CHAPTER XVIII.

TAMMANY ON HOME INDUSTRIES.

NE of the most curious and interesting episodes in the history of the ultra-Democratic Society of Tammany was the action taken by it in the summer of 1819 and which was the result of the depressed condition of trade and commerce throughout the country, which had not yet recovered from the losses and interruptions incurred during the War of 1812-15, which included the capture of many vessels, with their cargoes, and the still more injurious effects of the "embargo." But to the facts: On. August 30th. at a meeting of the Tammany Society, after considerable discussion, was passed the following resolution: "Resolved to appoint Commissioners to consider and draft an address on the subject of National Economy and Domestic Manufactures, enforcing the necessity of encouraging such desirable objects, and that through the public prints the address be sent to the several branches of this Society throughout the nation."

On the next ensuing October 4th the address, which had been drafted by Brother Woodward was presented to the Society, and duly debated at the meetings. At the second it was adopted, signed by the Grand Sachem, Clarkson Crolius, printed and put into circulation.

On the next ensuing October 4th, the address, which had been drafted by had partly resulted from excessive importations and recommended the purchase of home productions only. The curious statement was also made that inferior goods were manufactured abroad expressly for this market, with intent to dispose of them in New York by auction, thus underselling our native merchants. Secondly, the opinion was advanced that Congress ought to entirely prohibit the importation of all goods "which can on any tolerable terms be made here." And, "thirdly, if the customs revenue, in consequence, is not sufficient for the purposes of the Government, let the public lands be appropriated to supply the deficiency." The concluding argument was that this course would exclude from the country foreign agents, "those cormorants" who gather money here only to take it back, out of this country.

Some recommendations were added on the subject of banks and in favor of common schools, concluding with a somewhat grandiloquent eulogy of the Tammany Society, which the author of the address declares "is founded upon the dignified principle of public liberty. Unlike the associations of the hour, which have gone down with the causes which created them, this Society has withstood the revolutions of the passing years uncharacterized by any acts of extravagance or appearance of dissolution. Its silent intervals have been owing to the solidity of its principles and the sincerity of its motives. It is a Society of three thousand [1819] men in the City of New York alone, principally heads of families. It can well rest occasionally, quiet on the bosom of public opinion."

* * *

Though this address speaks of the "quiet intervals" which Tammany was

wont to indulge in, there was very little going on of any public interest in which Tammany had not an active share. Thus, on the death of Benjamin Franklin, though the event occurred in Philadelphia, the Tammany Society held public ceremonies in honor of the aged patriot, statesman and scientist. In 1824 the Society took an active and prominent part in welcoming the "Nation's Guest," Lafayette, to the country he had so nobly helped to render independent. In 1830 the Tammany Society celebrated with considerable éclat the revolution in France against that Bourbon of the Bourbons, Charles X. A meeting was called at Tammany Hall on November 25th, at which President Monroe presided, and at which was present a large number of distinguished citizens, including the able statesman and eminent anti-Federalist, Albert Gallatin, Secretary of the Treasury under both Jefferson and Madison, with many other persons of approximate celebrity.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE ANTI-MASONIC PARTY.

T seems now almost incredible that a political party could be formed upon the single idea of opposition to an ancient secret and benevolent society which existed not only in every State in the Union, but also every portion of the civilized world. Yet from a single act of violence perpetrated in the State of New York in 1826, known to history as "the Morgan affair," the details of which it is not necessary to repeat here, thousands of persons deserted the usual political affiliations and actually inaugurated a new party, with no other ostensible object than the ostracism of all members of the Ancient Order of Free and Accepted Masons. This movement was far-reaching, and it could not fail to have some effect upon the Tammany Society, but events finally proved that its main strength came from Tammany's opponents. It was through this new party that William H. Seward was first brought prominently into notice, he being nominated by and elected to the State Legislature by the Anti-Masonic vote. The matter was complicated by the fact that De Witt Clinton, the everchronic candidate for some office in the State, and popular with his party, was, in the very year of this outbreak, High Priest of the General Grand Chapter of the United States. Andrew Jackson was also a Mason of high order; of course, also other representative men of all parties and of no party were members of the Order. The excitement spread and grew for several years. In 1828 the Anti-Masons called a general convention, which met at Le Roy, in the Western part of the State, in which twelve counties were represented, but there was only one plank in the platform on which they stood, yet, at the ensuing election for Governor, this curious party actually cast over 33,000 votes, not enough, however, to defeat the Tammany candidate, Martin Van Buren, who was elected.

