s,
it was known then and publicly charged afterward that, although
thoroughly honest himself, Greeley had long been associated with the
most selfish politicians in the State outside of Murphy and the
Tammany Ring.[1305] Thus the accusation against "Tammany Republicans"
became a taking cry, since the feeling generally obtained that it was
quite impossible for a man to perform service for Tweed and be a
faithful Republican. Formerly the question had assumed less
importance, but Tammany, identified with fraudulent government, a
corrupt judiciary, and a dishonest application of money, could no
longer be treated as a political organisation. Its leaders were
thieves, it was argued, and a Republican entering their service must
also be corrupt. In his letter to John A. Griswold, Conkling openly
charged the Greeley committee with being corrupted and controlled by
Tammany money.[1306]

[Footnote 1304: New York _Tribune_, September 15, 1871.]

[Footnote 1305: The _Nation_, May 9, 1872.]

[Footnote 1306: New York _Tribune_, September 4, 1871.]

The controversy, bitter enough before, became still more bitter now.
Conscious that all was lost if the State committee succeeded, the
Greeley organisation, by a vote of 99 to 1, declined to be
reorganised. "The determination of the State committee to dissolve the
regular Republican organisation of the city of New York and to create
another, without cause and without power," it said, "is an act
unprecedented in its nature, without justification, incompatible with
the principles and life of the Republican party, and altogether an act
of usurpation, unmitigated by either policy or necessity."[1307]
Greeley alone appeared willing to yield. He offered a resolution,
which, while describing the State committee's order as an injustice
and a wrong, agreed to obey it; but an adverse majority of 91 to 9
showed that his associates interpreted his real feelings.[1308]

[Footnote 1307: New York _Times_, April 7, 1871.]

[Footnote 1308: _Ibid._]

Thus the break had come. It was not an unusual event for the general
city committee to quarrel. For many years Republican contentions in
the metropolis had occupied the attention of the party throughout the
State. In fact a State convention had scarcely met without being
wearied with them. But everything now conspired to make the spirit of
faction unrelenting and to draw the line sharply between friend and
foe. The removal of Grinnell, the declaration of