December
19th 1873
To
The Editor:
After being exposed for stealing $75-$200 million from the
government and being found guilty of graft and fraudulent elections, William
Marcy “Boss” Tweed continues to deceive those around him as the number of his
political machines continues to increase.
He condescendingly states, “I don't care a straw for your newspaper
articles, my constituents don't know how to read, but they can't help seeing
them damned pictures.” In Tammany Hall,
men such as George Washington Plunkitt rose from poverty to fortune by working
for “Boss Tweed” as a political machine and trading his political position for
inside information.
Primarily, Tweed is known for
bribing the people by providing them with necessary life resources in return
votes. He declares, “I don't care who does the
electing, so long as I get to do the nominating.” Tweed claims that his business is a part of
“good politics” and is not fraud
but simply helping those in need. Beside
him, Plunkitt states that there is a “distinction between honest graft
and dishonest graft. There’s all the difference in the world between the two.
Yes, many of our men have grown rich in politics. I have myself. I’ve made a
big fortune out of the game, and I’m gettin’ richer every day, but I’ve not
gone in for dishonest graft—blackmailin' gamblers, saloonkeepers, disorderly
people, etc.—and neither has any of the men who have made big fortunes in
politics.”
Although they arguably help
desperate voters, the Tweed Ring practically controls New York City, scheming
their way into government, while seizing control of the legislature and the
ballots.
Samantha Tilden
Hey Tiff,
ReplyDeleteYour letter is well written and covers all of the necessary requirements. I was wondering if you felt Tweed represented more of a republican ideal or a democratic ideal towards corruption. Obviously he was not populist ;) ? Great job Tiffany.
~Lauren MIele
Tiffany,
Deletebeautifully written letter and I love the picture. I think you did a fantastic job. I agree with about everything you have written. However, do you think that overall any of the positive things that came out of the gilded age could have been without the corruption in the government. Because although it sounds bad, it's impact is not always as evil.
Keep it up,
Ritu
Hi Tiffany!!
ReplyDeleteGreat job with your letter! It was very well written and I liked the addition of the picture. Tweed was such an influential part of the Gilded Age and you did a great job of bringing quotes for a better understading. How do you think the Gilded Age would be different had the corruption involving Tweed and the polítical machines not existed
-Danielle
Greetings Ms. Tilden,
ReplyDeleteI support your position - Tweed is indeed an untrustworthy person. That man may have helped the poor in the beginning, but when building the courthouse, he tagged it way beyond the original price, emptying the pockets of innocent people for his own pocket money. Surprisingly, he was called the "monarch of New York" in the New York Times; this shows how much people abhorred him at the time. By the way, I really appreciate the fact that you are one of those wealthy people who do not cause corruption in society. I also like how you put quotation marks in order to emphasize your sarcasm based on Tweed's quotes.... (e.g. Tweed claims that his business is a part of “good politics”).
Thank you for your time - Yash
Hello Tiffany! Your letter to the editor is very well written. I especially enjoyed how you chose to write it from the perspective of a specific person and your research about what they would truly be thinking during this time period is very evident. I also noted your excellent use of quotes and a picture to clearly convey your message to the audience. Your depiction of speaking about Boss tweed from the perspective you chose clearly states how against they were of the tactics he used to get his fortune. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDelete