The New York herald., 1875-11-08
Brains and Honesty Must rule.

lived in our day he could scarcely have
spoken these words more aptly than at this
time, when the people of New York have
willed that the judgment Of an indignant
city shall stop the headlong course of a
powerful association. Once again we are
saved from the perils of 'one-man power
the very danger our institutions are sup
posed to avert. Yet we have only manned,
not destroyed it. The possibility of our
criminal courts being placed under the thumb
of any political party was, indeed, sufficiently
alarming; but the certain sacrifice of liberty
and property in the event of a successful
Tammany ticket was an appalling prospect
Having momentarily escaped the danger we
naturally ask, How did it arise and how can
it be averted? How can despotism have
lived and thrived in free country, and how
can its power and evil influences forever
after be destroyed? +?
The Tammany Society as it was may be
justly compared to the Pratorian Band which
acquired so infamous a reputation during the
decline Of the Roman Empire. The success
of both organizations is owing to discipline
and to the fact that here rs in ancient Rome,
a,servile crowd find their private benefit in
the public disorder and prefer the favor Of
q tyrant to the maintenance of the laws
The Pretorian Band, formed originally, as
Gibbon says, from the flower of the Italian
youth, eventually degenerated into
body of brutal and unscrupulous ad-
venturers, plunderers of the public treasury
and assassins When their reasons for usurp-
ing the elective powers of the Roman nation
were disputed by the populace the Prm-
torians made good their arguments by
throwing the sword into the scale. SO the
Tammany Society, composed largely at first
of men of standing and unselfsh devotion to
the public veal, has now become band of
small, narrow minded, selfish schemers
the public safety. On many occa-
sions, and especially during the memor-
able political contest of 1871, which
resulted in the election of Tweed, the men,
.bers of Tammany have not hesitated to imi-
tate the ancient Prgtorians in resorting to
fraud or violence. Had the person who now
moulds the Tammany Society to his pur-
poses, and through it means to exercise des-
potic sway over the judicial and administra-
tive departments of the city government,
pursued his political vocation with the
same regard to public interest as to his
own, Tammany might now be commanding
the respect and gratitude of the community.
But other leaders of Tammany have pitted
themselves and their ambitious projects
against the will of the people, and they have
all met with the fate of Don Quixote in his
attack on the windmill.
The permanent overthrow of Tammany
can only be effected by the party which will
initiate its shrewdness and avoid its vices.
The strength of the association lies as much
in the timidity and apathy of its opponents
as in the cunning of its leaders or the clan
nishness of their ignorant but well disciplined
followers. Bad men or weak men have
hitherto ruled this community, because one
third of the voting population has neglected
to exercise the right of ballot Those
who shrink from politics because it is
a low and dirty business show themselves
akin to Shakespeares fop, who ''would have
been soldier but for that villanous salt
petre." Yet the prosperity, and perhaps
the very life, Of these citizens may one day
depend on judicial decision from the lips
of some scoundrel whose election might have
been prevented by one honest vote.
AS the existence Of Tammany has de-
pended upon the apathy of the people, 50
must its destruction depend upon their ac-
tivity. Let there be added to the demo-
cratic party a new element-not neces-
sarily numerous, but distinguished by BRAY
cry and ability and q passionate love of
freedom, freedom from every individual or
partisan oppression-let them gain a voice
with the people and give confidence to the
masses which would gladly accept the leader
ship Of brave, good and respectable
men in preference to that of the
mere professional, narrow-minded poll
ticians, who have so long held sway. So,
and SO only, can we return honest men, who
viii scorn TO prostitute their dignity or be-
tray the sanctity of Office for if any relief
should ever omanate from men of the stamp
we usually elect to Office the public will be
as much surprised as Balaam was when his
ass developed conversational powers.
PoLo.-We reprint from Bells Life an inter-
esting account of the polo tournament at
Sandown Park The game is new in Eng
land and it is altogether unknown here, but
il has many merits and is destined to become
popular. Since the extinction of knight
orrantry no pastime has been invented re-
quiring SO much courage and manli-
ness. 1t is healthy athletic game,
requiring both nerve and skill in the
players, but it is unattended by danger
and is deserving of encouragement. There
is no reason why it should not be introduced
into this country as part Of our outdoor
sports. We have base ball, foot ball, run