Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-12-02

seQuies, Tweed was chairman OF
the committee to draw up the res
olutions Of respect, and his speech
Is described as d b0nbasiic string
Of extravagant eulogy. While al
derma he bettered his broken for
tunes and sought Congressional
honors, which he obtained partly
by the negro vote. He only took
part in one Congressional debate
that on the Kansas and Nebraska
bill, which was then prominently
before the public On his return
to New York Tweed found that
he had not gained by his Congress
sional life,and was without money
10 requisite for a ward politician.
His spirits buoyed him up, how
ever, and by the help OF hopeful
friends he was made Commission
er Of Public Schools, in 1859, in
which office he spent the public
funds in way to prom Die his own
Interests. In November OF this
year he was chosen a member OF
the Board of Supervisors. The
duty of this body had been to set
tie, examine and allow all claims
against the city and county, but
these powers were enlarged in this
year, by legislative act, and the
way was open for the profitable
manipulation of public funds with
safety. Four times Tweed was
elected President of this Board,
and from this time his power be-
gan to be felt in city politics. And
now came into prominence Swee-
ney, Hall and Connolly, who af-
forwards merged their political
power with that of Tweed, and
formed the nucleus of that "ring"
which obtained control Of the city
in 1868. We will not delay to re-
late the gradual mergings Of their
circles of influence all know the
corruption which was practiced
in obtaining control Of the various
city departments. These unsc-u-
pulous men now aimed at subvert-
ing the whole city government 20
their own ends. To do this 1t
was necessary Is get control Of the
Tammany Society, the oldest and
most Influential organization in
the city for political purposes. Up
to 1860 the society was eminehtly
respectable, bnt 1t then declined
and fell into the hands of local pol
iticians. BY series Of intricate
devices Sweeney and Tweed be-
came prominent In its councils,and
by the help of Hall and Connolly
these became its leaders and final
ly controlled it. By means of the
ring organ, the "Lerder," public
opinion was diverted and the peo-
pie were lei to believe that il was
for the good of the society to turn
out the old Sachems and pnt In the
new members. John Kelly here
came in rs one Of the rising men,
bers The split between Iamma-
ny and Mozart Halls wrs smooth
ed over by the absorption of the
latter through Sweeneys oily in
fiuence and Tammany reorganized
was supr me Hall became u
Tammany Democrat and obtained
Office. Hoffman was made Recor-
der, and the corrupt judges, Car
doza, McCunn and Barnard, were
taken under the patronage of the
grasping leaders. The leading pa
pers now began to cry d,wn the
abuse, but with little effect, as
their indignation was attributed
to partisan motives. The corrupt
judges played into the hands of
their corrupt political supporters,
and by false naturalization and
other means the Tweed Ring de-
ternined to have everything their
own way, and they did. With
the accumulated irresponsible
power one can readily see how
Tweed and his associates found
an entrance to the public funds,
and enriched themselves at the
peoples expense. On good author
ity the illegal vote in the State in
1868 was $4,000. Tammany's pow
er went out into the State ,aad soon
controlled botn State and city gov
ernments. In 1869 the mastery
was complete. Hoffman was Gov
ernor, Hall was Mayor, Sweeney
was City Chamberlain, Tweed
held the Department of Streets,
Connolly was Comptroller,and the
other corrupt judges were secure
upon the bench, O'Brien was
Sheriff, and by this mans rebel
lious ambition the ring YVES final
ly ruined. In 1869 Tweed was
elected State Senator, and in Al
bany he managed the Legislature
and carried it in his pocket. The
subsequent history of Tweed in
connection with TIE ring is too
well known to warrant repetition
here. How he defied the efforts OF
the young Democracy at reform
for a time, and afterwards by the