Read BOSS TWEED: The Corrupt Pol who Conceived the Soul of Modern New York Online
Authors: Kenneth D. Ackerman
Tags: #History
Chapter 3. Ballots
(pages 37–59)
“The fact is New York politics…:
Tweed interview,
New York Herald
, October 26, 1877.
Manhattan Club … Tweed: In fact, it’s not clear if they ever allowed Tweed to join at all. One Club history lists him as a member (Fairfield), another leaves him out (Watterson), and a Tilden biographer insists Tweed was never invited. (Flick, p. 152)
William E. Dodge … private receptions: See Invitation to Dawes from W.E. Dodge, December 26, 1868. Dawes papers. LC.
“a jolly, good-hearted, free-and-easy …”: Cornwallis, p. 34.
Robert Murray … best cigars and brandy: See e.g. letters from Murray to William Seward, July 21, 1865,June 4, 1864, May 2, 1864, Dec. 8, 1863, Oct. 19, 1864. Seward papers, LC.
“I take for granted that the stuffing of ballot-boxes…”: Murray testimony, Frauds, P. 52-53.
Tweed … foreign-born constituted half to three-fifths: Tweed testimony, Frauds, p. 270.
Rosenberg … operating from a lager-beer saloon : See
New-York Times
, October 22, 1868; Butts testimony,
Frauds, p. 18. Democrats had several such offices in Irish and German neighborhoods. Saloons were convenient gathering places, with men always around to act as witnesses in exchange for a glass of beer or a few dimes.
“a system was established whereby four oaths…”:
New-York Times
, October 23, 1868. The apparent frauds reached upstate as well. Stories floated down from towns along the Hudson River—Newburg, Fishkill, and Poughkeepsie—of local Democrats wiring New York City for bushels of fake naturalization papers.
Hendrick … “gang of repeaters”: Hendrick testimony, Frauds, p. 237-252
“State to the Committee…”: Tilden testimony is from Frauds, p. 257.
“his clothes never seemed to fit …”: Flick, p. 109.
“Please at once communicate…”: Text of the Tilden letter, dated October 27, 1868, is in Frauds, p. 109.
Tilden had disowned the letter: “[N]o such paper was ever written, signed, issued or authorized by me, or with any participation or knowledge on my part,” he’d insisted in a card to
The Evening Post
, November 5, 1868.
“I did not,” Tilden repeated.: Tilden testimony, Frauds, p. 258.
because it was the usage…”: Hall testimony, Frauds , p. 275.
clients … half the railroads: These included the Cumberland Coal & Iron Company, Erie Railway, Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne, & Chicago railroad, Pennsylvania Coal Company, Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana Railroad.
Tilden … independent streak: He’d also bolted his party in 1848 to support the Free Soilers and their presidential candidate, family friend Martin Van Buren.
He … campaigned against Lincoln: Tilden described Lincoln as “a man whose whole knowledge and experience of statesmanship was derived from one term in Congress, a long service in the county conventions at Sangamon, …and some acquaintance with the lobby at Springfield,” who now confronted “the greatest questions and most complicated forces of modern history.” Lynch, p. 243.
“As a rule people did not like Tilden…”: Flick, p. 110.
“found a fairly satisfactory substitute …sexual foolishness.”: Flick, p. 108.
friends had urged him to seek the New York governorship: See, for instance, Dix to Tilden, May 15, 1868. Bigelow (Tilden letters), p. 227. See also Flick, p. 167.
Seymour … he enjoyed his life as retired elder statesman: See letter from Seymour to Tilden, Nov. 29, 1867. Bigelow (Tilden letters), p. 211-212 Seymour tried to organize state leaders that year on the presidential campaign: “I think eight or ten men should meet at Albany…—say, Sweeny, Tweed, Brennan, Hoffman, etc., etc.”he suggested to Tilden. This small group did apparently convene in Albany in March in Tweed’s room at the Delavan Housel, but agreed only to endorse no candidate for president. See Seymour to Tilden, Dec. 13, 1867, Bigelow (Tilden letters) p. 214-215;
New York Herald,
March 12-13, 1868; and Flick, p. 173.
