Review of Gustavus Myers' "The History of Tammany Hall"
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Date Published: December 15, 2025
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“The History of Tammany Hall” by Gustavus Myers was published twice: in 1901 and 1917. Mr. Myers wrote the following in the Foreword of his 1917 version to explain these two publications and the problems with getting them published because of its subject matter: The Corruption of Tammany Hall.
“For reasons fully set forth in the preface of the 1901 edition, that book was brought out in the face of difficulties. Not the least of these was the self-expressed dread of certain publishing houses to bring out a work which (as some of them frankly admitted in their letters of declination) might bring reprisals to them in some unexplained form or other [from Tammany Hall].
“Hence to all intents and purposes, that first edition was in the nature of a restricted private edition. … It practically took rank as a suppressed book—not, it is true, suppressed by any particular agency, but by the circumstances of the case. … [the author eventually published the 1901 version of the book with the aid of a ‘publication fund’ to which many ‘public spirited citizens’ contributed.]
“To the present publishers [of the second edition by Boni & Liveright, Inc. in 1917] the author gives all due appreciation for their unqualified recognition of the need of the publication of this work.”
“For reasons fully set forth in the preface of the 1901 edition, that book was brought out in the face of difficulties. Not the least of these was the self-expressed dread of certain publishing houses to bring out a work which (as some of them frankly admitted in their letters of declination) might bring reprisals to them in some unexplained form or other [from Tammany Hall].
“Hence to all intents and purposes, that first edition was in the nature of a restricted private edition. … It practically took rank as a suppressed book—not, it is true, suppressed by any particular agency, but by the circumstances of the case. … [the author eventually published the 1901 version of the book with the aid of a ‘publication fund’ to which many ‘public spirited citizens’ contributed.]
“To the present publishers [of the second edition by Boni & Liveright, Inc. in 1917] the author gives all due appreciation for their unqualified recognition of the need of the publication of this work.”
“Introduction,” Gustavus Myers, 1917
A Review of “The History of Tammany Hall” by Gustavus Myers
- Reviews of the Day: 1901 & 1917
- Selected Insights from “Tammany Hall” by Gustavus Myers
- This Author’s Thoughts on “Tammany Hall” by Gustavus Myers
Reviews of the Day: Two Releases in 1901 and 1917
- This Book Is Not an “Dispassionate and Impartial History” of Tammany Hall
Front cover of the 1917 book: “The History of Tammany Hall.”
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On January 4, 1901, The Brooklyn Eagle published a review of Gustavus Myers’ book: “The History of Tammany Hall.” In the review entitled “The Day’s Review: A History of Tammany Hall,” the paper’s editors wrote—in part, the following:
“In justice to the public, to whom the book is offered, it must be said that instead of being a dispassionate and impartial history of the political organization which has controlled the city for many years, it is at best a campaign tract directed against that organization. … It must be concluded that Mr. Myers is impressionable and finds it difficult to handle his facts with judicial fairness. … The book contains much history, but, unfortunately, it will be misleading to those who have no other source of information about events here than its pages. … “Yet this volume contains much information in compact shape, and if one is warned beforehand that in reading it he should distinguish carefully between what the records show as proved and what is merely gossip and the rehashed attacks of political opponents, he can get a pretty fair knowledge of what Tammany has been and done.” |
“The Day’s Review,” The Brooklyn Eagle, 1901
Although Gustavus Myers does not call out any individual papers for ridicule or accreditation during this period (only offering some good, in-depth insights into Tammany that he credited to The New York Times) because to do such would have presented results that were “generally contradictory and inconclusive,” The Brooklyn Eagle was located in Brooklyn—one of the beating hearts of this organization. So, read this review with that in mind. It was close to the action and easily affected by Tammany—for good or bad.
- Gustavus Myers Takes Tammany Hall to Task and “Proves His Point”
A high-quality, black-and-white drawing of the book, “The History of Tammany Hall” by Gustavus Myers, depicting Tammany as a “tiger” with its paw in the cookie jar.
