Tammany Hall

Originally founded as a social club, New York City’s Tammany Hall would eventually become one of the most notorious and corrupt political “machines” in American history.

New York’s Tammany Society was one of several created across the young republic in the late 18th century. Intended to be a social club, with an emphasis on political discussion, the Societies adopted rituals and nomenclature inspired by Native American culture. Their leaders were called “Sachems,” for example, and their meeting places were called “wigwams.”

In New York particularly “Tammany Hall” soon became a source of political power. Aaron Burr used the influence of Tammany Hall to help carry New York for Jefferson’s Democratic-Republicans, thus swinging the election of 1800. Andrew Jackson rewarded Tammany support in 1828 with lucrative Federal jobs, thus initiating the “spoils system.”

Although when founded Tammany Hall had proclaimed itself to be for “pure Americans” only, by the 1850s the organization had opened its arms to the hundreds of thousands of Irish immigrants arriving in New York City, and they soon became the backbone and muscle of the machine. Tammany Hall would provide aid and assistance to the immigrants, would get them registered to vote (often fraudulently), and then would rely on them to vote en masse for Tammany candidates. Tammany Hall stuffed ballot boxes, while extracting bribes and kickbacks from candidates and businesses, and while using young Irish “toughs” to keep supporters of the non-Tammany candidates from the polls. With its reliable ability to deliver votes (or fraudulent tallies) Tammany Hall became crucial to keeping the Democratic Party in control in New York.

The most notorious Tammany leader was William Marcy “Boss” Tweed. During the 1860s and early 1870s, Tweed and his “Ring” constructed an elaborate criminal/political network, extracting millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks from contractors, and essentially controlling all New York public works projects. It is estimated that Tweed and his cronies defrauded New York City out of as much as $2.4 billion in today’s money. Eventually Tweed became too bold and obvious, and his corruption was exposed by the New York Times, which at that time was the only Republican daily newspaper in the city. While the Times ran articles detailing Tammany’s fraud, Thomas Nast produced scathing anti-Tweed cartoons in Republican-owned Harper’s Weekly. Tweed was convicted of embezzlement but was given a sentence of only one year. He died in jail in 1878, while awaiting another trial.

Richard “Boss” Croker rose to the control of Tammany Hall in 1886. He had been charged with shooting a man to death at a polling place brawl in 1874 but was acquitted, controversially. Under Croker’s leadership, the organization tightened its grip on city politics, controlling all hiring in the city government and thus having the entire city workforce at its disposal, along with its loyal street gangs. Croker eventually retired and returned to his native Ireland, having grown immensely wealthy.

Tammany Hall’s corruption and attendant political domination continued into the 20th century. Not until the 1930s did its power begin to wane (thanks largely to Franklin Roosevelt’s support of Republican Fiorello LaGuardia) and by 1967 the organization has ceased to exist.

The Society of St. Tammany, a/k/a Tammany Hall, was created on May 12, 1789, two hundred thirty-four years ago today. The image is one of Thomas Nast’s cartoons, from 1871.