The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-03

The Legislature has adjourned, and already
we hear the familiar refrain How many years
have we heard this chorus about corruption"
rings" ..infamies." strifes, partnerships.
'spoils and unholy ambition? More years,
we fear than even the Oldest of Ms would care
to remember, and long before, even in the
very beginning Of our history. When we
read the press comments of the Hamilton and
Jefferson period We see that there were 'rings''
in those days; that bitterness swayed party
politics; that Jefferson was an atheist that
Hamilton was . monarchist and used the
money in the Treasury to corrupt legislation
and found . personal party that the follow
ers Of one wished to rob the Exchequer and
return to their allegiance to George Ill,
while the followers of the other longed to
introduce the license and crime Of the Reign
of Terror. Then came, somewhat later, but
stin long time ago, the Albany Regency and
the Richmond Junta, famous rings" in their
time, and filing large space in politi-
cal history. Afterwards We had the celebrated
firm Of which Mr.. Thurlow Weed is the only
surviving member, and since the war-mainly.
we may say, arising out Of the war-new
s'rings" and new 'frrns" and parties and
caucuses and Bosses" as thick as the leaves in
Vanambrosa. There was the great Tammany
Ring, part of which is in Jail, and the Custom
House Ring, part Of which is tending rapidly
in that direction Now we have the ring of
Venerable Statesmen. one of the most in-
teresting and important in our history, whose
work We see in the Legislature which has
| just adjourned.
| Time sanctifes many regulations and re-
forms many judgments, and the members Of
the Revolutionary and Jacksonian rings are
no longer shaded by SANDER and miscon-
ception, but shine out with historical splen-
dor. As for our reigning ring time, we
must confess, has done great deal for it's
members already, but the historical splendor
has not come. The Legislature which ad-
journed the other day has for its dirge the
old refrain, corruption, rings, infamies, lob
bvism and SO on. We can imagine the sor-
row that overspreads the countenAnces Of
the aged men who controlled this Legisla-
ture-our Mayor of 1776, our Governor of
1912, and that other illustrious Nestor of mod
ern politics whose time goes back to period
whereof the memory of man runneth not to
the contrary, as they hear the ancient
chorus about Legislature SO dearly
cherished and born with so many high
mounting hopes We shall not take any
part in this opera of denunciation. Time
will, no doubt, hallow the memories Of the
misunderstood statesmen who yesterday
reigned on Capitol HILL and our Hustled and
our Alvord, and their fellow hborers will
have the compensation from juster genern-
ton. 1t is q long time, we admit, for mer-
curial statesmen to wait and they will, no
doubt, look after their reputation with the pres
emit generation as we'll But we are 80 weary
with this dirge-ike song Of denunciation that
It was certainly not . whimsical body
We have never had Senate and o
House in Albany animated by . more
definite purpose, or who succeeded so
admirably in carrying it out The notion that
they owed the city any care or protection was
rejected at the outset and opposed with won
derful consistency. Whatever these gifted
men may have wished or hoped during their
career in Albany, they succeeded in ignoring
and expressing New York.
| In the old times, before we came under the
experienced jurisdiction of the Venerable
Statesmen, there was the impression that the
Legislature had no graver duty than to nour-
ish and extend New York. The city was not
only the metropolis of the State, but of the
nation, and the prosperity Of the State de-
pended largely upon its metropolis. To the
city the State owes the great Lines of railway
and canal communication which have
studded our territory with thriving commu-
mites, increasing the wealth and industry and
commerce of the people hundredfold. 1t
was believed that this supremacy of New York
over every other city in the Union, and over
most of the cities in the world was great
gain to the State, that travel was attracted
hither-that our greatness came with art
and music, architectural decoration and
the refining evidences of tasteful civil
ization. New York is the Empire State
because her capital is the Empire City.
In that trying time when the spirit of disin-
tegration seemed to control our politics, and
some politicians proposed to make New York
free city like Libeck or Frankfort or Ham,
burg, the patriotic sense of our people re-
jected o suggestion not without material
advantages, and threw the city's for
tunes with the State and the Union.
The whole history Of the metropolis is
that of constant devotion to the Republic, and
pride in its growth and glory. We have never
asked from the State or the nation what we
would not willingly pay Cor. We have always
contributed to both State and Union largely in
excess ofany benefits We could possibly receive
Whenever ring wished to use our Treasury
for political or personal gain there was a