New York Daily Tribune

The Swan-Song of Starr.

Although the Alderman of the Ninth, in his diatribe against us contained in his speech announcing his withdrawal from public life, probably uttered more falsehoods to the square inch than even he could have intended, there is a moral to be deduced from the portion of it printed in our last which should not escape attention. That moral is—Have nothing to do with Congressmen or Aldermen of a certain type, nor even with their satellites, save to expose and reprove their misdoings: for no matter how innocent your intent or act, the naked fact that you are found in any sort of amicable relations with them will subject you to suspicion if not to reproach. You cannot touch pitch and not be defiled; and this defilement, though but superficial, is tenacious and very real. We have every day more and more reason to rejoice that, though for a quarter of a century busy with the public concerns of our city, we were never within sight or hearing of either branch of her Common Council. And though we may not hope always to escape the shafts of calumny, we shall feel safe in the enjoyment of a decent reputation while we can keep entirely clear of the purlieus of the City Hall.

But the expiring Alderman, we regret to perceive, is not only in very bad humor with the rest of mankind, but is at open war with himself. Here is his carefully prepared demonstration that the attacks of The Tribune have done him no harm whatever:

"I was apprehensive at the time that credence might have been given, by those to whom I was a stranger, to the libels circulated in the newspaper above alluded to. Circumstances, however, have recently transpired, which warrant me in the assertion that instead of injuring me, either in character or business, the foul attacks of the knave who penned the articles for the newspaper have had a contrary effect from that intended, and have resulted greatly to my advantage, pecuniary and otherwise. But one customer withdrew his patronage from me, and he so closely resembled the author of the libels, in character, that his withdrawal was to me a positive relief. I could well afford to lose such patrons, more particularly as their places were supplied by many deserving and honest men, whose good will, and kindly recognition as an associate and friend, is an honor of which any man might well be proud, so that the base intentions of this contemptible puppy to injure me in my business and private character, have only resulted to my positive advantage."

"Nor did his efforts to damage me, politically, meet with better success. The Republican Aldermanic Convention for the district which I have the honor to represent, have tendered me the unanimous nomination for the office of Alderman, which is equivalent to an election, and urged my acceptance. This was the most gratifying evidence, to my mind, that the villainous attacks of this penny-a-liner were harmless or powerless to do me injury, as a nomination in the Seventh Aldermanic District is, as before stated, equivalent to an election, and was so regarded when it was offered to me."

And here is what he has to say in the same breath on the other side of the question:

"I had made up my mind, never, under any circumstance, to be again a candidate for office under the City Government. The position of a representative in the Board of Aldermen I always regarded as one of honor, and one which entitled its possessor at least to the common civilities and amenities of civilized life. But I am now convinced that the contrary is the case, and that public sentiment, framed and directed by such harpies as control some of our newspapers, is against any man, no matter how upright, honorable and competent he may be, who has been or is connected with either of the legislative branches of the City Government. It is unfortunate that this is an incontrovertible fact: nevertheless it is so, and is one of the greatest calamities, in my opinion, that could befall the inhabitants of this city, and until a reaction takes place in public sentiment, no sensitive man will voluntarily assume the weight of odium that attaches to the position: at least, I will not; and with the expiration of the present year ceases all connection between me and the City Government: at least until such time as the public learn to place a correct estimate upon the representations of such unscrupulous and designing charlatans as now, in a great many instances, frame and control public opinion, to the detriment of all honorable and high minded men, who, voluntarily, and without fee or reward, consent to serve the public, only to be traduced and vilified, generally from interested motives, or to gratify personal piques of those who, unfortunately, have the means at their command of securing the public ear, and of using it to instill into the public mind the deadliest poison—the legitimate fruits of which is daily becoming more and more apparent to the most casual observer: and if the proper antidote is not speedily applied, will inevitably result in the utter demoralization, if not annihilation of the City Government."

Poor Starr!