Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-11-10
The freemau.
Tammany Hall.

week astOnlShed everybody ny 'ho 'oih
,,Iotencss of the overthrow of Tammany
Hall and the grand sachem thereof, John
ko1lv So utter was the rout that many |
have hopes the old nest of corruption VIII
he broken up; for if it once ceases to be Inc
DISPENSER of patti onage without hope OF re-
gaining in the immediate future the power
to distribute political loaves and fishes inc
breath will soon leave its body.
..Tammanv Society" was founded eigh'y
or more wears ago by New York politician
named William Mooney. The govern
nDnt of the society was on an lndlah
model and the name was suggested by that
of a Delaware chief. 1t had a grand sa-
chem who was surrounded by dozen
eochems as a council. In the first years OF
the organization Aaron Burr manipulated
it for his political advancement 1t oflsl-
na1Iv combined politics and benevolence'
hit it soon changed all that and was only
benevolent in giving its members Ill
places
It's days of warfare were during the
Gus democrat and Tammany Hall fought
him while he returned their blows with
interest His great power was beyond the
reach Of Tammany to break and he almost
pounded the institution to death But on
his retiring from the field it rapidly re-
Gained strength and has for nearly fifty
wears ruled New York city and the demo-
cratic party of the state.
The Society has 4 form of initiation and
its Grand Sachem is at the outset elected
I,v vote of the members. The Grand ST.
chem once elected is forever supreme.
All committees are appointed by him, and
their members are removable n his Will.
These committees call democratic conven-
tons and distribute the patronage Of the
party
The existence of this peculiar close cor
poration for the government of the demo
cratic party of New York is justified to
the minds Of the decent men of that party
by the belief that one man power. bad rs
it may be, is better than would be the
washed voters who vote the straight ticket
but who are not to be trusted rs having
sense to do We'll anything more than that
simple act.
OF course this theory. like the monarch
zeal, Is Ill right as long Is the RIGHT man
La, the power, bat i'll practice tie city
has suffer 1t. OF late year the siniro
li-h:s have been Fernando Wood an
William NJ Tweed The latter was the
Grandest Sachem of tie lot. and SOL,
millions while in power. When Tweet
was overthrown, Tamnany Hall was re
formed There was no thought Of rivn.
up the organization, but it was to be run
in the interest of Il new set of men. John
Kelley was put into the chief place, an,
has acted rs dictator to the democrats o
the city, and through them to those of tn,
State, since his elevation.
lie was u strict disciplnarian, and las
summer when John Morrissey grumble,
ut the way in which Kelly distributed pat
ronage, Mr.. Kelley at once cast Morrisse,
4
was declared, and last weeks vote shove,
that the Grand Sachem ruined his powe
in trying to make it too arbitrary.
The whole county ticket supported b
the republicans and the anti -Tammanvite
was elected by majorities ranging from
$1,000 to 27,0OO. Morrissey defeated Joh
Fox for the Senate. and Tammany Hal
was a cave of gloom on the night OF th
election.
The success of such men as Morrsse
is nothing to be pleased at, except as
means the defeat of Tammany 1t woul
he against nature for the voters Of tn
Morrissey and Fox district to elect a dc
cent man. They are cattle who alwav
vote the democratic ticket straight O
State and national issues and only bolt be
cause Morrissey claims to be a better den
ocrat than Kelly.
1t would be an experiment. but on
worth trying, if the New York democrat
would let Tammany crumble and try
truly democratic method of running thei
party. 1t would 90 good ways toward
showing how much of an exception
amy, TO the doctrines of local self-novcrl
mcnt and universal suffrage, is neces>ar
or judicious to be made in the case {
larre cities.