The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-10-13

Eoor Kelly and His speech.
The address delivered by poor Kelly in
the Convention at Tammany Hall preceding
the nomination for judicial offices is a re-
markable illustration Of the condition into
which our New York politics have fallen.
Here is politician every dollar Of whose
money was obtained out Of the public treas
ury, who has given his whole life to politics,
who has been constantly seeking or holding
Office, who presumes to dictate to the people
of New York not only the names of their
candidates for the offices, but to throw from
the Bench and from high station officers
who have served the people with honor,
courage and fidelity. We do not re-
member to have heard more ar
rogant speech. We marvel that even
the delegates to this Convention, at least
those who are not lost to all sense of self
respect, did not rise and leave the hall in
which they were treated more like slaves
than like the representatives of a proud
political party. But poor Kelly had his
power and was resolved to WELD it; SO he not
only imposed upon these docile acqui-
escent subservient delegates" the men
whom he had resolved to nominate to Office,
but made virulent personal ATTACK upon an
officer who for long time has held the chief
position in the administration of criminal
justice in New York.
If our people are unanimous on any one
point it is that John X. Hackett is an honor
to the Bench. AS Recorder his administra-
ton has been terror to evil doors. lie has
held his high place without yielding to
Establishments or threats. AS one of our
contemporaries well remarks, he will be
elected by large majority, although every
thief, robber and cutthroat will vote against
him. The general opinion in favor of Mr..
Hackett's denomination was overwhelming.
This was shown in public expressions, in all
circles of society, in the newspapers without
among those members of the demo
cratic party who believed that the sue
cess of the Presidential ticket would
depend largely upon the victory in New
York. If poor Kelly was patriotic demo-
crat, if he had seen in this canvass some
a few local places, if he had believed in the
triumph of the democratic party in the next
Presidential election he would have risen
superior to all personal considerations and
given US candidates that would have assured
an overwhelming success to the democratic
party and to New York her proud posi-
ton as the Empire State of the democ-
racy. As it is, if the leaders Of the
anti-Tammany organizations, and espe-
cially the republican party, could have
dictated the course of their opponents,
they would have directed poor Kelly to
do precisely as he has done. His
whole nomination canvass might have been
the work Of General Arthur or District Attor-
ney Bliss directing the movements of their
enemies in order to make their own victory
secure. The administration party, which
otherwise would have been a mere fragment
Of New York politics. is now strong enough
to command its own nominations and to
make such an alliance with outside demo-
cratic fragments as to defeat the democratic
organization in New York The country will
see not alone that Tammany has been beaten,
because in the mysteries Of New York poll
tics the country is not deeply interested, but
that the democratic party has received
shock which will paralyze its influence in the
coming campaign for the Presidency