New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-10-31
WHAT IRE THEY GIVING US y

II cannot be that the eminent DemocraJS
who are Just now Stimulating great horror OF
election frauds and pretending to he virtuousy
indignant at the "Outrage upon free lnstltu-
tons" in the inauguration OF President
lives really hope to delude the public into
n belief in their sincerity. Here Is Iammany
Hall, the representative body OF the New York
Democracy. 1t opposed Mr.. Tilden's nomina-
ton at st. Louis and brought all its
power and influence to bear to defeat
him; aequiescing at last in his nomination,
it took with great calmness his defeat,
and when the occlsiOn-if there ever was
anyways ripe for indignant demonstration,
made no cutlery still opposing him. it struck
hand, with his most deadly enemies TO defeat
II the state Convention the favorites of HIM
self and friends. and nominate the candidates
of the thieves whom he had pursued. And
this is the body of Democracy that rises mp
nearly year after the occasion has passed,
and with calcium lights and brass bands and
sky-rockete, and the gllsty platitudes of windy
orators, undertakes to play that it has been
cheated, and to make many mouths and
great noise "a of wrath and in1ignl-
ton, because this candidate of theirs, whose
fifth rib they have been feeling for these
two years, claims to have been deIra1dcd
Does Tammany Hall take the public to be 80
Jolly green rs not to know that al this is done
with tongue in cheekf And those orators who
tear their passions to tatterS and with wind
mill arms beat the air-d0es any one suppose
Cor IA moment that they are really so
dreadrully worked up about this business; that
they are really as indignant and angry as they
seem because Mr.. Tilden has been " defraudcd
of the Presidency Why, bless Won. these
are the fellows who opposed Mr.. Illdcn's nom
nation because they questioned his pcrSonal
honesty. and in private conversation denounced
him as a "dam fraud" before the election,
and "dam clam" after. They indignant
Nonsense. This is the bubbing on the top OF
dead, stale beer, that comes from violent stir
ring. 1t is rot even honest froth 1t falls
stale again before the "mudder" is fairly ont
of the glass.
But Tammany Hall. whose name has been
cover for corruption and synonym for fraud
through nearly al the years Of its existence As
an organization, blazes up here suddenly on
the eve Of an election, with calcium lights and
sly-rockets and Oratorical pyrOcchnics, in
grand denunciaton of the "crime
against popular self-goyernmcnt," by
(which the American people have been
"infamously dofrauied of their just
"rights,r and hopes to make the people think
it is n genuine demonstration against dishon-
esty, fraud and corruption in politics. do
these earnest workers and fcrvid orators Halter
themselves that the people have forgotten the
history of Tammeny? why, this very demon
snaton serves emily to Gil III q pause in the
testimony OF one. Of lis most hOnored ami sue
cessful leaders, who, for weeks past, has been
giving the history of this Reform organization
in the shape of States evidence. The
people are not fools, that they should DO So
easily dazzled by fireworks and gulled by loud
talk and empty professions. Honest voters
know Tammany Hall by its record and know
the men who manage it, and just how much
they mean by their speeches. They know
that while you couldn't elbow your way into
tho audience that applauded these speeches,
without i0stlng ut every step men who prof.
tied in one way end another by the gigantic
system of spOIiation and robbery for winch
Tammany is alone responsible, you might
search in vain for one solitary individual who
would have either the disposition or the courage
to expose or denounce fraud Of the grossost
character If pcrpetrated by q Democrat IN the
interest Of Tammany Hall. And yet these are
the men who, rs Mr. 1Ilden says, make the
"ar vocal" with denunciations of the legal
and regular proceedings by which contested
election WAS decided against them.
Mr.. Tilden tells us with great seriousness
that be was defrauded of the Presidency by a
crime Of tremendous magnitude and infinite
consequences, which must not be cOnd0ncd:
but SAYS he doe, not feel It ut all on his own
account; it is for the poor bleeding country
that he II anxious. Not on his own. bat the
country's account, he wants the Democratic
prrty 10 hold together and avenge this great
wrong upon free institutions And no doubt
Mr. Tilden thinks that he, at least, is sincere
Men would more readily believe 1t If he hal
not heretofore stood by and witnessed, without
protest or interference, fraudulent proceed
ings without end on the part of Democratic
managers for the benefit of the Democratic party.
And Mr.. Augustus Schcll, with that solemn
and impressive manner which so well becomes
him. endeavOrs TO convince the people that he
too il profoundly exercised on this subject, and
is lying awake nights bro0dDg over the peril
free institutions are in from n successful con-
summation of n great fraud. As il the average
voter did not know that Mr.. Schel is too
familiar with the well-worn methods OF Tam
many Hall to be disturbed byany kind of political
sharp practice, and too substantial and cool per-
son to brood over any peril or trouble that does
not Immediately and personally concern HIM
self. Then there are Mr. Dorsheimer. and Mr..
Thaycr. aud Mr.. 0'GOrman. and Mr.. Sullivan.
aud all the rest of this noble proc ,sion, talk
ing to us, every one of them. IA though they