New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-15

| but il determined nothing for his morality. lie
was no better for the bolt, and he was no worse.
These struggles of professional politicians for
power, and for the material proceeds OF power
are doubtless of first-rate interest to those who
engage in them, and so they are In sense "
| the people who are inefliciently governed anu
enormously taxed, in order that few plOtterS
NAV be enriched or secure power Whch per-
haps they value more than money. The rae
ton fights of New York City will hardly seem
important to the historians of the next age. In
deed. MIR. Woods reputation, good or bad, was
of the day and the hour, as that OF the partisan
is likely to be always. Certain events cannot
be written OF without mentioning him; but that
VIII be ali.
Mr.. Wood, it may be said however, was a
thoroughly consistent politician. While MS
party was in lean minority, he led various fOr-
lOrn hopes, of which much did not come except
garrulOus debate. During the war OF the Ke-
bellion, he was the very opposite or war
Democrat, and an almost ideal Copperhcad
He was always for peace at any price. lie du
little or nothing to put the great city, over the
voters of which he exercised so much influence,
Enthusiastically ana efficiently upon the loyal side
In 1862 he urged upon President Lincoln the
duty and policy of full and general amnesty
and the admission Of members from the States
in rebellion to the next Congress. Mr.. Wood
followed I'D this plan in 1858, when lie was in
the House of Representatives, offering reso-
luton authorizing the President 10 send Peace
Commissioners to Richmond. The keynote OF
his politics was: The Union rs II WAS, ana the
Constitution as it is What this really slgni-
fed it is unnecessary to explain. Perhaps his
strongest plea for the Union was at the great
War Meeting in Union Square, May 20 lSGI'
in which he warmly insisted upon maintaining
the Government at all hazards, although he
u tool, back no sentiment he had uttered on the
"political issues of the day" Hesitation aud
doubt. and quite enough of them, came alter
ward but at that hour, and in such an atmos-
pherc, Mr. Wood could hardly resist the
patriotic sentiment OF almost the whole people;
as those who remember that meeting will easily
believe.
While he was in Congress, Mr. Wood was in
non political matters, considered 10 be useful
member and it has been claimed for lin that
lie was particularly faithful in the attention
which he paid to the interests OF the great COM
mercial city represented partly 10y HIM. But IN
Washington not less than in New York he was
thoroughly man of party. He was not in the
least scfupulous in adopting any course which
he believed might injure his opponents. His
ideas of reconstruction were VI Democratic"
PARTISAN character, and his sympatmes were
still with the South lie ha |, however, the
merit of a close attention to the business Of tie
House, and he had also the faculty, by his
agreeable manners, OF propltiaiing those who
hardly respected him. Those who knew moth
ing of him except what they had learned from
the newspapers, were surprised t. tind that the
darling of the New Ork mob could ca ~ him
self ns gentleman whenever occasion de-
manlr,.
1h.s is not tie Zine to rehParre old scandals
or to revive the memory of dubious 1oincs
which made work for the civil courts. Mr..
Wood personally did Lot have good reputa
ton. lie WAS thought TO he sharp and selfish,
sometimes to the verge of dishonesty, and Oc-
casionally. il he was not gIcvouSly slandcred,
Do Ond it. Subs quent municipal populations
of the gigantic sort made those which occurred
during his MayOla.ty seem small, aud bis all
miuistrati0n. by comparison. honest. lie did
not, like some Others waO came alter ana -
gigantic fortune at tie public expense. lie may
have been unscrupul0us, but ne WIS not greedy.
If there w0s anything to be III dc by politics
he WIS content with his share, though rather
liberal in his idea of what his share SHOULD be-.
Was such lie rs thu t y hirh has just closed
worth lvingi Whatever its success, it was
gained at great price winch some men Of
purcr moral hbe would hardly be willing to
pay. There is not wanting an element OF use.
fulncss, however, in Mr. Woods public career;
and this makes it all the more deeply tn bc re-
GREETED that much which he did should have
been of so dubious Il character. Mr.. Wood,
during the last years Of life, has advanced
steadily In the public esteem, and has done
much to retrieve his reputation. 1t was the
fortune of THE TRIBUNE of EN- to disagree with
him and to disapprovc OF much which he did or
said but death should soften cnmitics, and
make us all charitable and tOrgiving.
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