Production Note
Cornell University Library produced this volume
to replace the irreparably deteriorated
original. It was scanned using Xerox software
and equipment at 600 dots per inch resolution
and compressed prior to storage using CCITT
Group 4 compression. The digital data were used
to create Cornell's replacement volume on paper
that meets the ANSI Standard Z39.48-1984. The
production of this volume was supported in part
by the New York State Program for the
Conservation and Preservation of Library
Research Materials and the Xerox Corporation.
Digital file copyright by Cornell University
Library 1994.LETTERS
OF
HENRY L. CLINTON,
4
CHAIRMAN OF THE
• BEMOCRiTIC REPUBLICAN GENERAL COMMITTEE
OP THE
4
CITY OF NEW YORK.
Published in Democratic Journals, February 14$ and 20$,
1878.
CONTRASTING THE EXPENSES OF THE DEMOCRATIC CITY GOT*
ERNMENT OF NEW YORK, FOR THE YEARS 1877 AND 1878*
UNDER THE ADMINISTRATION OF MAYOR ELY AND
COMPTROLLER KELLY, WITH THE EXPENSES QR
V	THE CITY GOVERNMENT UNDER THE REPUB- -
DICAN ADMINISTRATION, IN 1874, WHEN
WM. F. HAVEMEYER WAS MAYOR
AND ANDREW H. GREEN WAS
COMPTROLLER;
TOGETHER WITH
EXTRACTS FROM MR. CLINTON’S SPEECHES, DELIVERED IN THE CITY
OF NEW YORK, BETWEEN 1870 AND 1877, SHOWING
HIS RECORD AS A MUNICIPAL REFORMER.LETTER
OF '
HENRY L. CLINTON,
Chairman of the Democratic Republican General
Committee of the City of Neio York,
Published in Democratic Journals, Feb. 14, 1878.
THE PROFESSED DEVOTION ON THE PART OF REPUBLICANS AND
THEIR ANTI-TAMMANY ALLIES TO THE CAUSE OP MUNICIPAL
REFORM CONTRASTED WITH THE ACTUAL REFORM ACCOM-
PLISHED BY THE REGULAR DEMOCRATIC (TAMMANY HALL) OR-
GANIZATION.
W 1877, THE FIRST YEAR OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF MAYOR ELY
AND COMPTROLLER KELLY, THE EXPENSES OF THE NEW YORK
CITY GOVERNMENT OVER WHICH THE CITY HAD CONTROL,
WERE TWENTY PER CENT. LESS THAN IN 1874, WHEN THE RE-
PUBLICANS AND THEIR ANTI-TAMMANY ALLIES WERE IN POWER.
3N 1877, THE EXPENSES OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT REGULATED
AND CONTROLED BY LAWS PASSED BY REPUBLICAN LEGISLA-
TURES (EXPENSES WHICH DEMOCRATIC CITY OFFICIALS COULD
NOT REDUCE) WERE GREATER THAN'IN 1874.
IF NEW YORK CITY IS ALLOWED TO HAVE CONTROL OVER THE
EXPENDITURES IN ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, THE CITY DEBT;
. VWL BE SEDUCED FOUR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS PER YEAK.TAMMANY HALL,
.	Hew T&ek,'
In view of the misapprehension which prevails with regard to
the administration of our municipal affairs for the past few
years, it is due alike to the public, and to the Eegular Demo-
cratic organization in this city, that attention be called to
certain important facts, calculated to aid honest and intelli-
gent citizens in forming correct opinions with respect to what
should be the future policy of our city government.
John Kelly became Comptroller in December, 1876. The
Board of Estimate and Apportionment, of which Comptroller
Green was a member, had made its estimates for the year 1877.
Mr. Kelly immediately entered upon the practical work of re-
trenchment and reform. Through his instrumentality these
estimates were reduced over one million one hundred thousand
($1,100,000) dollars. The estimates for the year 1878* as com-
pared with the previous year are about nine hundred thousand
($900,000) dollars lower. Mr. Kelly has reduced the city debt
two millions of dollars in one year. For thirty-six years
immediately preceding Mr. Kelly’s administration (except in
three instances) the debt was larger at the end of the year than
at its commencement. It was a fortunate day for the City of
New York when John Kelly became Comptroller. But for him
our debt would have increased in the future as it had in the
past. Nearly all the reform this city has achieved has been
brought about by the Eegular Democratic organization. It is
preeminently a reform organization. Its merit consists not so
much in what it professes as in what it accomplishes.
