe Offices in the city amongs
themselves. The charter under which thi
| grand distribution was to take place T8:
tukea to the Assembly, where it was under
stood thut it would pass by general consent
but 10 the umazement Of many, and to th'
DISNEY of the Young Democracy, 1t was dc
feated.
Tweed's rivals surrendered at discretion
| Dreamer, Norton, Mitchell-all but Genet
sued for terms of peace. The next weel
Tweed's charter was introduced, and re
ceiving the support of all the Republican
senutors excepting Thayer, of RENSSELAER,, Il
PASSED. This was followed by other inca
sures, which, made the power OF tue rn=
well-nigh absolute. 1t was then that tht
system of plumber began TO work out IL
amazing results. Bills against the city were
deliberately raised from $4,000 to 5000, 600
and the enormous excess divided between