Year: 1871

fore 1t.


/ The New York Citizen, edited by q
Democratic member of Congress, has
/ the following article:


/ Hear what the Atlas said last week.
! The old stager-the political editor OF
/ that paper-is known to speak from the


inside of Tammany Hall, and yet he


makes the following admissions:


Events are progressing from day tc


day that will perhaps necessitate a


change in the Wigwan's slate, as al


present constructed. In other words.


sweeping reconstruction is taking
place. The Assembly slate has been


changed since last week, and two OF


three heavy heelers are overheard,


while in one or two Of the Senatorial


districts change has been made il
obedience to the positive demands Of


the rank and file, and without any ref


erenee to local OF ward leaders. There


will be considerable shifting of posi-


tions in the ranks of the Democracy


compelled by the changes in Republi-


can tactics. Tammany has determined
not to force things too freely this time,


and 1t is the intention of the leaders to


relax their grip in some localities in


their enforcement Of party discipline. y


For this the poor servitors Of the
Ring must thank us outsiders. The


nominations are not to be forced, that


the men with no popularity are not to


be foisted on the people, is due simply


to the fact that there are Democrats
still left who will maintain their man


hood, their self-respect, aid their indie
pendence at any cost. Who would dare
to have an individual opinion, or utter
an honest thought, if the masters of
the city we're not occasionally kept in
order by the antagonism of those who
presume to insist that Democrats shall


be treated like men Who could es-
cape being reduced to submission, if
the leaders were not sometimes in dan
ger Of being exposed That any man
gets ahead by his own talents and abili-
ties, and not by mere subservience, is
solely owing to the courage of few
stubborn individuals who have not
learned to crook the pregnant hinges Of
the knee where thrift may follow fawn-
ing"


When our Ring rulers are in danger,
they are considerate and reasonable
At such times common Democrat,
one of the insignificant rank and file,
ceases to be dog then the doors that
bar the entrance to the chamber OF roy
atty open, the Board of Works and the
Park Commission become accessible to
our citizens; politeness takes the place
of overbearing superclliousness-a poor
man can even speak to g King with
out being kicked, while Ward Alder
man gains instant admission to the aw-
fui presence. Were there no outside
Democracy, were there no men who are
bold enough to uphold the foundation
stone of Democracy-univ equai-
ty-there would never be any relaxotlon
Of the tyrannical rule which ordinarily
weighs on our people, and cringing sub
seviency would be the only road to ad-
vancement. -


It is true that matters around Tam
many Hall are in state of cheos; the
kings actually defend themselves in
their organs from the charge of exclu@
siveness. there is strong talk OF new
deal-of an oustIng of the oId men, or
some of them, and Of the admission Of
new, fresh and more untainted ones.
There is grumbling everywhere; young
er hands are ready to grasp the helm,
and even the adherents, the place-hold-
ers of Tammany, are utterly discon-
tented. No one can tell whittier this
will lead the worst abused man III
the Democratic party today may be at
the head of affairs tosmorrow-may be
wanted to save the party from the ruin
which threatens it, not merely in the
city or State, but in the country. The
Ring, as it stands, cannot exist; the
guilty members-if they are not all
guilty-must retire, or the honest ones
Ii there are any honest-will share
the condemnation. x Our party
cannot exist unless it is managed by lit
men. Probity in our rulers, economy
in administration, are essentials to the
of our party. Even now
we are threatened with the detection of
the Germans, while we have already
lost thousands upon thousands of men
who we're once, and still should be,
Democrats To get rid Of this bad
to restore things to their
cotidition, to vlndicate our name
and character are now the questions OF
the hour; and if our municipal leaders
are not equal to the occasion, they will
be removed. However, we have every
evidence that an effort will be made TO
expeI certain members from control, IN
order to save the whole from ruin.