New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-29

TOSTERED NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
,,avor Grant will read to-day letter which
IN make his head feel faint. He undertook TO
- in a document whose authorship is QueS-
.s-n.a by William NJ WINS, de-
ssnse Of Tammany, striving hard to show how
Iii the city's finances had been administered un-
A., him, and what a great blessing in other ways
- as Mayor. and his officials, as his council and
aabinet have been to the city of New-(ork
Mr. Wins in a scathing response completely riddles
,hs Mayor and every one connected with him.
Ue shows the misleading statements in their true
light and significance. He proves how
rammany has increased New-YorlIs indebtedness
Immensely. and that whatever good has come to
the city under Democratic rule, has been due, not
"a Tammany Hail. as it is now constituted, put
n anti -Tammany men. And with pen that
writes scorching sentences he shows how IL
would have been impossible for John Kelly, IN
the shadow of whose name Mayor Grant now
50 fondly stands, to hand down the power which
he welded TO the band which to-day is known
as the Democracy of New-York.
Here is the letter.
Hon. Hugh J. Grant. ....o
Sir The letter of the o7th inst over your slsha're, re-
addressed the Hon. J. sl0at FaSsett leINe 70 o
finances and administration OF New lOlk CiN, - i,G -
calculated TO deceive and suppreSSeS 50 many @ i.ai
fscts and distinctions as to call for an answer lV
any one having the interest Of the city at heat anu
p0ssessed of a knowledge of the facts. m J.. ~
II may be admitted that you are ehtlueu 10 ,,io SOo
Icniencv I'm view OF the fact OF your known lghQtCe
70 ,hs 'spbiect as shown by Your testimony before
The senate Committee, and that the whOR ~ ~NOIiu AZ :
~, and cannot have becn vour own work. 1t is too
crafty. tCO deliberate, too detailed ana loo hId
to permit H., nSa Sneb6g Iee for me nR Of statements upon
Inc representations of another ana dlv o!t "root
he consideration granted by wise men 10 tld saS'S
csss who "Ulsh in where angels lear 10 ued"'
Seyerheless you are Mayor Of this city by grace Oh
1ammany Hail. and you have used your p3Sdtoh ,a au
nfhce 10 pervert the facts, appcafs 10 h'Ic pe,
necessita,ed by the seniority OF your r
10 lover Of truth let the statements OF yoIir ip
author 90 unchulensed Let me take liie"h W !"
The order in which they are laue' , 80 ,,, ,.Ior
II is pitfu that you should have found no one O.ne
than Yourself TO speak Of the knowledge winch you YOU
possess Of how The public affairs OF the clN d!D
conducted" and in view Of your lack OF 1alllla@lN @
Won are familiar with the system of other Cues on
which you base your claim that your aGmihS,faoiGn i
haEe becS g1' or are being administered in any other
cty or on the continent which phrase must s 'tui,
rather indicates your own authorship sue" Ho"o''S
Your 70 T" author then proceeds by saying: Let me
Illustrate this by an appeal to iacts, lEe IA r. r.
peal TO fact, however, Is an appeal 10 l1senPu. th
letter staes: In this city, what Is uoWn a. 'o
Tweed frauds were not connected win the adiiomo i,
tOn Of the pubic affairs Of the cy put alOsc az ~
exclusively In the administration of the affairs OF lhe
county, 1t is true that at that time there sun en-
listed remnant of the county government IL II uue
that the county government and the city government
are now merged but il is equally tae that all Of what
T. now the entire city government was then In the
hands Of Tammany Hall and William NJ Tweed VINO
had control of both the city and county OnceS. lOI
author states that the board Of supervisors was com
posed of an equal number of Republicans and Demo
Gratis. There were Tammany Hal Republicans ID thtt
dav as there are in this: and the Board, however
constituted was under the exclusive control of Will
lam VI. Tweed since deceased ana Peter b. sweeney:
sdvocatcs who has recently become again public ad
wiser OF your party. -
As 10 Tamriany Hall, your author says that " Us
recent administration may be sad TO have begun when
the late John Kelly was appointed Controller OF tins
city" To be SURG Anything may be said. That it
is said however does not prove that 1t is truly said
The present administration Of Iammsny any Han & Sid & not
troer's ofice. After Tweed and his ring had been
Tweed came into possession Sf Tammany Hall itself:
tbs party in the years i874 75 and '76 consisted
virtually Of the entire Democracy OF the city or oi an
and the present Tammany Hall William ii. Wlcklmm'
lame OBIlen. E. EIiery Anderson. John Fox and
IsbD Norri,ey were ali working side by side Andrew
H. Green was Controller Of the city IT was he Who'
through his rare and exceptional irmess ana aDliH,
II possible for Mr.. Kelly tOseXist in the Office Mr.
