The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-13


WILLIAM NJ TWEED died at noon ycstcr-
day in Ludlow street prison in this city;
and the circumstances of his death and the
particulars of his career are narrated in
another part OF this paper. lie was only
little more than iifty-livc years old, and
under other conditions might have expected
n long life. But the modification of hs de
lection and downfall, his confinement for
months and years in various prisons. and
the excitement and exhaustion ot mode Of
living most discordant with his active. on
ergetic nature. all concurred to promote his
disease and to kill him.
The most obvious reflection over the death
bed of this man is the contrast between his
greatness when he was the dictator of this
city, the levier and the rohbcr Of It's taxes.
the maker of governors, the buyer of lcgis-
latures, the ambitious aspirant for the
greater power and the richer opportunities
which Washington and tho nntional
treasury displayed to his imagina-
ton, and the utter misery and mcanncss
Of his death. No contrast could be more
impressive His power was wel-nigh bound
less; his crimes were on the same scale Of
grandeur; and his punishment though only
the smallest part of it was inflicted by the
ministers of the law, WAS most complete and
exemplary. II was intensified. too, by the
fact that he endured it alone. and that
his confedcrates more timid. more cunning.
and more fortunate than he. escaped, for the
most part keeping the spoils of their robhcr-
les, while he was compelled to lose his
CONNOLLY, fleeing in time To Europe. is still
millionaire in his shameful exile. and SwEE-
NY, the ablest head of them all. cumprunis-
ing with the public prosecutor for few
hundred Thousand dollars, Is unframed in
Paris. Thus human justice WIS most unc-
qualify allotted. They were no less cupa-
ole than he, while they lacked altogether
the amiablo and engaging qualities which
nature had generously bestowed upon
TWEED. Yet he dies poor aud in prison,
while they live rich and at liberty.
II must be remembered i'm Judging of
TWEED. that while he was one Of the great
public plunderers Of the time. he was 10y no
means the only one. He illustrates most
conspcuously tho chief characteristic
vice OF his day and generations; but
others who have never been arraigncd
in any court illustrate it also Ours
has been an era of public plundcring. This
form Of depravty has pcrvaded all depart
ments and all strata Of official and public
life. The breach OF trust has become
common practice. The managers of mon
eyed corporations plumber their dcpositors
and stockholders, and the highest officers
Of government fitch from the funds the
people coniidc TO their keeping. No pol!ti-
cal party is safe from this infection, and as
the Republicans in Office nav, hocn many
while the Democrats were few, the most
OF this vice has been found among the
agents Of the former party 1wccdi-m pre-
vailed in New York. but Grautism pre-
vailed throughout the nation. TWEED
plundered this Democratic city. while the
nearest friends of the Republican President
plundered the city of Washington. Gen.
GRANTS Secretary of War is impcachcd for
his extortlons while the special conillant
and mouthpiece of GRANr il tried at 81. Louis
for conspiring to cheat the Treasury uu' ~
whiskey taxes and acquitted un technical
grounds, leaving no doubt of his actual Grim
inality. GRANTS Secretary Of the Navy. quite
as villainous as TWEED aud scarcely less au-
dacious, is proved to bee guilty of enormous
dishonesty, and then he is iutru,tcd with the
opportunity of plundering additional mil
lions. II is one carnival Of public cou-pila-
tors against the possessions of honest men,
Our republic would seem to have become IA
den of official robbers and a. the final
and fitting climax we have the successful
conspiracy 10 rob the people of the Prcsi-
dency and to put into our highest Office II
man who was not elected, and who owes hi,
elevation to Fraud alone.
Among all these cases that Of TWEED has
become the more notorious from the sudden
ness of his fall, from his utter abandonment
by his party and friends from the pro,ecu-
ton never relaxed against him; and
now it gains II tragical quality from
his death. Yet others against whom
justice has not yet raised her hand
are worse men than he; and far greater and
not less guilty criminal, sit to-day In high
places of power in our country and fancy
that for them the evil day will never come.