New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-07-05
NEKULR IND POLIIlCS.

II is said that the Fourteenth Ward p0litl-
clans were greatly agitatcd on Monday even
inc. There was a story alloat that Mr.. James
Hayes, Familiarity, if not affectionately
known "a "Jimmy Hayes" bad been fel0ni0usly
stabbed, and had been carried to his residence
in a precarous condition. Mr.. Hayes is quite
a public character. He was member of Mr.
Twccd's Board of Supervisors. For two or
three terms he was in the Assembly lie Is
ro,uted to be rich. The person who stabbed
him was one IngcrsOl, described as "a broken
"down gambler with Il handsome wlIe;" and
the person last named is reported to have oc-
casioned the assault by her misconduct OF
the truth of this, we know nothing, nor shall
we stop to inquire into it. What troubles us
much more. is that Mr. Jimmy" Hayes was
once a Supervisor and Member of the As
scmDly, ami If he should survive, may ill one
Office or the other or both again.
Yesterday was the Fourth of July. There
were not quite so many "OratlOns " delivered
as usual, but such as were emitted dwelt
brilliantly and positively upon the capacity of
the people for self goyernment-that is for
iudiciously selecting their rulers and repre-
sentatives. We think that Mr.. jimmy" Hayes,
the hands of "a man about town." not stand
ing III any pulpit, nor upon any PLATFORM, but
stretched upon bed of pain, involuntarily
delivered about the most useful Fourth Of
July Grafton decamed in 1877. This is true,
whether we consider him the injured or in
iurcr. Mr.. Hayes may be the fortunate pos
SCISSOR not only of IA handsome residence in
Elm-st., but of that proportion OF the cardinal
virtues which commonly falls to the lot of Tam
manys great men. The fact remains that he
is IN "A most disreputable scrape of kind
which those who live cleany rarely tumble
into. Critical people will draw their own con-
illusions, and one of these is that 3lr. Hayes,
who gets himself stabbed with Il pair OF
scissors in the hands of a green-eyed
husband, is not desirable either as a Supervisor
or as an Asscmblyman. 1t might, 1t is true,
have been worse. lie might have been Mayor,
for those no better than he have worn the civic
robes of honor. He might have been sent to
Congress instead Of the Assembly, and ii he
did not go to Washington rs one of the Repre-
senta;ves of this great opulent and populous
metropolis, it was probably because his tastes
and aspirations took another direction. when
ne ran AGAINST General Patrick II. Jones for
Register, he was beaten only by il chance coali-
ton.
The lamentable truth il. that the Jimmy
Hayeses are never nominated for any place in
this city without "A frs rate chance of being
elected. If that fact would not have bee an
good text for FouFth-oi-July Grafton, then a
fiery, yariegaied rant, full Of sound and fury,
signirying nothing, il worth as much As a sell
siblc statement OF political morals and the re-
sponsbiliics of citizenship. 1t has been said in
Vulnerable times and upon all possible occasions,
that "men, high-minded men, constitute a
State and in It's w;t a city is State, or even
a single ward of a city. Ii is doubtful whether
raising flags, firing cannon, and neglecting our
duties as voteis, will furnish men of that kind.
We get along tolorably well, considering our