A comparison of the present city government with that of
1874, will show the difference between the Tammany Hall; D&-
Sndcracy and the Republican party with their anti-Tammany
alli4&. This city has control over only a small portion Of itss 3
^xpbndituteS; most of them are regulated by laws of thb St&fb
passed by Republican Legislatures. For the departments over
'Which the City through its Board of Estimate and Apportion-
ment had control in the year 1874, that Board made appropria-
tions to the extent of seven millions six hundred and sixteen
thousand eight hundred and three dollars and thirty-one cents
\$7,616,803,31). In the year 1877 the appropriations for thb
same departments made by the same Board amounted to six
millions one hundred and fourteen thousand nine hundred and
ninety-two ($6,114,992) dollars. These figures show the differ-
ence between reform as practiced by Tammany Hall, and thb
professions of reform thundered in our ears by Republicans and
Bb-ealled anti-Tammany Democrats. In 1877, the first year of
the administration of Major Ely and Comptroller Kelly, our
expenses Over which our city government had control, were one
million five hundred and one thousand eight hundred and
eleven dollars and thirty-one cents ($1,501,811.31) less than in
1874, when the Republican party were in power, William
Havemeyer being Mayor, and Andrew H. Green presiding bVefr
the Finance Department. In other words, in 1877 under a
Democratic city government, the expenditures over which the
feity had control were about twenty per cent, lower than in 1874,
When the Republicans and their anti-Tammany allies were in
power. In this connection it should be borne in mind that for
the year 1878, the city through its Board of Estimate and Ap-
portionment, as already stated, has largely reduced the appro-
priations, as compared with 1877, for the departments over
which it has control, so that a comparison of the second year of
the administration of Mayor Havemeyer, aided by Comptroller
Green, with the second year of the administration of Mayor
Ely and Comptroller Kelly, would be still more creditable to
the latter. But over and above all this—apart from the ques-
tion of expense—the most gratifying fact is, we have Ahafobh
better government now than we had in 1874.
", Republican journals and Republican leaders denounce our
Democratic city government because it does not reduce ex-
penses in the departments over which it has no control. Re-
publican Legislatures have passed laws fixing the amount of ex-4
pendittires for certain departments. But for this fatal obstruc-
tion the Democratic policy of retrenchment would have been
rigidly enforced in all the departments. It is certainly fair to
Republicans and their anti-Tammany allies to test the value
and efficiency of their services in the cause of reform by their
acts; In 1874 the sums which the law required to be raised for
the redemption of the principal of the city debt, for the State
taxes, and the interest on the city debt which we were com-
pelled to pay, amounted to seventeen millions two hundred and
thirty-nine thousand two hundred and forty-five dollars and
three cents ($17,239,245.03). This amount could not be re-,
duced. But over and above these sums the expenditures reg-
ulated and controlled by acts of the Legislature, amounted to
nine millions nine hundred and sixty-six thousand three hun-
dred and forty-three dollars and forty-five cents ($9,966,343.45).
Has there been any retrenchment in the Departments whoso
expenditures are controlled by acts of the Legislature ? Not at
all. On the contrary these expenses have increased. In the
year 1877 the amount expended in pursuance of acts of the
Legislature (over and above the State taxes, the amount provid-
ed for the redemption of the principal of the city debt, and in-
terest on our city debt) was nine millions nine hundred and
eighty-four thousand four hundred and twenty-four dollars and
twelve cents ($9,984,424*12).
If the city through its Board of Estimate and Apportionment
had control—as it should have—of appropriations for all the de-
partments of the city government, the Democratic policy of re-
trenchment would result in reducing the city debt from three
to four millions per year without impairing the efficiency of any
of the departments. Let these facts put to shame the calumni-
ators of the Regular Democratic organization. If New Jerk
City is allowed to govern herself, she will soon have a model
government.
HENRY L. CLINTON,
Chairman of the Democratic Republican General
Committee of the City of New York.TAMMANt HALL,
New York, February 19th, 1878.
