Year: 1871




And tears of dew are on them all.


THE TAMMANY OLIGARCHY.


from Every Saturday, Oct. 81


The following short biographical SIX etch .
es of men to whom the attention of the
entire United States has recently been
directed will not be uninteresting:


The extraordinary developments which
have recently been made respecting af-
fairs in the city Of New York are quite
without parallel in the whole range of
modern history. The state of things
prevalent in France during the latter
years of the late Emperor Napoleon's
reign, was thought to he as corrupt and
shameless as possible but that Imperial
dehauchee and profigate might have
taken lessons in iniquity from the mag
mates who have made the municipal
government of New York Il scandal and
all offence to the civilization of the
Nineteenth century. On three several
occasions in its earlier years of corporate
life, San Francisco found no way of say
ing itself from overthrow except in the
dreadful alternative of a resort to Vigil
lance Committees; bat at its very worst,
the city Of the Golden Gate was in no
such sore stress rs New York is to day ::
and that we Go not resort to Lynch Law
il because We have gained higher d.
py ,f .nlf 81
reached on the Pacific Coast sixteen or
eighteen Years ago, aud not because The
integrity and ivteiligenc" of New York
are blind to the true condition of affairs,
or careless of the city's future relations
to the country and 10 the world.


The Ring has been composed Of many
persons, but barely four men have been
its active agents. Its operations have
enriched hundreds aud Impoverished
thousands, but four officials stand "a its
representatives in public thought and
public condemnation


A. oAKEY HALL.


As chief magistrate of the city, if not
absolute chief of the Ring, His Honor
deserves first mention. He was born in
New York, oi American parentage, and
is now forty six years old Studying
the profession Of the law in his native
city, he was for IL while im the office of
John Slidell at New Orleans, but sul,Se
quentiy returned to New York, and was
associated with the late Nathaniel Blunt
as Assistant District Attorney. Upon
the death of that official, Mr. Hall be-
came ambitious Of political distinction
and offered himself rs the candidate of
the Whig party for the position thus
made vacant. He was duly elected and
served for about dozen years From
that post he was chosen to the Mayoral-
ty. He is lawyer Of some ability ana
a good deal Of cunning, and is oncof the
members of the tirm of Brown Hall &
Nanderpool, than which few other firms
in New York lave a larger business.


In the twenty-five years since he
reached mans estate, Mr.. Hall has box.
ed the whole political compass. Begin
ming rs Wing he became Know
Nothing, then Republican, and final!
ly Democrat. Apparently he is almost
destitute of any principle in politics
always ready to do what he saw or be.
lieved the party required, he has ever
been true to what he conceived to lie the
Interests Of Oakley Hall; and if the
wrath Of an outraged community had
not finally found him out as the willing
associate Of municipal robbers, he would
probably have been ready to put on a
new coat with the next turn of the
wheel of politics. Asa Wing he was
faithful to the traditions of the party;
and having some facility with the pen.
he aided it through the press as well a.
on the stump. He had sagacity enough
to take early cogniZance of the fact that
this organization was in the throes of
which enabled him to forecast the bril-
liant opportunity afforded political ad.
venturers by the Know Nothing excite
ment. While that ragged over the land
y
"Put none but Americans on guard. :"
Actuated chiefly by motives of self-in-
terest, till this present year of grace he
las known when it was best TO change
front: and as soon as Know Nothing.
ism had served his purpose, he expe
rienced no difficulty in ranging himself
under the bannerof Republicanism. In
that party his career was such as to de
ceive some Of the very elect-he profess
ed to have found the way for which he
long had sought; and during brief pe-
liod Of time was fcrvent in admiration
OF his new faith. But the road to polit
ical power and preferment in the city of
his birth did not lie in that direction. as
he discovered soon after the war of tie
Rebellion began and with the facility
gained by much practice, and the adro.
itness won by varied experience, he
took up his political bag and baggage.
and marched into the Democratic camp
light OF heart, jocund Of manner, yield
ing to no "oldest settler" in his devo-
ton to what he gravely denominated
principle.


His Honor has some facility as wri-
ter, and for twenty years has maintain
ed quasi or direct connection with the
Ia ie L. ~