“My God Tilden, what shall I do?”:
New York World
, July 10, 1868, in Flick, p. 177.
“Now that you and others …”: Letter from Seymour to Tilden, November 10, 1862. Bigelow (Tilden letters), p. 168. Tilden’s personal aloofness rankled the outgoing Seymour; they “respected but did not quite trust each other and it was always Seymour who sought a better understanding.” Flick, p. 114.
“many demands for attention…”: Letter from Tilden to Hogeboom, July 28, 1863. Tilden papers, NYPL, and in Bigelow (Tilden ltters), 180-181. See also letter from SLM Barlow to Tilden, July 15, 1863. Tilden papers, NYPL.
Seymour’s agent to … Lincoln : Seymour described Tilden to Lincoln as “thoroughly acquainted with my opinions and purposes.” Letter from Seymour to Lincoln, July 19, 1863. Lincoln papers. LC.
“Call your committee …” “Patriotism clearly commands…”: Telegrams from Randall to Tilden and S.M.J. to Tilden, October 15, 1868. Tilden papers. NYPL. See also letter from Wallace to Tilden, October 17, 1868.
“No authority or possibility …”: Tilden, Belmont, and Schell to Hoover, October 15, 1868, printed in
The Evening Post
, October 16, 1868. See also Tilden to Marble, October 20, 1868. Marble papers, LC. (“Your danger now is of making a merely defensive campaign on what you reference as our weakened point. That won’t do. Attack. Accuse the republicans … turn the charge upon them…. Carry the war into Africa.”)
After Election Day… bickering over money: See Tweed to Tilden, October 29, 1868. Marble papers. LC (“I would be much obliged if you would send the statement of your disbursements and if you have any funds on hand give me a check therefore.), and, from Tilden papers, NYPL, see Sweeny to Tilden, November 23, 1868, (“A week ago I wrote you a respectful note in regard to advances made by me which you guaranteed and payments made at your respect. You have not made any reply or taken any notice whatever of my communication. May I ask the reason of the apparent discourtesy.”), Tweed to Tilden, December 1, 1868, and Sweeny to Tilden, December 16, 1868. Notably, these letters are omitted from Tilden’s correspondence published in 1908, edited by John Bigelow.
“I did not know very much of the details …”: Tilden testimony, Frauds, p. 259.
“Mr. Tilden, you cannot escape …”: Letter from Greeley to Tilden, in
New York Tribune
, October 29, 1869.
“I was never drunk…”:
New York Herald
, October 26, 1877.
“State your official position” … “I am deputy street commissioner”: Tweed testimony, Frauds hearing, p. 266-7.
Tweed had increased the committee’s size: Mushkat, 355-356.
the “lunch club”: Tweed “Confession,”
New York Herald
, October 10, 1877.
Sweeny as Tammany’s real power: The
New York Herald
called Sweeny “chief minister and master spirit of the party” and “commander-in-chief of the democratic forces.” Hershkowitz, 135. His middle initial, B, usually appeared as “Brains” or “Bismarck.”
“[S]anguine, active, and exuberant…”:
New York Herald
, September 1867, in Hershkowitz, 125.
preparing to move uptown: Tweed and his family lived at 41 west 36th street until moving to the Fifth Avenue property in early 1870.
Tweed … his private clubs: He also belonged to the Blossom, American Jockey, and possibly the Manhattan.
contractors …agreed to pay … 35 percent: See Aldermen report, p. 14-18; Ingersoll testimony, Aldermen, p. 567; and Ingersoll affidavit,
New York Times
, June 3, 1875.
In 1866 and 1868, the New York Citizens Association: See Hershkowitz, 113, 116. See Alderman report, p. 15.
“They [Tweed and company] are well paid: Bernstein, p. 207.
New-York Printing Company: Frauds report, p. 12-13; Wilbour testimony, Frauds, p. 448.
