The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-06-29

Itkfa Tweed charter the Board Of Special
Audit--0ne Of the fruits Of this Legisla+
ture---were making an order for the pay.
ment Of over SIX millions OF money. OF
which 1t IL now known that scarcely ten
per cent In value was realized by the
and his agent, Woodward, seven; the
brother OF Sweeny, ten Watson, Deputy
Collector, seven; thirty-three pei. cent
went to mechanics who furnished the
bills. though their share had to suffer
many abatements and twenty per cent
to other parties. Over $250,OOO were
sent to Albany to be distributed among
the members Of the Legislature.
The percentage OF theft, comparative
ly moderate In 1869, reached sixty six
per cent in 1870, and later, eighty live
per cent.
The Senators who voted on the 9th Of
April, 1870, with but two dissenting
voices, to deprive our great commercial
metropolis, with its million OF people,
of.all power of self-government, as IL It
were o conquered province, to confer
upon Tweed, Connolly. Sweeny and Hall
for series Of years the exclusive power
OF appropriatfng oil moneys raised by
taxes or by loans and an indefinite power
to borrow--who swayed oil the institu-
tions Of local government, the local
judiciary and the whole machinery OF
elections--did not come again within
reach of the people until the election OF
the 9TH Of November. 1871, when their
successors were to be chosen. All hope
of rescung the city from the hands OF
the freebooters depended upon recover
ing the Legislative power OF the State, in
securing a majority OF the Senate and
Assembly. 10 this end Mr.. Tilden
directed all his efforts. In q speech at
the Cooper Union In New York, he stated
Mr.. Tweed's plan. which was to carry
the Senatorial representation frUm that
city, and then re-elect eight, and, II
possible, twelve OF the Republican Sena-
tors from the rural districts whom he
had bought and paid for the previous
year, and thus control oil the legislation
that might be presented there which in
volved his freebooting dynasty.
A party In power is naturally disposed
to risk the continuance Of abuses rather
than hazard the extreme remedy OF
"cutting them out by the roots The
executive power of the State and all its
recently enlarged official patronage
were exerted against the latter policy.
And since the contest OF 1869 the Ring
had studied to extend its influence in
the rural districts, and had showered
legislative favors as II they were ordi-
nary patronage. But fortune tavors the
brave. Without an Office or dollar
worth OF patronage in city or State to
confer, Mr.. Tilden planted himself on
the traditions Of the elders, on the moral
sense and forces OF Democracy, and
upon the invincibility Of truth and
right. That undaunted faith in the
bility with error, which we have found
him at the bar and carrying
him from victory to victory against
more desperate odds, sustained him
here. As always happens to those who
battle for the right, Providence
came to his aid. The thieves fell
out. and. one OF their number betrayed |
them. A clerk in the Controllers
office copied a series Of entries after
wards known as 'secret account" -and
handed them to the press for publica-
ton. They showed the dates and
OF certain payments made by
the Controller, the enormous amounts
II which, compared with the times and
purposes Of the payments and the recur- |
renee Of the same names, awakened sus- |
picions that they were the memorials of |
he grossest frauds. Mr.. Tilden soon |
became satisfied OF this, from the futilty |
u the answers received from the city |
officers when questioned about them |
ind from other sources, and reached the |
conclusion that the city had been the |
victim Of frauds far transcending any |
hing ever suspected. He Immediately |
'ormed his plan, for the execution OF ,
1t involved the control Of the [
approaching State Convention-the CO.
operation Of several leading Democrats |
vas first secured. He accepted an ar
by which he was to be sent |
q the convention from his native dis
,rict, Columbia county, which had al |
vays. during the Ring" ascendancy, |
Afforded him the opportunity OF being |
heard.
Early in September he issued letter |
% some sixty-six thousand Democrats, |
the situation and calling upon |
hem "to take knife and cut the can |
,er out by the roots" But before the |
meeting Of the convention an event
which could not have been |
'oreseen, but which was pregnant with |
The most important consequences.
To the eternal honor OF the Demo
he issue thus made by Mr.. Tilden they |
yave him their cordial and irresistible |
support. The result was overwhelm- |
ng, and not only changed the city rep |
in the Legislative bodies of
he State, but, in its moral effect, crush
ID out the Ring"
Mr.. Tilden was one OF the delegates |
chosen to represent the city in the next
Legislature. In Difference to the views |
II his prir cipal coadjutors, Mr.. Tilden
devoted the six weeks interval between
lis election and the meeting OF the Leg
stature to the prosecution OF its inves-
.igation in the city departments and in
the vast mass Of accurate in
which was the basis Of nearly |
Ill the judicial proofs that have since
,een employed successfully in bringing |
he members Of the Ring" to justice
,r driving them into exile.
Mr.. Tilden gave his chief attention
Turing the session OF the Legislature to
he promotion Of those objects for which
ne consented to go there, the reform of
he judiciary and the impeachment Of
he creatures who had acquired control
II it under the Tweed dynasty.
Mr.. Tilden had thus by his bold acts
made himself prominent in the work Of
eform, and recognized to lead it in the