York was the somewhat renowned George W. Matsell, an extremely efficient officer, as well as an active Democratic politician. He had organized the existing force of police and had got them in fine working order, and was naturally incensed at the interference of the Albany politicians. He valiantly came to the support of the Mayor, in defiance of the Metropolitan intruders. Wood and Matsell, with their voluntary followers, entrenched themselves in the City Hall. Here they were besieged by the newly appointed Metropolitan Police Force, who attacked the City Hall on the 16th of June, but were ignominously repulsed.

The affair began to look serious, and a riot would almost inevitably have followed had not the military authorities ordered out the militia, who threatened to arrest Mayor Wood, on behalf of the State. A parley and armistice followed, both parties agreeing to abide the decision of the Court of Appeals as to the constitutionality of the Act establishing the Metropolitan Police. On appeal, a majority of the Court decided against the Mayor. At the next election for Mayor, Wood was defeated, but he soon regained his popularity. He was again chosen to that office in 1859 and in 1861.

In this eventful period Mayor Wood took an extraordinary attitude. He proposed that New York City and suburbs should secede, not from the Union, not to join the Confederacy, but to create a new political division. His idea was to unite the city with Long Island and Staten Island-neither of which had shown any inclination in that direction-and that these geographical units should coalesce, under the name of Tri-Insular, and proclaim themselves an independent State, thus dividing this section of New York from the old State. His action was untimely.

The Tammany Society, which was always loyal to the Union, repelled this idea with scorn, and at the first opportunity threw Wood over, electing John T. Hoffman the next Mayor of the city. This wild dream of Wood's brought him into great disfavor at that time, so critical for the Union. He went abroad for a year, when this freak seemed to have been forgotten, and, on his return, he was elected to Congress, where he remained from 1863 to 1865, and was again chosen in 1867. The Mozart faction finally joined "the M'Keon Democrats," or most of them did so, some going over to the "People's Party," others into "Citizen's Committees," etc., making different combinations, such, for instance, as elected Godfrey C. Gunther Mayor. After two defeats from rival Democratic factions, Tammany once more rallied and regained its old supremacy. Mr. Wood was very anxious for what he called vindication, and published a card in the papers to the effect that his desires for re-election to Congress was solely for the purpose of a public refutation of the calumnies heaped upon him by his enemies. Thereupon, in response, appeared the following from the pen of one of the ready poetasters of the day:

"The royal prince who reigns in hell
Has been maligned in various matters,

And now would have the people tell

How silly they regard such clatters.

"He asks your votes; 'tis not for pelf,
But to rebuke all saints and sages,

Who say the archangels and himself
Have not been creflies through all ages."

On Madison Square, in New York, there stands a monument to General Worth, of the United States Army. It was erected under the Mayoralty of Fernando Wood, and, therefore, very properly, his name was inscribed on one side of it. When Mayor Wood fell into disfavor, a subsequent Common Council had the puerile idea of erasing his name from this memorial stone, and actually did so, substituting, in its place, the rather trite phrase, "Honor the Brave." Mr. Wood was not lacking in bravery himself, as his defiance of the State authorities proved. Mr. Wood died in Washington in February, 1881.

W

CHAPTER XXXI.

A "PEACE" MEETING-AFTER THE WAR.

HEN peace had at last been concluded and the results of the war had been to some extent realized, 1865-66, the Tammany people were, above all, anxious that the "dead past bury its dead." Though they missed many from their numbers who had fallen facing the foe, or in the dreary prisons of the South as prisoners of war, there was no rancor in their hearts against the "erring sister States," as the speeches and resolutions at their annual celebration witnessed in July of 1866. Over the platform in the Wigwam was conspicuously placed the bust of Washington draped with the American flag, and above it the mottos:

66

One Country-One Constitution-One Destiny: 1776-1866.'

On one side was a panel bearing these words: "The Tammany Society, founded in 1789; in its very foundation identified with the establishment of the Union. Ever faithful to its obligations; she has added another proof of her devotion, by sending forth her sons to protect and maintain it." On the opposite panel were these words:

"The Democratic party: upon its union and success, depend the future of the Republic. He who would seek to lower its standard of patriotism and principles, or to divide its councils, is an enemy to the country."

Around the hall were placed busts of Jackson, Clay, Webster and Franklin, with decorations and patriotic mottos. One of these was draped in mourning. It contained these words and names:

An address on this memorable occasion was delivered by the Grand Sachem, Hoffman, who was at that time Mayor of the city. In the course of his remarks he said: "During the years of fearful struggle through which the nation has just passed, old Tammany was thrown wide open as a recruiting place for a class of patriots who were willing to imperil their lives, as well as to talk for their country. Brave men went forth from here, who either died upon the battle field or have returned after an honorable discharge, some whole and well, others with shattered health, or crippled limbs, but all ready to renew their efforts, and to vote for the speedy restoration of that Union for which they hazarded their lives.

This unique and beautiful monument to Col. Vosburg is in Greenwood Cemetery, near the tall shaft erected to the memory of the Volunteer Soldiers of N. Y. The iron fence enclosing the lot is composed of muskets in reversed position.

"Tammany Hall, true to its ancient record, never faltered in its devotion to the Constitution; and, now that peace has come, it demands that with peace shall also come 'good will to man.'" Mr. Hoffman then went on to argue that the eleven States, having abandoned the heresy of secession, should be allowed immediate representation in Congress, without any lingering term of probation, being kept out only for the sake of radical partisans perpetuating their political power. "No one can doubt the practical patriotism of this Society," continued the orator, "which has shown its faith by its deeds. Among others was that noble brother, William Kennedy, who went forth as the leader of our Tammany Regiment, and died its representative. Before he went he joined us in placing in front of the old Wigwam, in bold letters, Jackson's motto: The Union, it must and shall be preserved.' Then there was that whole-souled brother and late Grand Sachem, Elijah F. Purdy, who died a few months before the close of the war, who did excellent service in the same righteous cause, with others too numerous to mention."

