the boss and the machine-第10章

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the　population　of　the　downtown　wards　in　the　larger　cities
increased　surprisingly。　The　boss　fully　availed　himself　of　the
psychological　and　social　reactions　of　the　city　upon　the
individual；　knowing　instinctively　how　much　more　easily　men　are
corrupted　when　they　are　merged　in　the　crowd　and　have　lost　their
sense　of　personal　responsibility。

It　was　in　the　city；　then；　that　industrial　politics　found　their
natural　habitat。　We　shall　now　scrutinize　more　closely　some　of　the
developments　which　arose　out　of　such　an　environment。



CHAPTER　V。　TAMMANY　HALL

Before　the　Revolutionary　War　numerous　societies　were　organized　to
aid　the　cause　of　Independence。　These　were　sometimes　called　〃Sons
of　Liberty〃　and　not　infrequently　〃Sons　of　St。　Tammany；〃　after　an
Indian　brave　whom　tradition　had　shrouded　in　virtue。　The　name　was
probably　adopted　to　burlesque　the　royalist　societies　named　after
St。　George；　St。　David；　or　St。　Andrew。　After　the　war　these
societies　vanished。　But；　in　New　York　City；　William　Mooney；　an
upholsterer；　reorganized　the　local　society　as　〃Tammany　Society　or
Columbian　Order；〃　devoted　ostensibly　to　goodfellowship　and
charity。　Its　officers　bore　Indian　titles　and　its　ceremonies　were
more　or　less　borrowed　from　the　red　man；　not　merely　because　of
their　unique　and　picturesque　character；　but　to　emphasize　the
truly　American　and　anti…British　convictions　of　its　members。　The
society　attracted　that　element　of　the　town's　population　which
delighted　in　the　crude　ceremonials　and　the　stimulating　potions
that　always　accompanied　them；　mostly　small　shopkeepers　and
mechanics。　It　was　among　this　class　that　the　spirit　of　discontent
against　the　power　of　Federalism　was　strongesta　spirit　that　has
often　become　decisive　in　our　political　fortunes。

This　was　still　the　day　of　the　〃gentleman；〃　of　small　clothes；
silver　shoe…buckles；　powdered　wigs；　and　lace　ruffles。　Only
taxpayers　and　propertied　persons　could　vote；　and　public　office
was　still　invested　with　certain　prerogatives　and　privileges。
Democracy　was　little　more　than　a　name。　There　was；　however；　a
distinct　division　of　sentiment；　and　the　drift　towards　democracy
was　accelerated　by　immigration。　The　newcomers　were　largely　of　the
humble　classes；　among　whom　the　doctrines　of　democratic　discontent
were　welcome。

Tammany　soon　became　partizan。　The　Federalist　members　withdrew；
probably　influenced　by　Washington's　warning　against　secret
political　societies。　By　1798　it　was　a　Republican　club　meeting　in
various　taverns；　finally　selecting　Martling's　〃Long　Room〃　for　its
nightly　carousals。　Soon　after　this　a　new　constitution　was　adopted
which　adroitly　transformed　the　society　into　a　compact　political
machine；　every　member　subscribing　to　the　oath　that　he　would
resist　the　encroachments　of　centralized　power　over　the　State。

Tradition　has　it　that　the　transformer　of　Tammany　into　the　first
compact　and　effective　political　machine　was　Aaron　Burr。　There　is
no　direct　evidence　that　he　wrote　the　new　constitution。　But　there
is　collateral　evidence。　Indeed；　it　would　not　have　been　Burrian
had　he　left　any　written　evidence　of　his　connection　with　the
organization。　For　Burr　was　one　of　those　intriguers　who　revel　in
mystery；　who　always　hide　their　designs；　and　never　bind　themselves
in　writing　without　leaving　a　dozen　loopholes　for　escape。　He　was
by　this　time　a　prominent　figure　in　American　politics。　His　skill
had　been　displayed　in　Albany；　both　in　the　passing　of　legislation
and　in　out…maneuvering　Hamilton　and　having　himself　elected　United
States　Senator　against　the　powerful　combination　of　the
Livingstons　and　the　Schuylers。　He　was　plotting　for　the　Presidency
as　the　campaign　of　1800　approached；　and　Tammany　was　to　be　the
fulcrum　to　lift　him　to　this　conspicuous　place。

Under　the　ostensible　leadership　of　Matthew　L。　Davis；　Burr's　chief
lieutenant；　every　ward　of　the　city　was　carefully　organized；　a
polling　list　was　made；　scores　of　new　members　were　pledged　to
Tammany；　and　during　the　three　days　of　voting　（in　New　York　State
until　1840　elections　lasted　three　days）；　while　Hamilton　was
making　eloquent　speeches　for　the　Federalists；　Burr　was　secretly
manipulating　the　wires　of　his　machine。　Burr　and　Tammany　won　in
New　York　City；　though　Burr　failed　to　win　the　Presidency。　The
political　career　of　this　remarkable　organization；　which　has
survived　over　one　hundred　and　twenty　years　of　stormy　history；　was
now　well　launched。