A few days ago I addressed a letter to the public press,
in which, among other things, I showed that, under our present
Democratic administration, the expenses of our City Government
in 1877, so far as the city had control over them through its
Board of Estimate and Apportionment, were twenty per cent,
less than in 1874, under a Republican administration. For
the departments over which the city, through its Board of
Estimate and Apportionment, had control in the year 1874,
the appropriations were seven millions six hundred and six-
teen thousand eight hundred and three dollars and thirty-one
cents ($7,616,803.31). In the year 1878, the appropriations
by the same Board for the same departments, are five
millions nine hundred and forty-nine thousand one hun-
dred and twenty dollars ($5,949,120). -Thus it appears that in
the second year of the administration of Mayor Ely and Comp-
troller Kelly, the expenses of our municipal government, over
which the city has control, will be one million six hundred and
sixty-seven thousand six hundred and eighty-three dollars and
thirty-one cents ($1,667,683.31) less than during the second year
of the administration of‘Mayor Havemeyer, aided by Comp-
troller Green. In other words, the expenses of running the City
Government (so far as it has control over them) under a Demo-
cratic city administration is twenty-two per cent, less than under
a Republican administration with its anti-Tammany allies. In
my former letter I showed that the expenses of the departments
regulated and controlled by acts of Republican Legislatures had
not been reduced at all. The City Government, through its
Board of Estimate and Apportionment, desires to apply the
principle of retrenchment to all departments so far as it can beI
6
done without impairing their efficiency. Some, prompted, per-
haps, in no small degree by hostility to the Regular Democratic
Organization, have charged or insinuated that the City officials
constituting the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, could
not be relied upon to enforce such retrenchment, because they
would be unwilling to have their own salaries diminished. My
knowledge of the views of the Mayor and Comptroller, on this
subject, justifies me in saying that if the Bill now pending in
the Legislature, clothing the Board with the necessary power,
shall become a law, they propose to commence anew the work
of retrenchment by cutting down their own salaries as well as
thpse of other City officials and employees. * They believe* that
the most rigid economy consistent with efficiency should be,
enforced in all the departments. To this end they will exercise
all the legal power they may possess.
An act, passed by a Republican Legislature in 1873, designated
the. City officials who should compose the Board of Estimate;
and Apportionment. The Board, as now constituted, has dis-
charged its duties faithfully. The only adverse criticism made,
is, that in its zeal to accomplish practical municipal reform,;
in some few instances it may have carried the principle qf
retrenchment a little too far. The people of this city have,
suffered so much from an opposite policy, that I think they will
excuse officials for erring (if they err at all) on the right side.
The issue is sharply defined. To vest the present Board of
Estimate and Apportionment with power over the expenditures
in all departments of the City Government, is to approve its
policy of retrenchment and reform which has resulted in
reducing expenses, so far as it has control, twenty-two per cent;
without at all impairing the efficiency of any of the departments.
Not to clothe the Board, as now constituted, with this power is
to condemn its policy of retrenchment, and to favor a. policy
which would make the achievement of reform in departments,
beyond the control of this Board, highly improbable, if mat,
absolutely impossible.
HENRY L. CLINTON,
Chairman of the Democratic Republican Gemreib
Committee of -the City of New York*RECORD
•	OF
HENRY L. CLINTON,
AS A
MUNICIPAL REFORMER.
Jjjp&rads from speeches delivered by him in the City of Neio Yoi%
between 1870 and 1877*
‘ In Irving Hall, on the 28th of March, 1870, a majority of the ’
Tammany Hall General Committee having assembled in caucus,
intending to march from there to Tammany Hall, and .pass
resolutions denouncing Tweed and opposing the passage of what
was afterwards known as the “Tweed Charter,” Mr. Clinton, in
the course of a speech he made on that occasion, said :
“ If we get possession of Tammany Hall later in the evening,
we will proclaim our principles there. If by force, police force,,
or any kind of force, we are prevented from assembling at our
usual headquarters, let no one suppose that our zeal will abate
or that our energies will diminish in the cause of municipal
reform. *	*	*	*	*	*	*
It matters not whether the fight, which has this night com-
menced in Irving Hall, be long or short; whether the victory be
Hear or distant. I say to you, one and all, persevere to the end !
Do that, and suecess is sure.”c	<
~ Within less than a week the “Tweed Charter ” passed, every:
^Republican member (with one exception): in both branches of8
the Legislature voting in its favor. Some two weeks later, at a
large meeting of citizens opposed to the Tweed Ring, Mr.
Clinton, in alluding to Tweed, Sweeny, Hall, and Connolly,
said:
“You have manifested, in a way not to be misunderstood,
your detestation of the pretended leaders—-the exalted corrup-
tionists—who have so foully betrayed the cause of the Demo-
cratic party. The time, I believe, is not far distant when they
will be made to feel, that while they have brought shame and
humiliation upon the party, they have covered themselves with
infamy from which there is no escape this side the grave. If
the progress of despotism and corruption which has marked the
career of these men be not speedily stayed, the death-knell of
republican institutions will soon be heard throughout the length
and breadth of this land. What is to be done to check this
monstrous evil ? How shall we proceed to accomplish this great
object ? 1 know no better way than for good Democrats, patri-
otic citizens, everywhere to combine and form organizations
whose great object and mission shall be to roll back this tide of
corruption in high places—to put in public office wise and hon-
est men, who will execute the wishes and faithfully reflect the
sentiments of intelligent and honest constituents.”
