TheRepublicanAssociationofwhichIbecameamemberhelditsmeetingsinMortonHall，alarge，barn-likeroomoverasaloon。Itsfurniturewasofthecanonicalkind：dingybenches，spittoons，adaisatoneendwithatableandchairandastoutpitcherforicedwater，andonthewallspicturesofGeneralGrant，andofLeviP。Morton，towhosegenerosityweowedtheroom。Wehadregularmeetingsonceortwiceamonth，andbetweentimestheplacewastreated，atleastoncertainnights，asakindofclub-room。Iwentaroundthereoftenenoughtohavethemengetaccustomedtomeandtohavemegetaccustomedtothem，sothatwebegantospeakthesamelanguage，andsothateachcouldbegintolivedownintheother’smindwhatBretHartehascalled“thedefectivemoralqualityofbeingastranger。”Itisnotoftenthatamancanmakeopportunitiesforhimself。Buthecanputhimselfinsuchshapethatwhenoriftheopportunitiescomeheisreadytotakeadvantageofthem。ThiswaswhathappenedtomeinconnectionwithmyexperiencesinMortonHall。Isoonbecameongoodtermswithanumberoftheordinary“heelers“andevensomeoftheminorleaders。ThebigleaderwasJakeHess，whotreatedmewithratherdistantaffability。Therewereprominentlawyersandbusinessmenwhobelonged，buttheytooklittlepartintheactualmeetings。
Whattheydidwasdoneelsewhere。TherunningofthemachinewaslefttoJakeHessandhiscaptainsoftensandofhundreds。
AmongtheselessercaptainsIsoonstruckupafriendshipwithJoeMurray，afriendshipwhichisasstrongnowasitwasthirty-threeyearsago。HehadbeenborninIreland，butbroughttoNewYorkbyhisparentswhenhewasthreeorfouryearsold，and，asheexpressedit，“raisedasabarefootedboyonFirstAvenue。”WhennoteighteenhehadenlistedintheArmyofthePotomacandtakenpartinthecampaignthatclosedtheCivilWar。ThenhecamebacktoFirstAvenue，and，beingafearless，powerful，energeticyoungfellow，carelessandreckless，speedilygrewtosomeprominenceasleaderofagang。Inthatdistrict，andatthattime，politicswasaroughbusiness，andTammanyHallheldunquestionedsway。ThedistrictwasoverwhelminglyDemocratic，andJoeandhisfriendswereDemocratswhoonelectiondayperformedtheusualgangworkforthelocalDemocraticleader，whosebusinessitwastofavorandrewardtheminreturn。Thissamelocalleader，likemanyothergreaterleaders，becamepuffedupbyprosperity，andforgottheinstrumentsthroughwhichhehadachievedprosperity。Afteroneelectionheshowedacallousindifferencetothehardworkofthegangandcompletedisregardofhisbefore-electionpromises。Hecountedupontheresentmentwearingitselfout，asusual，inthreatsandbluster。
ButJoeMurraywasnotamanwhoforgot。Heexplainedtohisganghispurposesandthenecessityofbeingquiet。Accordinglytheywaitedfortheirrevengeuntilthenextelectionday。Theythen，asJoeexpressedit，decided“tovotefurdestawayfromtheleader“——IamusingthelanguageofJoe’syouth——andthebestwaytodothiswastovotetheRepublicanticket。Inthosedayseachpartyhadaboothnearthepolling-placeineachelectiondistrict，wherethepartyrepresentativedispensedthepartyballots。Thishadbeenadistrictinwhich，asarule，veryearlyinthedaytheRepublicanelectionleaderhadhishatknockedoverhiseyesandhisboothkickedoverandhisballotsscattered；andthenthesizeoftheDemocraticmajoritydependedonanelasticappreciationofexactlyhowmuchwasdemandedfromheadquarters。Butonthisdaythingswentdifferently。Thegang，withaRomansenseofduty，tookanactiveinterestinseeingthattheRepublicanwasgivenhisfullrights。Moreover，theymadethemostenergeticreprisalsontheiropponents，andastheyweredistinctlythetoughandfightingelement，justicecametoherownwithawhoop。
Would-berepeaterswerethrownoutontheirheads。Everypersonwhocouldbecajoledor，Ifear，intimidated，wasgiventheRepublicanticket，andtheupshotwasthatattheendofthedayadistrictwhichhadneverhithertopolledmorethantwoorthreepercentofitsvoteRepublicanbrokeaboutevenbetweenthetwoparties。