The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-25
The city and County Election.

JOnn nelly Is likely 10 reap iroH INC Pio'
life seeds of mutiny which he sowed at
Syracuse? His bolt has been surprisingly
successful, considered merely as means OF
defeating the regular democratic candi-
date but will it contribute to the success
of Mr.. Kelly's local ticket? We do not see
of Mr.. Kelly's supporters can expect any
thing but disaster and humiliation in the
city and county election.
In forecasting the result of the local can
vass it must be borne in mind that MI
kelly's local ticket was badly beaten last
wear. when he was in good standing with
the democratic party, instead OF being
rebel. as he is at present. Last year Mr.
Kelly won a signal triumph in the Demo-
cratic State Convention. The Tammany
delegates were admitted to seats and their
rivals sent away with feas in their ears"
But this was not the great point OF
Mr.. Kelly's victory He had influence
enough in the State Convention of
1878 to secure a majority Of the
State Committee. When the committee
assembled and organized week or so
after their appointment the Kelly branch
was found to be in majority of two,
although year later the artful manipula-
ton of Mr.. Tilden had reversed this
majority when the State Committee met at
Niagara Falls. But it was not foreseen II
year ago that Mr.. Tilden would capture the
committee, and for the time being Mr..
Kelly enjoyed the prestige of great
success But even then, with his "blush-
ing honors thick upon him." he failed
to get his local ticket elected. Now,
how can he expect to succeed in his
local canvass, when he has put himself in
the attitude of bolter and rebel and has
furnished an excuse for boiling by his own
followers? Having been disastrously beaten
in the local contest last year when he had
not forfeited his regular standing in the
democratic party, how can he expect to
elect his local ticket this year when he has
raised the standard of revolt and set an
example of boiling which will justify u
bolt of his own followers against himself?
We must here pause a moment to pay
Mr.. Kelly compliment. We compliment
him on his disinterestedness. Disinterested
benevolence is a common phrase, but there
is such a thing as disinterested vengeance
Of which the illustrious Samson furnished
the greatest model when he leaned his
mighty shoulders against the pillars of the
Philistine temple and brought down
the edifce, crushing himself and his
enemies in the same catastrophe
That was a great example of ven
geance from which its author expected
no personal advantage. The blind Tam
many Samson has quite as little to expect
from his great feat of bringing down the
democratic party in tumbling ruins over
his own head. Poor irresolute Hamlet.
when he forebore to kill his wicked step
father on his knees in prayer, excused him
self by saying =
| Why this is hire and salary. not revenge.
Mr.. Kelly may reverse this language; it
is sheer revenge, and not hire and salary.
that impels him to defeat the democratic
party in New York and thereby destroy all
hope Of electing democratic President
The idea that he can succeed better in the
city canvass as a rebel against the party and
boiler than he did last year when he was
in harmony with the regular democracy is
absurd and ridiculous.
We know the reply that will be made to
this argument. 1t will be said that Mr..
Kelly's local ticket was defeated last year
by coalition between the republican sand
anti-Tammany democrats, and that no such
coalition is probable in the coming cleo
ton. Granted; but what then? Mr.
Kelly must have lost his wits if he sup
poses that the Tammany vote will be rs
large this year us it was last; if he sup
poses that no part of the city democrats
will desert him in consequence of his bolt
The prestige of regularity has always
counted for great deal in the politics
of the democratic party. Every voter who
last year supported the Tammany candi-
date for Mayor knew that the regiment
with which he was marching was part of
the regular democratic army but this year
the Tammany regiment is firing volleys
into the ranks Of its own comrades. Multi
tudes of city democrats who have hereto
fore kept step to the Tammany music will
prefer the interest of the party ne large to
the selfish pride and vengeance of the
leader of local faction. 1t is prepos-
ferrous to think that Tammany will be
as strong when fighting under n rebel flag
as it was when it had the prestige of demo-
cratic regularity because this would imply
that the whole body OF Tammany democrats
care more for Mr.. Kelly's spites than for
the success of their party and the triumph
ofits principles in the Presidential election.
We do not question at all that Mr.. Kelly
will retain u majority of his former sup
porters, but he needs to retain them nll--
nav. he needs to increase their number to
have any reasonable hope of regaining his
lost control Of local affairs; for if the anti
Tammany democrats cannot defeat his ticket