' In* pursuance of advice given by Mr. Clinton in this speech,
organizations against the Tweed Ring were formed in every
Ward in the city. In the ensuing summer Apollo Hall was
selected as head-quarters. In a speech delivered on the 27th
of September, 1870, at Apollo Hall, in referring to the Tweed
and Sweeny ring, Mr. Clinton said :
“Whatever may be our political future—through sunshine
and storm—through prosperity and adversity—come weal or
Tvoe, sink or swim, survive or perish, we will never relax our
efforts, until this corrupt, infamous and damnable Ring is
broken, destroyed and utterly exterminated.”
. Most faithfully did Mr. Clinton redeem that pledge thus
publicly given. So strongly was the Tweed Ring intrenched in
power that but few men of position and prominence dared cen-
sure it unless in whispers and with bated breath. The positionr
of* affairs in New York city at that time is correctly described
by Mr. Clinton in a speech delivered in Apollo Hall, in which
lie said:
“When the Tweed Ring had its grip upon the throat of this
community, and its hand in every man’s pocket; when all the
varied business interests directly or indirectly paid to it heavy
tribute; when all—or nearly all—the wealth of the city went
down on bended knees to this Ring; when ponderous, plethoric
respectability trembled in its presence, and shook like an aspen
leaf; when all the property in the city—when the liberties and
the lives of all its citizens were subject to the malice, the whim
or caprice of this infamous cabal; when law in this community
had almost ceased to exist, and it seemed as though justice had
taken everlasting flightthen it was that a little band of Dem-
ocratic Reformers in Apollo Hall unfurled their banner, bearing
the inscription, ‘ DEATH TO THE TWEED AND SWEENY
RING. THE PEOPLE SHALL BE_ EMANCIPATED.1
Then it required courage to confront the gigantic iniquities, to
expose, to lay bare to public view, the monster crimes of that
Ring, which' has since become a stench in the nostrils of civ-
ilization. These Reformers were not dismayed by all the
threats of the Ring or by all the dangers that beset their
path.”
In a speech delivered at Tammany Hall, the 6th of Septem-
ber last [1877] after alluding to the manner in which Democrats
had overthrown the Tweed Ring, Mr. Clinton said :
“ Subsequently, as you are aware, John Kelly, in connection
with other Reform Democrats, undertook to reconstruct and
reform Tammany Hall. Such Reform Democrats as Samuel J.
Tilden and Augustus Schell, who had the year before, in con-
junction with myself and other Democrats opposed this organ-
ization, returned to Tammany Hall, to which they had belonged
most of their lives after they were old enough to vote. Subse-
quently nearly all the Reform Democrats came back. I was
among the last to return to this organization, to which (with
the exception of the time referred to) I have belonged for over a
quarter of a century. I came back when this was the only effi-10
dient reform organization inthis city. From that time to tM&
present it has outstripped all other organizations in the rac& of
reform. I challenge the closest scrutiny into its acts. Whiter
like every other political organization in this country during the
last hundred years, it has had its faults, and committed errors p
yet in view of the obstacles strewn in its path by disappointed-
office-seekers and unscrupulous and illy-informed Republicans*
its reform record is one of which every honest citizen may be*
proud.”
* * * * * * * *
Some of the Republican papers occasionally lecture me upon;’
the inconsistency of withdrawing from Tammany Hall when ife
was under the control of Tweed and Sweeny, and returning
after the organization had been thoroughly reformed. Extracts;
are occasionally cited from my speeches delivered in 1870 and
1871, when Tweed and Sweeny hadffull sway, and in 1872
(before, as I thought the reformation had been sufficiently
thorough), denouncing the organization as it was then constitute
ed. Because I once belonged to an anti-Tammany organiza-5
tion, and did not continue to adhere to it after it was dead—
—after it was dissolved—I am charged with betraying the cause
I once espoused. . At the time I returned to Tammany Hall*
there were but two political organizations in this city—the .Re-
publican and the regular Democratic organization. Having
never been a Republican—having with all my might opposed
the Republican party during its entire existence, I did not knock:
for admission there ; but after I was elected—(without1 my
knowledge and without solicitation on my part), a member of
the General Committee, I took my place among you in the
organization where I belonged.”
* * ' * * * * * #-
“The Tammany organization 1 denounced in past years, is
no more like reformed Tammany of to-day, than our present
Mayor is like A. Oakey Hall when he was Mayor—than tho
present Commissioner of Public Works is like his predecessor*
Tweed—or than the present Comptroller is like Richard B.
Connolly when he presided over the Finance Department of
this city.	.	'