Kelly continued 10 hold the offce until ne l0th OF
bell County Democrat, who was succeeded for a few
moatGs BY Controller Grant, an Edison Demo
County Democrat. who succeeded by the
present Controller Myers. also County Democrat Mt
Kelly thus held the Office lttlc over io'r YEAR
sentative in the Office since that time. The reforms
in the Finance Department therefore, assuming that
issO to iss5 both he sinking Fund Commsslonsrs
two finance boards Of the CITY were in control Of the
County Democracy. 1t was not until 10 ,''ag az
lanmsny Hail. Consequently during thls long teihi
d eight years Tammany Hall was not Only eAciude9
from power but had responsibility and is entitled
10 no credit for ANYTHING which may have been done,
The Tammany Hall of John Kelly. from 1876 TO
was not fho Tam
ton While Mr. Kelly was still Controller, he never
held conceived that such thing as the present
sdmnistraiion was political pOsslbIV' le ceI
anly never did ANYTHING to help make II such, thonsn
much Of the material was at hand. You were then
oevged TO the enjoyment Of life, and sd not iei tne
POltes Of your own greatness IN the hclo OF p9uIs
When Nr. Kelly Controller YOU were probably ilc
last man in this city whom Mr.. Kelly thought OF as the
heal OF the gleses municipal and business corporation
Mr. C0cki1n was I'm obscnnty in WestcheSter County.
pr. pr Clar;e Tie present Corporation Counsel had noo
Vi district but was much suspected ana : BarilSH y
was Just his brother Mir. Scannell was known! Mr.
nan House bar had not become the trobbng heart OF
ne democracy Of the state nor ts proprietor the bosom
mend and personal adviser and contdant Of the Coy,
mn9. ITO General sickles had only receatly oeen ine
,SsSsd ,SSesSsd Governor Tiden Of the Presidency.
during Mr.. Kelly's time not one OF these
esnlemen had the vestlge On scmblancc Of power or
authority. Mr. Croker was one Of Mr. Kelly's most
MNaS large nOtOrleiy. and Mr.. Kelly never drcamt
az tbs was the man who TO succeed him In
V.eT and position
4. inr Tammany Hall Of to-day has made it point
" e1ande from influence all who warm and close
'nSaal friends OF SIR. Kelly. Your own nomination
~ Ne NayOralty in 1854. In which election You were
tessomhi0sly defeated. made against Mr. kelly's
i.oognent, his candidate being Joseph j. OD0nohue.
thn Mr. Kely's death fastened and embittered
y. me contemplation OF the fact that yOn and your
eses had availed yourselves OF hs growing physical
seemess, taken advantage q his confidence. usuped
soauol and left him virtually powerlcss. And now
~ ~ seek TO cOnjuie with his name aud TO use his
AT,noiy as a shield for yOur own iniirmities
d, How under these circumstances you say that
e beginning Of the present administration was laid
ar Kelly 1t was Mr. Kelly's merit that while
aS Vas stubborn man. he politically large
- ~ strong man and, strange it may seem. none
G we Present leaders Of Tammany Han had sufficiently
Iapessed Mr.. Kelly with then ability standing 10
,e e ied that gentleman during his lifetime 10 place
y, ~ N position Of real command In the organization
VI power In the administration Of the city.
,hs Wiat end do suppose 1t subserNes 70 invite
49, et,ehuon OF the community 20 Mr. kelly's financial
sk klhlstfatoDl Even admitting that II may have been
", was u yOlr MOrt OF the work llr. GllrOy OF