At the close of this thrilling address, a long poem, amusing and satirical, was read, and another by Charles F. Olney, dedicated to the Tammany Society. In fact, the Tammanyites seem never to have been lacking either for orators or poets. Mr. Richard O'Gorman, who made a "long talk," commenced by addressing his audience as "Brothers of the Eagle Tribe." This, we think, was a rhetorical error. The Eagle being the symbol of the United States, could not properly be adopted by a fraction only. Undoubtedly, the insignia of the second tribe, the Tiger, as expounded by the great Chief Tammany himself, is the original genuine symbol of the Columbian Order, and has been so regarded for over a century.

The orator then raised his musical, but Cassandra-like voice, in pessimistic threatenings as to the near future of the nation's fate. He said: "I warn you that the Republic is still in danger. The worst of the storm has, indeed, blown over. The ship of State still rides, a proud and gallant sight; but I think she has escaped, more by God's good providence than by good steering, the Scylla of Secession; but she is drifting, slowly but surely, into the Charybdis of Centralization. Can her course be changed? Is there time still to put her head about and to escape the dangers ahead? Have you ever thought what centralization really means? Look back ten or twelve years. Then we in New York scarcely felt the finger of the Federal Government; it carried our letters, collected certain import duties to meet the expenses of the Government, which were trifling; for all other purposes the law of the State of New York was sufficient and supreme. The finger of the Federal Government is now stronger than the arm of the State. We have now let loose on us a cloud of assessors, collectors of taxes, Federal officials of all sorts, prying into every man's transactions, questioning, informing, gathering up the fruit of our industry and pouring it into the central reservoirs at Washington, from which it flows and percolates in corrupting stearms from end to end of the land." With much more in the same line of thought did Mr. O'Gorman continue to expound the views and feelings of the extreme pessimists, so unusual a tone in Tammany Hall. He also expressed his own and the dissatisfaction of many others with the delay in the readjustment measures in Congress, which kept the Southern States in a condition of but semi-Union with the victorious North. He argued that an injury or injustice to any one, or any number of the

States, was an injury to all. "It can never be well with New York," he said, "while it is ill with South Carolina or Tennessee." The sentiment thus plainly expressed was the feeling of nearly all Democrats, whether within or outside of Tammany Hall. At the close of the meeting, ex-Judge Pierrepont offered the following resolution:

"Resolved, That when we entered upon the late war, when we put our money, our lives, our reputation in the contest to put down the rebellion, we did it for the sake of preserving the Union, and not for keeping the States out of the Union." This resolution was adopted unaimously.

To prove that these sentiments in favor of prompt reconstruction, were shared by the larger minded men of even the Republican party, we give a few specimen letters, out of many others, showing a wide and discriminating sympathy in the feeling exhibited by Mr. O'Gorman. Of course, those who had participated personally in the war, and had met these Southern soldiers face to face, were far more inclined to conciliation than the platform patriots, who had taken excellent care to keep out of harms way.

Letter from William H. Seward.

July 2d, 1866.

EXECUTIVE MANSION.

"To Hon. John T. Hoffman, Grand Sachem of the Tammany Society or Columbian Order. "DEAR SIR-I have the honor to receive your invitation to participate in the celebration of the National Independence on the approaching 4th of July. I am highly pleased with the form of the invitation. I like the motto which is placed at its head, "The Union must and shall be preserved.' I like the vignette which illustrates it. I like the associated hues with which it is colored, namely, the red, white and blue. I like the Temple of Liberty upon the rock of the Constitution and protected by the Eagle of the American continent. I like the ships and the railroads, indicative of prosperity and progress. I like the significant conjunction of dates, 1776-1866, a period of ninety years. I have had some differences with Tammany in my time, but I long ago forgot them all, when I recalled the fact that the Society has never failed to observe and honor the Anniversary of our National Independence, and the further fact that during the recent Civil War the Tammany Society sent its sons to fight for the Union, and with unwavering fidelity heartily supported the Federal Government in its struggles with sedition. In view of these facts, I hail the Tammany Society as a true Union League. . . I believe, with the Tammany Society, that the Union was created to be perpetual; that the States are equal under the Constitution, and that the restoration of that Unity, disturbed by the recent war, ought to be acknowledged and recognized by all the departments of the Federal Government; that a spirit of magnanimity and fraternity should prevail in all our councils, and that the South, having accepted the lessons of the war and relinquished the heresies of secession, should, just so far as she comes in the attitude of loyalty and qualified Representatives, be admitted to her. Constitutional Representation. I want, henceforth and forever, no North, no South, no East, no West-no divisions, no sections, no classes, but one united and harmonious people.

"What I have written, I trust, will satisfy the Society that in spirit I shall always be with them when they shall be engaged in renewing and fortifying the National Union. "I have the honor to be

"Your very obedient servant,

"WILLIAM H. SEWARD."

Letter from General Grant.

"HEADQURTERS OF THE ARMY OF THE U. S.,
"WASHINGTON, D. C., June 28, 1866.

"To Hon. John T. Hoffman, Mayor of New York, and Grand Sachem of the Tammany Society.

"SIR-Lieutenant-General Grant directs me to acknowledge receipt of an invitation from the Tammany Society to take part in their celebration of the approaching Anniversary of American Independence, and his regret that a previous engagement will oblige him to decline the honor.

"ADAM BEDEAU, "Brevet-Colonel and Military Secretary.”