The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-09-17
TAMMANY HALL.

Democracy of New York City.
"Tarnmanny" has been SO much dis
cussed in all parts OF the United States
IN recent years that an account of it by
one who understands it will probably be
! welcome to very many outside of New
York.
To begin with, there are two bodies in
New York bearing the name of "Tam-
many" the one is simply called "The
Society of Tammany, or Columbian Or
der" Says Thos. F. Galwey, in the
Michigan Catholic: cit is an incorpor-
ated society founded at the close of the
Revolution. Its first membership was
largely made up of veterans Of the Revo-
lutionary War--principally enlisted men.
In some respects it resembled the Grand
Army of the Republic of our generation.
1t was intended to perpetuate the g}ori-
GUS memories Of the long and successful
struggle against English tyranny and to
preserve and develop the principles for
which these brave men had fought. 1t
naturally became also benevolent So
ciety, caring for the broken-down or i'm
poverished veterans and for their widows
and children. 1t also naturally threw
itself into the Anti ederalist side in
politics, for the Federalists of that day
were, in the mass, composed of those
who during the war had been Tories, or
at least had been Indifferent. This So
ciety, called after the celebrated Indian
chief who in the seventeenth century
had been noted as, model OF the natural
virtues and friend OF the American
oolonists, still survives, Stimulating in it's
forms an Indian tribe, it's governing
body consisting of Grand Sachem and
council of Sachems, &C., and it's ordin-
cry members being called ''braves." To
this Incorporated society belongs the
edifce in Fourteenth street known as
"Tammanny Hall" Nominally the Tam
many Society is not political but a
benevolent organization. In reality,
however, it is the nucleus about which
has grown up the famous Democratic
political organization of New York city
known as "Tammany HALL"
AS was said above,th the original member
ship of the Tammany Society was such
as to incline the influences of the society
to favor the party that was opposed to
what were supposed to be the arlstocra-
tic. or centralizing theories of the United
States Constitution, and the tradition
thus formed for the society continued,
even after the Revolutionary veterans
had all passed away. ''Tammany Hail."
which in those days was in Park Row,
where the Sun Office now is, continued
tn be the favorite rendezvous of the
anti Federalists, or, as they were occa-
sionally, called Republicans" and finally
Democrats. Shortly after the Civil
War the old Tammany Hall was sold and
the present one, in a more central loca
ton, erected instead.
Thus it will be seen that, historically
at least, the political organization known
as 'Tammany Hail." or, for short, 'Tam-
many" - nothing but the organized
Democracy of the City Of New York.
Naturally it is, as it has long been, a
powerful organization, and as naturally
also, schisms have from tine to time
arisen. Sometimes, as in the days when
the Tweed clique got into control Of it,
schism was not only justifable, but
necessary. At other times the schisms
have probably been the result Of disap-
pointed ambition, of Of disputes about
the superintendent of patronage.
So much for the past; now for the
present. The Tammany organisation
aims to represent, in tangible, visible
form, the mon Of New York city who be-
bieve il Democratic principles and vote
for them. Il is directed BY mon who are
called, by their defeated opponents,
! practical politicians that is 70 say,
men who believe that . good theory
ought to5be realiized by being put into
sg