The New York herald., 1875-11-07
Anerthought. OF the Canvass.

n
over their unexpected and fairly won victory.
The defeated clans have what we may call
depression Of spirits. They find the sun
rises regularly as it did before Tuesday, and
although we have had little spell of rain
and gloomy weather we shall have fair days
again in spite of the defeat of Tammany
Hall. There will be a hundred theories for
the defeat, and desperate councils upon one
side and truculent resolves upon the other.
The victors will be anxious to pillage the
camps they have captured, the defeated to
make as good terms with the victors as pos
slble; but the canvass in its graver aspects
should not be allowed to pass without some
consideration
In the first place the election of Tuesday
did not largely affect the government of New
York. BY a peculiar coincidence the officers
chosen on the county ticket were more
or less judicial. There were two judges Of
the higher courts, two judges of the criminal
courts, two Marine Court judges, one Surro-
gate and District Attorney. If we may
include the Coroner, whose ancient Office is
partly judicial also, we may speak of the
election as being altogether Of that char
acter. The terms of the men chosen
will, with two exceptions, last for
many years. The successful candidates
are not politicians With the exception Of
Mr.. Hackett and Mr. Phelps the ticket con-
tains men who are practically new, who were
chosen not because of their skill in manag-
ing wards and conventions, but for their
learning and character, and because they
would strengthen the ticket and make good
officers. The city receives an infusion of
new blood into its courts, and it is to be con-
graduated upon the fact that not one Of the
gentlemen who ascends the Bench by reason
of the votes on Tuesday has a stain upon his
name In this respect the two tickets, Tam
many and Tammany, were alike, the
Tammany nominations doing credit to John
Kelly's discernment The Aldermen and
the members of the Legislature are not strong
enough to change the government of the
city. Therefore the practical result of the
canvass on Tuesday is not to overturn in any
degree the machinery Of our government by
those sweeping changes which generally
follow an election, but to demonstrate the
moral power Of public opinion over political
organization.
So far as the control Of patronage is con-
cerned New York will be under the influence
OF Tammany Hail. The Mayor, the local
legislature and the heads of departments
where money is spent and patronage is con-
trolled are still Tammany. If the leaders
of Tammany continue to follow the stiff
necked policy Of Mr.. Kelly they can keep
their machine" as strong as ever. There is
no difficulty in finding Committee on Disc-
pline 50 long as Fitz John Porter controls the
public works and Mr.. Wickham the Mayors
Office. There will be no trouble in organic
ing party SO long as Mr.. Kelly's followers
direct public improvements in New York.
| Therefore, if there is to be reform in Tam
many Hall it must come from the inside. In
that respect so far as the practical possession
of power is concerned, the last election is an
admonition rather than defeat. Now, if
the leaders Of the democracy, the men who
have given their lives to considering the
higher principles Of politics, who have held
commanding rank in its councils-men
like Mr.. Church, Mr.. Tilden, Mr. Ker-
nan, Mr.. Seymour, Mr. Fernando Wood, Mr..
Hewitt, Mr.. Clarkson n. Potter Mr.. Bel
mont, Mr. Marble and Mr.. Hackett-would
take hold Of the organization, there is no rea-
son why they should not put the democracy
upon as sound basis as it is in the State
Governor Tilden had a right to expect from
New York State larger majority in the in
1. -
received when he ran for Governor. If Mr..
Kelly had conducted his local canvass in
New York with grain Of sense he could
have given him this majority. Therefore
the duty Of these democrats whom we have
ventured to name as worthy Of respect and
authority in democratic. councils is to bring
the organization in New York up to that
point where it will harmoniously cooperate
with the organization in the State and give
Governor Tilden's reform administration its
merited support.
This is to be done by the conscientious
men in Tammany Hall taking new depar-
ture. First, let there be an end of this tom
foolery Of On Indian society, dances, ''war-
paths" and secret meetings IN q lodge room
with grips and passwords and countersigns
Brush that away as the nonsense Of politics.
Then let there be no more Committees on
Discipline to denounce and destroy honest
democrats, like Robespierre's guillotine COM
mittee did with honest Frenchmen. Then
let it be understood by every citizen Of New
York who believes in the principles Of democ-
racy as laid down by jefferson, in popular
sovereignty, free trade and civil service
economy in affairs and the rights Of the peo-
pie, that he is especially desired to take part
in q convention to reorganize the democracy.
! There are no elections to be held for the
present. There are no disturbing questions
to enter into this council convention Of
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