New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-10-10
THE LEADING DEMOCRAT.


New-York for many years; 1t is in power Ill
many of the Northern and all of the Southern
States; has one branch of Congress, and as
pires to the control of the other, and hopes to
have the Administration of the General Gov
eminent, and the direction of political affairs
everywhere, intrusted to it. 1t is great and
powerful organization. Who are It's represent
alive men1 Who are the men who lead III It's
councils, direct its action, come to the
front on all important occasions, enjoy
its confidence and wear its honors
These are rather interesting questions,
when one considers that they are asked con-
corning the men who are almost absolute in
the affairs of great city; who are seeking to
he intrusted completely with the government
of the State, and who hope, in a few years. TO
have the handling of the finances and the
management of the political affairs of forty
millions of people. 1t is the peculiarly OF TINS
organization, that the leader of the greatest
political association in the largest city and the
largest State of the Union, is ecOgnzedthr0ugh-
out the country as the party clhcf-in the slang
of the party ITSELF "The Boss The position
was long held by Mr. VIM. NJ. Tweed. soc
"cupation: Statesman Religion: None"
While he held it no leader however high,
ever dared dispute his authority or oppose his
will He not only held this great city, with
all ITS material interests, i'll his grasp, but he
dir, ctcd the administration of the State Gov
eminent, and had Legislators at his disposal.
The most eminent mun in the party sought his
aid and accepted, not merely his counsel, but
his dictation. In the City and State, wher
Al, in no w.
the sccptrc. He swung the whole party,
and had the party been in control OF
the Federal Government, he would have
swung with the same grand audacity the whole
country. Does any one ask Why Simply be-
cause lie was the chief OF Tammany Hall, and
81 he Boss of the party. He fell from his
not because he robbed the tax
PAYERS and plundered the City and State, but
because he was caught at 1t at time when
public sentiment demanded honest govern
mcnt and even his own party did not dare
defend him. And now that he stands in the
dock, "a common criminal, reehng of without
shame or remoIse his States evidence and con-
fesson, we can see that he owed his great
success to nothing but his position rs =" Boss"
His successor succeeds to his power, if not
to the funess of his opportunity. Mr.. John
Kelly, by virtue of his accession to the Office
which Mr.. Tweed left vacant when he crossed
the river to Blackwcl's Island, is to-day " The
" Boss of the party. He distributes the pat
ronage. selects his delegates to conventions,
controls conventions, dictates the policy OF the
party and names its candidates. He now, and
not Mr. Tweed, is the Leading Democrat. To
him come all aspIrants for fame or favor;
without him, no Democrat may gain recogni-
ton on his merits with him to aid, no sutor
can suffer disappointment. Mr.. john Kelly
swings the city and the State. Having
now driven Mr.. Tilden. Governor Robin
son. Secretary BiGelOw, Attorney General
and all their following to the wall,
he is fully established i'll his place. The party
rise up to him with laundering applause when
ever he appears. In the State Conventions
there are cheers at the fantest mention OF
ms name, and his rising on the floor is the
signal for general outbreak of wild and
almost uncomfortable enthusiasm. No one
denies the commences of these demOnstra-
tons. But everybody knows that Mr.. Tweed
received the same-untl he was found out Ly
the public. What, then, does the Leading
Democrat representa- Has Mr. Kelly ever asked
himself that question Does Mr.. Kelly
know any special reason why he, OF all men,
should be devourcd with such elusive dis
PLAYS of affection Does any one recall in
the course of MIR. John Kelly's long and by no
means Improbable political career any great
act of craftsmanship, any public bencfaction,
any exhibition of genius, any discovery or
achievement in the domain OF politics or
morals, the memory OF which should stir up
those patriots to such OstentatiOus fondnesS I
With some little familiarity with the main
facts in Mr.. kelly's history, and the salient
features Of his political career, we confess
that we have not regarded him in such light,
either rs statesman, philosopher, philanthropist
or reformcr, IA to justify the large distnc-
ton awarded him. We are forced to the con-
cluson that it Is his position and not himself
to which Conventions bow down and the
party pays Difference. Where he sits is the
head of the table, not because he is John
Kelly, but because he sits in the seat of "The
" Boss" Tammany lifted him up to il. The
party recognizes him in it, and the Convention
delegates, seeing the vast extent of patronage
and influence already in hs hand, and the
tremendous possibilities that stretch beyond,
rise up and howl at the spectacle. And Mr..
Tweed, who was lately listening 70 the same
seductive music, looks on with a sardonic
smile. He knows what and how much it
means For he knows the whole crowd.
Is it worth while to turn over the State, as
well a. The City, to the Leading Democrat Is
it well TO give him the opportunity to strengthen
himself stl further for the larger contest three
years hcnce7 Upon the whole, had we better
have Boss" for the entire country They
say for Mr.. Kelly that he doesn't steal. We