The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-10-19
AoHdral
FILDEN AND TWEED.
The Part Mr.. Tilden Played in Over
whelming the Ring.
An Article In the 'NOrths. American Re.
view" on His Services. NJ

iIGhtb vi hilO phoNeN'AHb
Tapmany Ring. and particularly of Mr..
Tilden's part in the work. Mr. Wingate
says; i., ..i,t...l u.r4 -r-H.
During the month Of August, Mr.. Sam
uelJ J, Tilden, who WAS Chairman OF the
Democratic State Central Committee,
held several conferences with Mr., Fran
els Herman, Ex-Governor Seymour, Mr..
Charles 0Conor and Mr.. Oswald Orten-
dorfer, all eminent and respectable Dem
ocrats, TO consider the situation. A pro-
gramme of action was laid down and
agreed upon by these gentlemen which
embraced as its main points the cutting
loose from the whole Tammany organi-
sation as it then existed, with the puri6-
cation of the Judiciary and the Legisla'
ture. The labor of giving effect to the
plan was voluntarily assumed by Mr..
Tilden, who, from beginning to end. both
inspired and engineered this most dan
gerous of all the attacks on the ring He
was indefatigable in his exertions, and
neglected no means calculated to unite
the decent elements of the party in favor
of reform. Among other things he issued
circular letter to q, 900 influential Dem.
ocrats In which he boldly declared that
wherever the gangrene of corruption had
reached the organization, they must take
q knife and cut it out by the roots. He
promised further that the present state
of the local Government should be made
the subject of investigation and censure
at the next State Convention, and de-
clRred that the men who had caused the
existing decentralization "would have TO
go under" This was strong language
from a partisan politician, but 1t bore
fruit in the hearty Democratic support of
the reform ticket in the ensuing election
and in other undertakings which Mr..
Tilden and his associates presently set
on foot. 7''.
The Seventy" was like other bodies
of the same character; it was eminently
respectable, but it realized to) strongly
that the eyes of the world were upon it,
and accordingly INDUCED too much in
posturing and debate, and not enough in
steady work. Tweed and Sweeny, if
they had at this time expressed their in
nermost sentiments, would probably
have intimated tolerably complete in
difference to the debates and proceed
ings of the Seventy" reserving their
wrath and fear tor the quiet, untiring
suth.like assiduity with which Mr.. Til
den was ferreting out their wrong doings
and pressing them home in the party
stronghold The Seventy" doubtless
annoyed and worried them, but the
chairman Of the Democratic Central
Committee was fairly hunting them to
earth. The move on Halls
part was an ingenious one, and brought
TO his side large portion Of the press,
and the honest public feeling which call
ed loudly for Connolly instant resigna-
ton. That he could not long sustain |
himself was apparent enough to all. The |
vital question, however, was, Who is to |
succeed himP The Mayor and his asso-
ciates were strainiDg every nerve to Sc
cure the appointment Of the new Comp
troller confidently hoping that if they
could but do so, the frauds might yet be
concealed Again they were disappoint-
ed. Mr.. Tilden suddenly stood in their
path.
1t was on the evening of the 11th that
Mayor Hall had thrown himself on the
magnanimity of Mr. Connolly. On the
10Th Connolly had mustered sufficient
courage to inform him that he was "un-
able to submit himself as a vicarious sac
ri6Ce TO satisfy the hungry appetite of
adversaries for victim," and that conse-
auently he declined to resign. Having
thus abandoned himself to despair, he
closed the correspondence. In his utter
wretchedness he bethought himself of
Mr.. Tilden, and through friend begged
for all interview. Somewhat surprised
at the request, and not knowing what
might come from it, Mr., Tilden appoint
ed meeting for the morning of the 18th
Then and there Connolly poured forth
his whole soul. Declining to be his le-
gal counsel, or in any way to act for him,
Mr.. Tilden then frankly told him that
lie must resign his Office, bui on no ac-
count into the hands of his former con-
federates. The question then arose as to
his procuring money to carry on the city
government, notwithstanding the $50
ley" Injunction, and on that point MI.
Tilden desired time to consult with 9TH
ers, and deferred the rest of the inter-
view until the evening. This anxiety
on Mr.. Tilden's part for q renewed inter-
view was due to the fact that on examin-
ing the laws after Connolly left him in
the morning, he had noticed singular
enactment authorizing the Comptroller
to appoint deputy, and to confer upon
him for definite period all his own Of
6cial powers. This clause had been slip
ped into the act to enable Mr.. Connolly
to take trip to Europe, which for some
time he had desired to do, but Mr.. Til
den instantly saw that the power therein
conferred was equally available for the
appointment of a deputy with full pow
ers, and with the Comptroller yet re-
manning nominally in 6ffice, though in
New York Here, then, was the key of
the situation. The reformers must take
possession Of Connolly, and through him
and in the face Of his confederates, seize
the city treasury. Thatevening Mr.. Til
den prepared the necessary papers, and
the next morning at 10 o'clock Mr.. Have
meyer, Connolly and that gentleman's
lawyers appeared. On the way one of
these stepped in to see P. B. Sweeny, who
had a. once been ready with his sugges-
tion. 1t was that Connolly should re-
sign, that man of sufficient character to
assume the whole work of investigation
should succeed, and that Connolly him
self should be protected. This course
was strongly urged at the conference;
but Mr.. Tilden objected to allowing any
voice to the ring in the matter of filling
the succession, and he carried his point.
Among those present at the interview
WAS Andrew H. Green, and him Tilden
designated as Connolly's depu.
ty. A reluctant assent to this arrange
ment was at last extorted, the papers
were speedily executed, and Connolly
left the house only to accompany Green
to the City Hall, there to install him as
Deputy Comptroller. Thus Mr.. Tilden
had actually appointed city treasurer,
and by 80 doing seized the very strong
hold Of the ring.
1t was veritable coup detdt, and felt
to be such by Mayor Hall. He at once
Gen. Geo. B. Mcclellan to the
vacant Office, and had the pleasure of
khak Al 4 |