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On April 10, 1901, The Buffalo Evening News, Buffalo, New York published a review of Gustavus Myers’ book: “The History of Tammany Hall.” Utilizing a reprint of an article in the April Literary Era of “The Observer” the paper highlighted—in part, the following:
“In short, Gustavus Myers contends in his book ‘A History of Tammany Hall’ that from nearly the beginning of its active political career, Tammany, with few and generally brief interruptions, has continued to steal from the city, the State and the nation—the interruptions in the practice generally coinciding with the periods when Tammany has been deprived of political power. “ ‘And the best and the worst of this is’ that he proves his point.” |
“Under the Black Flag,” The Buffalo Evening News, 1901
The tiger [shown above] as the symbol that represented Tammany Hall dates from the time of the founding of The Americus Club. The Americus Club, for a long time was Tweed’s favorite quarters, and at times the place where Tammany politics were formed. The club started with William M. Tweed as its “foremost luminary. A tiger was the emblem of the Americus Club, and in Mr. Nast’s cartoons the tiger frequently appears, with the word AMERICUS on its collar. In all probability, Mr. Nast was responsible for the transference of the symbol from the AMERICUS club to the Tammany organization. To support this supposition, Gustavus Myers through his research was unable to find any earlier reference to the “Tammany Tiger” before Thomas Nast’s usage in cartoons such as this.
- The 1917 Update and Reprint of “The History of Tammany Hall” is Timely
On November 5, 1917, The New York Tribune the editorial section carried a review of Gustavus Myers’ book: “The History of Tammany Hall.” In this review entitled “What Tammany Was,” the editors comment—in part, the following:
“It is particularly timely that a new edition of Mr. Gustavus Myers’ admirable book “The History of Tammany Hall” should be given to the public in the height of the municipal campaign. A generation has come along since the old days when Tammany was a stench in the nostrils of decent citizens, with its red lights, its police graft, and its contractor’s loot. …
“As the historian [Gustavus Myers] presents it, the difference between the Tammany of Tweed and Croker, and the Tammany of Murphy was the difference between the thug who blackjacks a man and robs him, and the financial operator who obtains his money under guise of the law. … Most of these events have faded from memory. It is well that they should be recalled now. …
"Mr. Myers’ book does a genuine service to voters who are willing to think about this election by presenting facts for them to ponder.”
“It is particularly timely that a new edition of Mr. Gustavus Myers’ admirable book “The History of Tammany Hall” should be given to the public in the height of the municipal campaign. A generation has come along since the old days when Tammany was a stench in the nostrils of decent citizens, with its red lights, its police graft, and its contractor’s loot. …
“As the historian [Gustavus Myers] presents it, the difference between the Tammany of Tweed and Croker, and the Tammany of Murphy was the difference between the thug who blackjacks a man and robs him, and the financial operator who obtains his money under guise of the law. … Most of these events have faded from memory. It is well that they should be recalled now. …
"Mr. Myers’ book does a genuine service to voters who are willing to think about this election by presenting facts for them to ponder.”
“What Tammany Was,” Editorial Page, The New York Tribune, 1917
Selected Insights/Quotes from “Tammany Hall” by Myers
- The Tammany Ring feared “Caricature More Than the Facts” in the Newspapers
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“The members of the “Tammany ring” affected an air of unconcern regarding the disclosures [of graft in ‘The New York Times’]. When Tweed was questioned as to the charges, he made his famous reply: ‘What are you going to do about it?’
“He professed not to care about the newspaper attacks. “Yet Thomas Nast’s terribly effective cartoons pierced him to the heart. Tweed commented on Thomas Nast’s cartoons [one such cartoon depicted here]: ‘If those picture papers would only leave me alone,’ he lamented, ‘I wouldn’t care for all the rest. " 'The people get used to seeing me in stripes, and by and by grow to think I ought to be in prison.’ " |
Cartoon: "Tammany Ring Passing the Buck"
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“The History of Tammany Hall,” Gustavus Myers, 1917
- Gustavus Myers Believed That Truth Revealed Would Defeat Tammany
“The downfall of the “Tammany ring” was inevitable. No such stupendous series of frauds could reasonably be expected to continue once the proper machinery for their exposure and for the awakening of the dormant public conscience was put in motion.
“Protests and complaints and even concerted opposition might for a time prove futile—as indeed they did; but the wind bad been sown for the reaping of the whirlwind, and it could not be averted.”
“Protests and complaints and even concerted opposition might for a time prove futile—as indeed they did; but the wind bad been sown for the reaping of the whirlwind, and it could not be averted.”
“The History of Tammany Hall,” Gustavus Myers, 1917
- The "Tweed Ring" Was Effective Because It was Authoritarian and Decentralized
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“Tweed’s organization was wonderfully effective.
