New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-07-28
~ TT JVID .SH7TCHSH

Once moro Mr. Mcrrisscy "shes his castor
"ipto the ring" and invites his adversary to
"discuss.r 1t is long since Mr.. MoTisseys
defiant cry was heard; long since he published
in the columns of friendly press his invita-
ton to an opponent 10 try conclusions WIN
him. while the world stood off and waited the
issue. Since those lively days in the younger
time when he bore on his shoulder the SYM
bolic chip and was only too eager to "put up
"his hands" in q harroom or on the street or
in "twcnty-four foot ring he has in de-
gree dropped out of practice. What with the
cares of craftsmanship, the responsibilities of
the caucus, The cncrvating influences Of Congress
sonal life aud the wear aud tear oil running two
or three wards and as many faro-banks. Mr..
Monisscy seemed to have lost his intcrc,t IN
his old pursuits and pleasures. Once in while,
il is true we have heard of him as engaged
in animated political discussion on some high
tonic Of municipal administration. and OF MS
closing the debate with an argument called
"butting"-a unique and singulally ell 'ctive
logical process not known to the early schools
of philosophy or the later debating society
and lycclIm. 1t was his Own, and never failed.
But the worry of politics, OF taking care OF
the municipal government, of selecting the men
who should hold the Offices. and of fixing the
salaries of officials and the wages OF Iaborcrs,
has been so great that of late years he has
very rarely invited anybody ont TO "discuss.'
But now the light of battle il in his eye.
In n letter addressed to the Editor Of The
Herald, and dated at Saratoga, July 26 he
says:
Please ask Mr. Kc through your columns. to convene
the General Conmit.eo of Tannany Hall that he ana
myself may discuss me question rs to which OF us Is right
bcor. the whole b,d.hc may have all Tie oiicchodes
ON hi. sdc-and thereby oblige joins MoRLis~EY.
This has tho old defiant mig i'll it. Obvi-
ously Mr. MorTisscy means business. THAT
| "he and myself may discuss the question rs
"to which of us is right, before the whole
"b,dv," is the business to which he invites
Mr.. Kelly. "May discussw That = the enter
tanmeut Now, there are various Kinds of
discussion. There 5 such discussion, for in
stance, as they have in Congress when Mr..
John A. Logan shakes out the tanGles OF his
inky hair, and with the snort of an untamcd
bull p.ungcs into high debate on political
economy and iinancc. Then there's the kind of
discussion Mr. Morrisscy used to have with able
drlsltcrs Ike the laie Nr. Hccnan. when they
"called time" aud had - boitlc-holdcrs" and
threw up the sponge aud did various things
of that sort. Then there's the kind OF discus
sion to which reference has been made, which
seems to he fayoritc with Alr. M0rri'Scy,
and which consists in bringing the heads OF
the di<putants together; and there's the Kill
kenny driatc-a "dishcushn wild shticks.'
Mr.. Molrissey'- card or cartel, or whatever, is
lust tribe indefinite a. To the manner and
method of the debate. He invites Mr.. Kelly
to "discuss the question as to which OF
Gus is right, before the whole body" that
is. we presume (which Is the best man." Mr..
Morrisscy has discussed that question before,
upon several occasions, ard with several differ
ent persons, and usually with success. Indeed
all of bis debates that have had any notoriety
or prominence before the public have been
over the question which was the better man,
he or his opponent. We do not remember his
figuring in any other kind of discussion. We
presume then that this is to be- Il discussion in
the old style, perhaps a Kilkenny dcbate--a
"dislcusliin wild shticl,s," with the General
Committee OF Tammany Hall as spectators and
Judges We do not quite see the necessity fer
it in this weather, but MIR. MorriSsey seems to
have taken notion that way, and it would be
too bad to disappoint him. The country will
look forward to this "dishcuohin wild
"shicksn between the two champions with
the greatest interest.