The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1874-01-08
fiiIborough, Highland County, January
Fweed's Conviction.

II 1t is but three or four years ag,
that certain of Tweed's retainers. an,
among them three or four respecta
BILE citizens, proposed to erect
!, kstatue to the man who has Just beel
5 most justly convicted as a felon, ant
with the profoundest approval of th,
fcomtry. That single fact is an il
lustration both of the pnbic peri
and the public escape. The respect
able citizens who signed the proposa
did not due to do otherwise. They
knew the enormous power ofthe man,
land his unscrupulous use of it.
They knew that he was the chief OF
the dominant political party in the
city; that the Governor and the Leg
islature obeyed his will; that judges
ron the bench were his tools, and law
kers at the bar his creatures; that he
corrupted the press, and held bullies
in his pay-and they signed under
terror, as others sent bridal gifts to
his daughter upon her marriage,
i knowing that he would publish their
names, and not daring to refuse.
No mans powers seemed more abso-
lutte for his purposes than Tweed's,
and he was to have a statuel With
Washington and Franklin and Shak
speare, he was to be honored In en-
during marble or bronze as a human
benefactorl Public decency was out
ragged. One of the most renowned
and honored of American citizens ex-
posed the infamy in the journal of
which he was the senior editor But
@What will you do about it?' was the
sneering reply. And all the while
Tweed was thief, and those who
We're to build the statue knew it, and |
three of the most conspicuous citi-
gems looked into the accounts of his
Lonfederates, and declared under their
signature that they were correct
Fortunately Tweed's fall has been
'as signal as his success. Upon the
distinct proof of his crimes the whole
decent community arose and began
the work of reform. But while his
party was defeated and his immediate
confederates either escaped or shrunk
into obscurity, he was personally
sustained by his constituency, and
seemed to defy the wrath of public
opinion. His stolen wealth enabled
HIM still to buy the tricks and tech
nlcaities of lawyers, and for long ,
time he evaded Justice. But at
.fngth, brought to bay by the power
or the honest State, and by the assid-
uity OF law officers resolved that JUS 6
tice should be done, arraigned before &
athoroughly able, brave, and incor- c
ruptihle judge, whom Nall his arts t
could neither cajole nor terrify, nor i
all the wretched bubbles and bully S
ngs OF counsel confuse or deceive, c
BY an honest and unbought jury t
Of his fellow citizens William M. c
Tweed has been convicted of enor- ]
nous and continued frauds, and will |
expiate his crimes, like other thieves, t
at Sing Sing or on BlackwelTs Isl t
and. I
If the career of this man is an il {
lussration of the startling venality of '
our politics, the movement which I
ends in his conviction is the yindica- /
ton of the power of the popular con- a
science, working peacefully in legal t
forms. Cur problem is to keep that a
permanently active, so
that dangers menacing to society it. I
self may be averted in the beginning.
1t is true that after long struggle
we deal satisfactorily with Tweedism.
Do we comprehend the practices and '
chances in politics that make Tweeds
Il
and Tammany Rings not only posi- ]
bic, but probable? The overthrow
Of the Tammany Ring is one of the {
most auspicious and significant events :
in our political history. Good citi- :
zens justly congratulate themselves. h,
But let them not forget that their Q
political indifference produced it. y
The price of good government is not q
voting the regular ticket, but intelli- .
gence and vigilance. If good men :
will not take the trouble to govern, +
bad men will; and good government E
requires a great deal of trouble from :
every honest citizen. Il Harper's 7
Weekly. +
Caleb Gushing will be "a in Janu- {
ary. He is one of the most learned &
men in the country; and through the f