Year: 1873

The first of January is not generally an era
of good feeling in political circles, and what
ever virtuous and kindly resolutions men may
take at the close of the year, resolution to
abstain from political blackguardism is rarely
one of them. December goes out amid the
racket of partisan quarrel, and January comes
in with the hustle Of preparation for fresh
frays. In the National Congress there has been
indeed surcease Of wrangling, and until
March the two Houses purpose doing as little
business as possible with no more than the
inevitable disputes. There must be investiga-
ton Of at least one crying scandal; but this
need not be an affair of party. There must be
a debate on the Louisiana case; but Republic
cans and Democrats are as one in demanding
Justice in this matter. We may reach the end
of the session in comparative peace, and enter
upon the new Congress without legacy of
unfinished fights.


But in local politics everything portends
storm. The government of the city passed
away yesterday from the old hands, and it is
doubtful as yet who the actual rulers are to
be. The Committee Of Seventy is at war
with the Custom house. The Democrats
stand watchful, ready to rush into the en-
gagement wherever they find an opening
Republican Ring, formed on the model of the
ruined league of Tweed and Sweeny, is eager
to seize upon the public offices, and the new
Mayor us pulled this way and that by rival
bodies Of his friends who cordially hate each
other. An effort to unseat the Controller has
already begun, and threatens to be desperate
and long continued. At Albany the confusion
will probably be still worse. There a new
charter will be presented for this city; and as
its provisions are expected to affect not only
our municipal prosperity but the interests OF
certain party factions throughout the State,
we cannot expect it to be passed without
more OF less angry discussion and newspaper
violence. We shall have reputable citizens
held up to public scorn as the boon cOmpan-
ions, of the Boss and his pals in public rob
berry. We shall have men who never did
wrong to their neighbor denounced as the
most infamous of rogues. The hired slanderer
and the licensed party hack will dip their
pens in gall, and Boanerges will roar till he is
black in the face that all Sing Sing cannot
show so much wickedness as the Committee
of the party which happens not to agree
with him.


The campaign which has just closed was one





of the bitterest fought in this country for many
years; and when it was over all parties drew
a sigh of relief and congratulated themselves
that neighbors could once more take each
other by the hand; that a good patriot no
longer felt impelled by duty TO fly at the
throat of everybody who meant to vote with
the other SIDE and that sober statement and
quiet discussion could replace invectve and
passionate harangue. If we learned during the
canvass that all politicians of high name were
not pure, and that party professions were not
always honest, we learned Also or should
have learned, that one side had quite as large
proportion of good citizens az the other
and that it was possible to differ about prin-
ciples and policy without. resorting to. fsti-
cuffs. II would be magnificent advance in
American journalism if the newspapers took ]