Tweed … new Assembly Speaker: Tweed’s choice was Walter Hitchman, a Tammany committeeman.
“I found it was impossible: Tweed testimony, Aldermen, p. 29.
Black Horse Cavalry: See Tweed testimony, Aldermen, 212-213.
“legalizing counterfeit money”: Werner, p. 177.
Gould-Vanderbilt face-off… orgy of bribes: See Adams, p. 52-55 (““The full and true history of the legislative campaign will never be known,” but at its height, “fabulous stories were told of the amounts which the contending parties were willing to expend…. The wealth of Vanderbilt seemed pitted against the Erie treasury, and the vultures flocked to Albany from every part of the state.” When Vanderbilt finally conceded and cut off further bribes, “the lobby was smitten with despair, and the cheeks of the legislators were blanched.” The full and true history of the legislative campaign…”)
Tweed’s keeping a mistress: Lynch, 279. See also Werner 106-7, citing Wingate, I, p. 364.
Tammany … protect its own base: See, for instance, letter fromNelson Waterbury to Seymour, July 16, 1868. Seymour papers, NYSA, in Mitchell, 437.
“Temporary Headquarters …”: See letterhead on letter fro Tweed to Tilden, October 29,1868. Manton Marble papers, LC.
Superior Court… Common Pleas: These courts were both city tribunals whose judges were chosen in citywide elections. The Supreme Court, which heard appeals from the city courts, was a state tribunal whose judges sat in local districts; voters in each district elected their own judges. These three courts—Superior, Common Pleas, and Supreme—were merged in 1895.
Republicans … challenge all immigrant votes: They’d caused similar problems in Pennsylvania that October. See
New York Herald
and
New York World
, October 20, 1868.
“Challenge! Sharp challenging…”:
Evening Post
, November 2, 1868.
Tammany … in … wards and neighborhoods:
New York Herald
, November 1, 1868;
New-York Times
, November 28, 1868.
“More in the nature of a request …”: Tweed testimony, Aldermen, p. 135.
“[t]heir next step will be …”:
New York Herald
and
New York World
, October 20, 1868.
“I feared there would be some trouble …”: O’Brien testimony, Frauds, p. 379.
“I ordered them to arrest …”: O’Brien testimony, Frauds, p. 381
“Unscrupulous, designing, and dangerous men, …”: Hoffman Proclamation, October 31, 1868, from Hoffman testimony, Frauds, p. 99, and newspapers.
“[N]ext to the Roman army …”: Sweeny interview.
New York Herald
, November 26, 1869.
arresting Republican vote-watchers… deputy pulled a revolver”:
Evening Post
, November 4, 1868, and other newspapers.
“ruffians” … “turned off the gas …”:
Evening Post
,
N.Y. Sun
, November 4, 1868.
“I want very much to show …”: Letter from Godkin to Marble, November 3, 1868. Marble papers. LC.
“He was not approachable …: Tweed interview,
New York Herald,
October 26, 1877. Tweed went on: “If he had not been so cold, John T. Hoffman was about the best” of the New York politicians.
“O, I hear rumors…”: Tweed testimony, Frauds hearing, p. 266 et seq
“Perhaps I contributed … about $10,000…”: Congressmen at the time made annual government salaries of $5,000.
“I don’t suppose that I have been …”: Tweed testimony, Frauds, p. 268.
“no one really in need …”: Tammany minutes, March 5, 1867. NYSL; Hershkowitz, p. 137.
“The ballots didn’t make …”: Tweed testimony, Alderman, p. 133-134.
“The frauds were the result …”: Frauds report, p. 4.
Of the 156,054 votes … 50,000 had been fake … 8 percent: Frauds report, p. 5.
presidential electors: Congress would grapple with this issue only after the disputed 1976 presidential election between Tilden and Republican Rutherford Hayes where allegations of voting fraud in three Southern states would be resolved by a special, extra-constitutional bipartisan commission.