can see pictures."[1340]

[Footnote 1339: _Harper's Weekly_, November 4, 1871.]

[Footnote 1340: Paine, _Life of Nast_, p. 179.]

On October 26 all doubt as to the result of the election was
dissipated. Until then belief in Tweed's direct profit in the Ring's
overcharges was based upon presumption. No intelligent man having an
accurate knowledge of the facts could doubt his guilt, since every
circumstance plainly pointed to it, but judicial proof did not exist
until furnished by the investigation of the Broadway Bank, which
Tilden personally conducted. His analysis of this information
disclosed the fact that two-thirds of the money paid under the
sanction of the Board of Audit had passed into the possession of
public officials and their accomplices, some of it being actually
traced into Tweed's pocket, and upon this evidence, verified by
Tilden's affidavit, the Attorney-General based an action on which a
warrant issued for Tweed's arrest. This announcement flashed over the
State eleven days before the election. It was a powerful campaign
document. People had not realised what an avenging hand pursued
Tammany, but they now understood that Tweed was a common thief, and
that Tilden, by reducing strong suspicion to a mathematical certainty,
had closed the mouths of eulogists and apologists.

The result of the election carried dismay and confusion to Tammany.
Its register, its judges, its aldermen, a majority of its assistant
aldermen, fourteen of its twenty-one assemblymen, and four of its five
senators were defeated, while Tweed's majority fell from 22,000 in
1869 to 10,000. As expected the Republicans reaped the benefit of the
anti-Tammany vote, carrying the State by 18,000 majority and the
Legislature by 79 on joint ballot.[1341] To obliterate Tweedism, Tilden
had overthrown his party, but he had not fallen, Samson-like, under the
ruin.

[Footnote 1341: Scribner, 387,107; Willers, 368,204. Legislature:
Senate, 24 Republicans, 8 Democrats. Assembly, 97 Republicans, 31
Democrats.--New York _Tribune_, November 27, 1871.

Compared with the returns for 1870, the Democratic vote, outside of
New York and the six counties in its immediate vicinity, fell off
24,167, while the Republican vote fell off 9,235. In New York and
adjoining counties the Republican vote increased 30,338.--_Ibid._

In New York City the majority for the Democratic candidate for
secretary of state was 29,189, while the majority for the Republican
o