Year: 1871




loss for new cause for excitement; but that which
make .nsm appreciate .as lcrse s q circumstances
more than anything else yesterday !
rumor tnat the Americus Clrb-the great
tiger Of all clubs-had abandoned the
idea OF having ball this winter. There
was t1me when 1t would have been Considered |
hish treason Tor faithful adherent b the party TO
have even whispered that the Amerlcus was not the
greatest thing in the world or les kind ana that It's
desnles not linked with the fate OF the great
universal Yankee nation itself; but 'times change
and men change with them," you know. What IL gos-
pei one day with politicians often becomes weak doc
trine when the winds howl destruction TO cliques
and clans, and houses bult upon sand are swept BY
popular storm into mid-ocean, there TO sink and
be heard Of no more. And 1t must be confessed that


TIE LATE REFoRM TORNADO


has done much to shake the confidence OF even the
Ameftcuses In the stability OF human afrars that
have for their almost exclusive prop the money and
the promises OF Tammany, the late lamented
swayer Of political destinles Under the circum.
stances it is not surprising that the ru.
NOR that the club would have no ball
this season, In consequence OF events over
which the members had had no control-or. rather,
over which they had lost all control, although
they did their best to keep whatever hold they had
ever had OH the city government-was believed



said nothing, but like the celebrated parrot thought
a great deal more than they talked. Indeed, there
were to be found, even among the most devout
party men, individuals who not only put entire faith
IN the rumor but who are willing to bet their Dot
tom dollar that the Club had


GONE TO THE DOGS


and that as q club the paaual mansion at Green
wien that had known them well so long would
know them no more forever. The why and the
wherefore Of their belief they ventured no opinion
about; but they shook their heads sadly as they
spoke In fearful tones OF the days that were wont
to be spent BY the "boys' on the shore Of that
up in the little Nutmeg State, just as man would
be expected to speak Of great happiness which
mad been suddenly wrested from HIM and his BY
power far stronger tnan his own.


1t Ii needless to remind the general public, who
had not the enree to the charmed circle which
made the Amerlcus Club household word among
the city politicians what the Club really was In its
palmy days, which have fed, or to tell them how
the grand moguls OF the Tammany army were its
bone and Its sinew its nesh and its blood and how
moral ideas In the city added their social weight
and their political influence TO make II appear 70 all
uncon0erned in its inner workings Fs>'.-
HAPPY FAMILY


without q parnllel in the history OF the universal
world. " IS well known that the small men OF the
various wards VINO had o name IN the past for this
that ana the other kind OF political wire pulling





were necessary and instruments to make one vote
count for two were ample, considered 1t the height
| Greenwicn' in the summer time. Those OF the
| great and glorious men who were on the
from morn to night, when the house was
! open, and the "boys'' were in good humor, were


actant 10 do aagns that could make the transient
visitor leaye @ lis hospitaDe grounds Without feeling
GLIMPSE OF PARADISE,


and that Tammany alone held the Key to the heaven
social distinction or political bias, could lovingly
emDrace IN fact, heaven where politicians could
nous people who looked on pensiveiy from aiar and
wondered and wondered what they were going to


il was the delightful peculiarly OF the men whose
word was law IN tins political heaven that once in
very great while lew-a very few-of the stub.
that glitters and that politician is not necessarily
and honestly man OF wealth, were induced to be-
the river Side. OF course when these invited ones
went their ways they were expected to go among
the ordinary Sers me people grfues to tel m 1Ta7
LOW foolish 1t was for people who were not OF the
Americns standing to lay siege to system that had
ucuar


GAuDY GRANDEUR


which never failed to draw within its charmed CIR
Gle the wen bred men Of the city who despsed
everything that had not
and been raised pedestal for general alteration
Dy ways that are dark" and mysterious TO men
who mnocently believed that the straight path
OF recttude was the only path to success It was
nothing TO be wondered at. therefore, to ordinary
people. that when the month OF January, 1870, lad
had been made certain doom for those who dared
sRoSS & oppose nays sss ss S na i the A Is @S
ness nes sSsp and %eass So q dazzling s great s
sns " ss sSH % 1SS %s ss o S hsr r
day, II not actually seem the grandest club bail IN
aaa tho counres where si @
no hold was overshadowed In a single night at the
Academy OF Music by this democratic club. The |
spatterinR Of perlumed waters IRON fountains or
bronze and the warphngs Of fcathered songsiers in
golden cages drowned, on that night at least, the
maI4a',oss = sHs Ordinary PEOPLE is'r
,c W o. sSen banners ana ,ne dazzng
Of Held Of diamonds dazed the eyes OF those who
sD ow IN ahs e Of %
he grandest event Of the time. Yet now It Is
.umSred % that the . Amencus Anne ylIl never revel IN
The glories OF the clubs past days, one would
hink, should Of themselves stil be so fresh In the
to s greater @ things Is Gomez y but then
20 all know that Zone year differs from another
4 ordinary WQytals. the members Of the club
ens 'D'S~.S sISs I'M mo stEIIsaSsss Eifs
i the voters In the city, and those who seem to
now thing or two about tine matter contend that
win come out Of the flre purified and stronger
han ever. These hopeful ones claim that the late
lecton has been godsend to the good members,
as there will be no more exorbitant
harges by the assessors; no more compusi0n to
axe twenty tickets apiece AZ 50 each 'pay or lose
our place." and that hereafter the club viii be con.
rolled by men WHO Will see TO 1t that the
ough aud scum which have noated into 1t |
re SKINNED on and swept into the cutters, whence
hey rose TO the surface at Greenwich. However,
he rumor not only that no ball would he gwen This
eason, but that the CLUB would fail to pieces IN
'eeK or two, created no small sensation. IL was
ooKed upon as an evidence that the "Boss'' had
iven up the ship at last, and that the crew had
olhing at all that could Keep the clue up to s old
tandard OF magnlGcence. II was given out Dy
eliable party during yesterday that the Secretary
haries Hall, had nouned the Academy OF Music
nd irving Hall managers not to "h0d either or
he buildings Tor the use Of the club on the ''mem-
rable 9th OF January" This certainly looked
hc business, and reporter OF the HERALD at once
tarted for the Academy OF Music and Irving Hall to