The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-12-12
OFF AGAIN.
Peter B. SWeeny Sails for
Europe To-Day.
TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS OF POLITICS
The City Democracy's Ket-
ties Of Hot Water.
A PROSPECTIVE LECTURER

"A PROSP r. LEC " KEN.
Peter B. Sweeny, having effected settlement
with the city, paid the amount OF $780, 600 in full,
taken a receipt. secured the release OF all his at
tachcd property sold u and had enough OF New York
politics, moro shakes the dust OF the city
from caliskin boots and leaves by steamship
Illinois, from Phi adephis, tomorrow, for Europe.
His return to this country the guarantee that
he should and 60 without being subjected to any
more moiestation than II ne mad remained in Paris,
spping his coffee al tho Cai6 Foy eating Ice
cream at rortoni's. Tho agreement, whether wisely
unwisely made by our learned legal advisers, was
faithfully carried out that the attempt OF the
famous Aldermaric Tweed Investigation Committee TO
enjoy the pleasure OF little with the
Tammany leader was regarded as an infringement OF
tue contract and failed. II is announced that Mr..
Sweeny absents himself only for a brief space,
and that on his return with his family he intends TO
encr the practice OF the law, having been long since
admitted TO the Bar He probably thinks that a man
who the rewdness unscrupu BUSINESS 10 make
a successful New York politician must OF necessity
have the stuff in him tor the making Of successful
lawyer politicians business being TO humbug the
people ana lawyers to humbug the Jurics, perhaps
Mr. Sweeny is right in choosing his new profession
But whether he really intends to return contem-
ing one OF MacMahons numerous Cabinets he
at all events drops altogether out of Now York
city politics His political career is admittedly
Mt an end; gone out, AS It were in grand
pyrotechnical display OF half million settlement
to square accounts between his family and the mu
inequality. This is appropriate time, therefore, to
review his connection with city politics. which extends
peri "a OF twenty years and many
interesting events in the history Of the Tammany
ganization and Of our political parties generally.
PETER B. 3 FIRST APPEARANCES.
Peter B. Sweeny New York, in tho dis
tingushed ward once known as tho "Bloody slxth,'
and he launched out The political sea 1850. tho
year that brought to the surface 81 I. Brennan, John
Clancy Joe Bowling and others, also Sixth warders
Mr. John Kelly, who commenced about the same
period came from "ovcr the border" IN tho Four
tenth ward. AT that tlmc James J. Roosevelt, Lu-
cius Robinson (now Governo. OF the State Joseph s.
Bosworth, Elijah F. Purdy, Augustus Schel, Robert
j. Dillon L. B. Sheppard Isaac V. Fowler and others
OF that school, were prominent members Of the Tam
many General Committee Peter B. Sweeny was elected
a member oil the General Committee and thus became
an associate of these politicians; but he must have
taken very little interest in his duties at that time,
tor the records Of tho committee show that his
was vacated on account of non-attendance. Two
years atterward, in 1852. Sweeny again entered the
General Committee and there attached himself to
Robert j. Dillon, Daniel E. Sickos and few others
who aspired TO control the committee He became an
active but secret worker on their side and began at
that carly day in his political career the ground
intrigues for which he aiterward distinguished
HOW rAMMASy's BuLL-DozISG coxMENcED.
In August 1852, ON the 9Th oil the month"; day
memorable in the annals Of Tammany Hall politics.
Sickles, Dillon, Sweeny and their associates started
the programme by which the power Of appointing in
If prin was aken mt N tha
hands OF the General COMMITTEES. Prior to that time
the inspectors OF primaries were chosen from those
elected the general elections in the several wards
1t found that the elected inspectors would
probably be against the majority of the General
Committee, then in the hands Of the faction with
which Peter b. Sweeny acted, hence tho majority re-
solved 10 the authority to sppoint the nspec
tors, and a resolution that effect Was adopted at
secret meeting OF the committee, held with closed
DOORS There were several objects 10 tempt tho dom
inant faction bold and unprecedented usurpa-
the independence Of the party. u was the Presden.
s,a year. and se rivalry oe, V"r Inc r aaGds
nance in the party was intensified by the
belief that would decide the direction oil Franklin
dency. There was very close contest pending be-
tween Robert J. Dillon. representing the "hards,n
Lorenzo Is. Sheppard, tho candidate oil the
ssotts" for Corporation Counsel and IN those days
the possession oil the inspectors OF the primary cleo
conventions for local offices, and the conseque
sion OF the Offices and OF the appointing power The
bold action oil the Dillon faction IN usurpns the power
of appointing the inspectors Of election instead OF
suffering them TO BIO chosen as formerly from tho IN
spectors elected by the several wards OF course
deathbIow TO the hopes OF the ''Softs and OF their
candidate
AN ANGRY DEMOCRACY.
The New York democrats were not then as mock
ana resigned unuer the bu-dozng OF the Tammany
leaders in the present day. Tho action of tue
General Committee was soon made known to the un-
terrified who crowded the street outside
regular attack was made on the building. the
mob advancing with appraised 6lrdgeons, covered by
hanu urf larV fire. nj Al At
TIE General Committee men were but human. they
VOL viciualled Tor siege as the uniortu
nate Osman Pacha thoir Plevna well iorti-
fled the Bulgarian stronghold. Probably they had
quite nucn personal courage as fires tho heart
oil defeat ed Turkish leader At all eveLts as soon
the cropped heads and doublejonted noses OF tho
outside democracy made ther appearance nj
the the committee beat nasty retreat aud took
refuge the upper part OF The old Wlgwan,
where they concealed themselves IN an unused, dirty
garrett or slowed themselves away between the raters
| that supported the root There was one honorable
exception. The gallant Augustus sche, even then
vcrgiug on the venerable, made stand Tor his Dig
nifty. AS eager then for the Tray as when ne threw
his castor the Seventh Senatorial district ring
stripped tor his hopeless light with Tue political
gladiator, John Morrissey, Augustus Schel faced the
iniuriaed rabbe and got Knocked the head tor his
pans The fall OF Mr. Schcl with the blood stream
anger OF the mob aud prevented the pursuit
OF the flying committeeman, who, alter being assured
that there was no urther DANGER crep out Of their
hiding places IN a very dirty condition. but more
frightened than hurt But the usurpation was never
thess fully carried out aud THIS ended the primitive
| days OF JefIersonian simplicity IN the New York
democracy when the people mad some voice In the
construction oil conventions and the omnations Of
| candidates. The appointment OF inspectors of pr-
| maries by tho General Committee was the
| entering wedRe, which has been driven deeper
| and deeper by the Tammany leaders. until
| now Tho Iamm7ny General Committee not only
chooses inspectors controls primaries aud constructs
| conventions, but dictates to the conventions what
candidates they shall nominate and turns the candi
dates into mere puppets TO be moved at Tammany's
Y will alter tney have been elected
SUCCESS nARDsHELLs.
The plans thus organized by Sweeny, Sfckes and
| their associates succeeded, Robert j. Dillon being
| nominated Tor Counsel 10 the Corporation. Ogden
| HOLMAN was tho candidate against Dnl0n,
| AZ the same election franklin Pierce was elected
President Of the Unied States and the cream OF tho
federal patronage went to the "Hards." Greene c.
Bronson made Collector OF the Port and Isaac
" Fowler Postmaster oil New YORK, the nrst being, Of
course, the important Office politically. Peter b.
Sweeny received his reward IN tho SHAPE OF an APP
pontmcut az Public Administrator, which was the
nrst public Office ne held. Al inc same time Daniel