As the Presidential election approached in 1828 the Anti-Masonic party joined their forces with the National Republicans, and voted for Mr. Adams, who was not a Mason; but General Jackson received the electoral vote. Though defeated in the Presidential contest, in the State election of 1831 the AntiMasons elected nearly thirty members of Assembly, and in 1832 even nominated a Presidential candidate, William Wirt.

Though the Anti-Masonic party showed wonderful tenacity of life, especially in the western counties of the State, yet no party can possibly become permanent resting on mere negations; and the political enemies of the Masonic Order had no worthy affirmative principles. Its end was as remarkable as its origin:

When the National Republican party lost its distinctive name, and became visible only as the Whig organization, the Anti-Masons suddenly disappearedthe Whigs appeared to have swallowed them. From that time forward the leaders presented no ticket for their whilom followers to sustain, much to the discomfiture of the innocent rural population who had followed their leaders in this Quixotic fight so zealously, and who were not enlightened as to the "arrangement" which involved such a sudden extinguishment of their superior political ethics.

The first person in New York City to formally introduce the name of "Whig" for the acceptance of the anti-Democratic politicians was Col. J. Watson Webb, editor of the Courier and Inquirer, who, at a public meeting in the fall of 1833, after having dilated, somewhat at length on the meaning and attitude of Whigism in England, made a motion that the party (National Republican) then and there accept the name of "Whig" as expressing their disapprobation of the Administration (Jackson's). The motion was put to the audience and carried in the affirma tive, almost unanimously.

Mr. Myron H. Clark, who was elected Governor by a combination of all the anti-Tammany elements, including the Prohibitionists, has been aptly described as the "discovered link," he combining the elements in his career of figuring as the last of the Whigs and the first of the Republicans.

CHAPTER XX.

THE LOCO FOCOS.

NE of the most singular cases of general misunderstand-
ing, through the misapplication of a grotesque name
a very earnest and sincere party, is that which developed
at the time of the formation of the "Equal Rights" asso-
ciation, which for years was called the "Loco Focos."

This meaningless term was applied to certain dissenters in the Tammany Society through a mere incident which occurred at a meeting in the old Wigwam on Nassau street in 1835, under the following circumstances: On the 29th of October a meeting was called to assemble in Tammany Hall for the purpose of making certain nominations. The doors being open at seven in the evening, a great mass of the usual attendants rushed in and rapidly filled all the available space, but what was their surprise to find that they were not the first arrivals; the platform was already filled with those prepared to manage the meeting and secure the adoption of their own candidates. From the early comers in possession of the meeting, Isaac L. Varian was nominated as chairman, and without the question being properly put, he prepared to take his seat; when, from the floor of the house, the Equal Rights men nominated Joel Curtis for the chair. At the same time a broad banner was uplifted on which was the inscription, "Joel Curtis, the anti-monopolistic Chairman." The confusion caused by this unexpected apparition was so great that Mr. Varian's effort to read the prearranged list of nominations was futile, so far as the hearing of the names was concerned. While the excitement was at its height, the Hall was suddenly immersed in darkness. Each of the factions present thought the opposition had planned this manoeuvre as a piece of fine strategy, and the incident has been so represented by some narrators; but, in fact, it was nothing of the kind, it was only the suddenly inspired trick of two young lads, one of whom was not more than fifteen years of age, and both of whom, now elderly men, are still living (1898) and not averse to telling the story. At that time the gas-meter was located on the Frankfort street side of the Hall, concealed from view by some decorative window drapery, but well known to these lads. When the lights were extinguished the Varian party got out of the Hall as quickly as possible, taking the rear egress by which they had entered, retreating to an adjoining tavern of much local celebrity, known as the "Pewter Mug," situated on Frankfort street, and there completed their nominations; while the Equal Rights party retained possession of the Hall, and in a very few moments, having produced matches from their pockets, and the janitor being found, they relit the gas, and the business for which they had assembled was proceeded with. The next morning the term "Loco Foco" was spontaneously attached to the party holding the Hall, which name, for a long period, to the uninitiated, served to describe the whole Tammany Society, just as a local event had in former years fixed upon them the sobriquet of "Bucktails."