The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1879-08-12
The Lesson OF a Life.


William Marcy Tweed, the once great
political power, died "A prematurely old
man, within the walls of prison, and
his life and punishment is an impressive
lesson. Ii is well TO never speak other
wise than good Of the dead to throw
the broadest mantle Of charity over
them 90 forget, or at least 10 ignore
their failings, and remember only their
virtues. But the life and deeds OF this
man were 50 thrust upon the public
made 50 much a pant Of It's every day
affairs for decade Of years is so fruit
'ul in warning that it will be more than
usually talked about and commented up
on-let us hope for good and the future
purity Of official actions and relations.
In no sense was he great man, save
il might have been, i'm the strength of a
reckless will and the determination to
rule, no matter at the cost Of how much
ruin. His bluff good nature and n GER
tain spice Of liberlity, and pompous and
lavish expenditures, made him popular
with the masses Of a certain school,
whose hearts could be reached through
the animal rather than the intellectual
who longed for possession, and never
questioned the how il was obtained
Ills control over men was gained 10y
the most mcrcenary motives; his rule
was that of force and pandering TO the
bascst passions; he stopped to the lowest
means and used the lowest tools his
hcnchmen were gathered from the SINS
Cuiores; his successes NJ the polls, OH
tanned by the aid of the worst enemies
Of society, by fighting, revolving and
perjury. During his rule the debt Of the
"a
amount, and the treasury robbed To en-
rich himself and a chosen few. For a
time lac Haunted his ill-gotten wealth i'm
the face 0f the long suffering public,
riutcd i'm unseemly luxury in Club and
sporting life, and made the name of the
"Amcrlcus" UNANIMOUSLY famous; was de-
fiant with the battle-cry of "solid men
to the 'front.' laughed alike at morality
and justice, and openly sneered at relig-
ion and law.
But long down-trodden right and hon
esty at last raised themselves 20 action,
and mighty change came. The Boss"
and his comrades, tools rather in guilt,
Sweeney, lngersoll, Cowan, Woodward
and the rest, fled The iron fingers
closed upon the leader and he was
brought back 10 suffer ignominy and IN
syInpathy wasted upon him. lie was
not entitled To the least iota. He court
ed what lac received, defed il, and
mawkish pity was entirely out Of place,
for the punishment was but ill-prOpor-
tionate To what was meritcd. His suiler-
inps were lust, and his lonely death with
i'm prison walls but retributiye justice.
lie had dared the arm 10 strike,
and il was pucrile To shrink from the
blow.
lie died yet comparatively young
man died almost deserted by those lac
had befriended in the heydey Of his
might and power. Few, very few, were
left To do him homage. The friends
fell away from him at the first blast Of
ruin, as autumn leaves I'm the breath of
the tempest. The syoophants who
fawned around him i'm the days Of his
prosperity and triumph, forgot the poor,
broken old man. All love died with the
vanishing of his delusive greatness.
William NJ. Tweed was not entirely
without virtues-no man is-but his
were 20 strictly Of private character
that the world knows next TO nothing Of
them. His generosity 10 the public was
the giving of money belonging TO others !;
was for the sole purpose Of self aggran.
dizement and the iirmer grasping of the
scepter of misrule. The thousands Of
tons Of coal he gave TO the poor of his
ward during the bitterness of winter,
was prompted solely. by selfish ends, and
cost him nothing. The treasury Of a
great city footed the bill. and lac drew
upon il without stint, and without any
apparent pricks Of conscience.
Ills life, booked at from any standpoint,
is a sad story and miserable failure. He
threw away every opportunity for good
10 gam high name and unspotted rep
uiation, to gain wealth, to he of ser
vice 10 his fellows His ambition was
not a pure one, and the workings Of n
fatal. True. lac did not die poor. His
secreted wealth remains behind, but 30
does twenty-five millions Of debts, never
30 be satisfied; true, lac won a name and
temporary place and power, but they can
never he carved as an epiaph upon the
marbles that rise over his grave in
Greenwood"
William NJ. Tweed il gone, passed as
from a palace to a prison; from luxury
and freedom To confinement from be-
hind prison bars 90 the tomb. But the
sad aud stern lesson Of his life remains,
and will not soon bee forgotten; is too
striking for that II teaches most forci-
bly, that the end Of crime is punishment F;
that though the mills of God may grind
slowly, they are certain, and the grist
exceedingly small that human justice
only slumbers, and its awakening terri
bly, vindictive. II teaches how much
better is poverty and honesty than
wealth aud guilt how brief the day Of
dishonest triumph, and fearful the find
ing out.
let every one ponder upon and profit
by It, II Is no new lesson, but an OF re-
pcated tale; ever proving its truth ever
giving warning; and the death Of him
whose name we have Just written but
adds another striking illustration Of the
doom of him who breaks through law,
aud attempts 20 trampls morality and
right under foot.