》From　that　time　to　the　present　the　history　of　Tammany　Hall　is　a
tale　of　victories；　followed　by　occasional　disclosures　of
corruption　and　favoritism；　of　quarrels　with　governors　and
presidents；　of　party　fights　between　〃up…state〃　and　〃city〃；　of
skulking　when　its　sachems　were　unwelcome　in　the　White　House；　of
periodical　displays　of　patriotism　for　cloaking　its　grosser
crimes；　of　perennial　charities　for　fastening　itself　more　firmly
on　the　poorer　populace　which　has　always　been　the　source　of　its
power；　of　colossal　municipal　enterprise　for　profit…sharing；　and
of　a　continuous　political　efficiency　due　to　sagacious　leadership；
a　remarkable　adaptability　to　the　necessities　of　the　hour；　and　a
patience　that　outlasts　every　〃reform。〃

It　early　displayed　all　the　traits　that　have　made　it　successful。
In　1801；　for　the　purpose　of　carrying　city　elections；　it　provided
thirty…nine　men　with　money　to　purchase　houses　and　lots　in　one
ward；　and　seventy　men　with　money　for　the　same　purpose　in　another
ward；　thus　manufacturing　freeholders　for　polling　purposes。　In
1806　Benjamin　Romaine；　a　grand　sachem；　was　removed　from　the
office　of　city　controller　by　his　own　party　for　acquiring　land
from　the　city　without　paying　for　it。　In　1807　several
superintendents　of　city　institutions　were　dismissed　for　frauds。
The　inspector　of　bread；　a　sachem；　resigned　because　his　threat　to
extort　one…third　of　the　fees　from　his　subordinates　had　become
public。　Several　assessment　collectors；　all　prominent　in　Tammany；
were　compelled　to　reimburse　the　city　for　deficits　in　their
accounts。　One　of　the　leading　aldermen　used　his　influence　to
induce　the　city　to　sell　land　to　his　brother…in…law　at　a　low
price；　and　then　bade　the　city　buy　it　back　for　many　times　its
value。　Mooney；　the　founder　of　the　society；　now　superintendent　of
the　almshouse；　was　caught　in　a　characteristic　fraud。　His　salary
was　1000　a　year；　with　500　for　family　expenses。　But　it　was
discovered　that　his　〃expenses〃　amounted　to　4000　a　year；　and　that
he　had　credited　to　himself　on　the　books　1000　worth　of　supplies
and　numerous　sums　for　〃trifles　for　Mrs。　Mooney。〃

In　September；　1826；　the　Grand　Jury　entered　an　indictment　against
Matthew　L。　Davis　and　a　number　of　other　Tammany　men　for　defrauding
several　banks　and　insurance　companies　of　over　2；000；000。　This
created　a　tremendous　sensation。　Political　influence　was　at　once
set　in　motion；　and　only　the　minor　defendants　were　sent　to　the
penitentiary。

In　1829　Samuel　Swartwout；　one　of　the　Tammany　leaders；　was
appointed　Collector　of　the　Port　of　New　York。　His　downfall　came　in
1838；　and　he　fled　to　Europe。　His　defalcations　in　the　Custom　House
were　found　to　be　over　1；222；700；　and　〃to　Swartwout〃　became　a
useful　phrase　until　Tweed's　day。　He　was　succeeded　by　Jesse　Hoyt；
another　sachem　and　notorious　politician；　against　whom　several
judgments　for　default　were　recorded　in　the　Superior　Court；　which
were　satisfied　very　soon　after　his　appointment。　At　this　time
another　Tammany　chieftain；　W。　M。　Price；　United　States　District
Attorney　for　Southern　New　York；　defaulted　for　75；000。

It　was　in　1851　that　the　council　commonly　mown　as　〃The　Forty
Thieves〃　was　elected。　In　it　William　M。　Tweed　served　his
apprenticeship。　Some　of　the　maneuvers　of　this　council　and　of
other　officials　were　divulged　by　a　Grand　Jury　in　its　presentment
of　February　23；　1853。　The　presentment　states：　〃It　was　clearly
shown　that　enormous　sums　of　money　were　spent　for　the　procurement
of　railroad　grants　in　the　city；　and　that　towards　the　decision　and
procurement　of　the　Eighth　Avenue　railway　grant；　a　sum　so　large
that　would　startle　the　most　credulous　was　expended；　but　in
consequence　of　the　voluntary　absence　of　important　witnesses；　the
Grand　Jury　was　left　without　direct　testimony　of　the　particular
recipients　of　the　different　amounts。〃

These　and　other　exposures　brought　on　a