“The society stood ready at a moment’s notice to expel from the Wigwam [the central organization] any person or group obnoxious to him. The general committee was subservient. In every ward he had a reliable representative—a leader, whose duty was to see that his particular district should return its expected majority. “Under the leaders there were sub-leaders, clubs and associations, and captains of every election district. The organization covered every block in town with unceasing vigilance, acquainting itself with the politics of every voter. The moment a leader lost his popularity or hesitated at scruples of any sort, Tweed dismissed him; only vote-getters and henchmen were wanted. “So large was his personal following, that he not only caused thousands to be appointed to superfluous offices, but had city retainers in place, whom he … let think were being paid by the city.” “He had no difficulty in buying off the competition, as in the case of one ‘Citizen’s Association,’ whose principal men he caused to be appointed to various lucrative positions in the city government.’ ” |
A high-quality, black-and-white image showing that Gustavus Myer’s “The History of Tammany Hall” was self-published in 1901.
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“The History of Tammany Hall,” Gustavus Myers, 1917
This Author’s Perceptions on "Tammany Hall" by Gustavus Myers
These two works by Gustavus Myers are an ongoing detailed analysis of Tammany Hall’s historical accomplishments and numerous misdeeds from its beginnings through 1917.
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I took up these two works for research after reading how Thomas J. Watson Sr. had worked through the New York City Merchant’s Association to implement proportional voting in an attempt to finally dismantle the Tammany organization with the efforts of Mayor La Guardia.
These efforts behind implementing a proportional voting methodology in New York City were in 1933 and occurred approximately a decade and a half after the 1917 release of this book in its final form. These efforts to implement proportional voting are documented in the press coverage of a meeting of the Merchant’s Association of New York City held on February 20, 1933. The Association’s eight-point plan recommendation had “at its core” a new proportional, voting representational system. Four years later the press reported, “Tammany Hall’s 137-year-old political structure was wrecked today … as tabulators established the final score in New York City.” Tammany Hall was weakened with an implementation of proportional representation within the city and its boroughs because of the will of the people and the leadership of Tom Watson who proposed voting changes through the Merchants’ Association. |
A black-and-white portrait of a young Gustavus Myers.
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The editorial section of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote:
“This machine … has a series of dials which the voter turns to indicate his first choice, second choice, and so on. Space is also provided for writing in the names of candidates not listed on the ballot. When the voter leaves the booth, a card is automatically punched with holes registering his choices. The card falls into a box which can be opened only at the central counting place. ... These cards are counted by tabulating machines, and it is estimated that they would enable the result of a New York election to be known early the following day. … A reporter for the New York World-Telegram wrote that he found them ‘less complicated and bewildering than the voting machines already in use.’ ”
The books by Gustavus Myers didn’t provide me with any new information that would be useful in my studies of Tom Watson’s impact on the political of business leadership of New York City. It provided many details on how Tammany Hall worked which were probably still in operation—probably less effectively though, than prior to 1917. This would have been about the time Tom Watson arrived in New York City.
In 1916, Thomas J. Watson Sr. was listed as a member of the Merchant’s Association; from 1931 to 1933, he was President of the Association; and in the 1932 timeframe mentioned above, he was Chairman of the Executive Committee.
Overall, this was a good historical work documenting the beginnings of Tammany Hall but it had little to offer in the way of any further information on how Thomas J. Watson and Mayor La Guardia took on corruption in the city.
Filed on my bookshelf, but probably won’t be reread.
Cheers,
- Peter E.
“This machine … has a series of dials which the voter turns to indicate his first choice, second choice, and so on. Space is also provided for writing in the names of candidates not listed on the ballot. When the voter leaves the booth, a card is automatically punched with holes registering his choices. The card falls into a box which can be opened only at the central counting place. ... These cards are counted by tabulating machines, and it is estimated that they would enable the result of a New York election to be known early the following day. … A reporter for the New York World-Telegram wrote that he found them ‘less complicated and bewildering than the voting machines already in use.’ ”
The books by Gustavus Myers didn’t provide me with any new information that would be useful in my studies of Tom Watson’s impact on the political of business leadership of New York City. It provided many details on how Tammany Hall worked which were probably still in operation—probably less effectively though, than prior to 1917. This would have been about the time Tom Watson arrived in New York City.
In 1916, Thomas J. Watson Sr. was listed as a member of the Merchant’s Association; from 1931 to 1933, he was President of the Association; and in the 1932 timeframe mentioned above, he was Chairman of the Executive Committee.
Overall, this was a good historical work documenting the beginnings of Tammany Hall but it had little to offer in the way of any further information on how Thomas J. Watson and Mayor La Guardia took on corruption in the city.
Filed on my bookshelf, but probably won’t be reread.
Cheers,
- Peter E.