The story of the Sun, New York, 1833-1918 / by Frank M. O'Brien.

276

THE STORY OF "THE SUN"

and it is vain to hope that either of the leaders of the
Tammany Ring can ever regain the confidence of the
public, or for any length of time exercise the authority
of political office. They must all go, Sweeny, Tweed,
and Hall, as well as Connolly.
Mr. Tweed must not imagine that he can buy his way
out of the present complication with money, as he did
in 1870. The next Legislature will be made up of different material from the Republicans he purchased, and
the people will exercise a sterner supervision over its
acts.
A good picture of Tweed's popularity, which he still
retained among his own people, was drawn in an editorial article in the Sun of October 30, 1871, three days
after the boss had been arrested and released in a million dollars' bail:
In the Fourth District William M. Tweed is sure to
be re-elected [to the State Senate]. The Republican
factions, after a great deal of quarreling, have concentrated on O'Donovan Rossa, a well-known Fenian, but
his chance is nothing. Even if it had been possible by
beginning in season to defeat Tweed, it cannot be done
with only a week's time.
Besides, his power there is absolute. The district
comprises the most ignorant and most vicious portion
of the city. It is full of low grog-shops, houses of illfame, low gambling-houses, and sailor boarding-houses,
whose keepers enjoy protection and immunity, for which
they pay by the most efficient electioneering services.
Moreover, the district is full of sinecures paid from the
city treasury. If, instead of having stolen millions, Mr.
Tweed were accused of a dozen murders, or if, instead of
being in human form, he wore the semblance of a bull or
a bear, the voters of the Fourth District would march
to the polls and vote for him just as zealously as they
will do now, and the inspectors Of election would furnish
for him by fraudulent counting any majority that might
be thought necessary in addition to the votes really
given.