The New York herald., 1879-09-12
Tammany Commits Suicide.


Tammany Hall having mutinied against
the democratic party was formally excom-
municated by the Democratic Convention
last evening, the resolution reciting that
the Tammany delegates left the Con-
vention not in consequence Of the
nomination of Governor Robinson, but
before he was nominated. At the samo
time the Tammany men, having called q
convention of their own, denounced the
regular Convention and nominated Mr..
John Kelly for Governor, who Immediately
appeared and accepted the nomination for
the purpose, as he said, of defeating the
regular democratic candidate.
This will be generally accepted as an act
of suicide by Tammany Hall, which has no
political life left when it ceases to be
regular" It has so long trained its ad-
herents to vote the regular ticket that we
suspect the detection will be less than Mr..
Kelly now anticipates. As Comptroller he
has but little patronage, and may lose that
next year. All the other city departments
are out of his hands or power; and while
his personal influence and efforts may do
something he will probably find that the
power of plain John Kelly is far less than
that which he welded as the head Of the
only democratic organization in the city
which could boast itself as the official and
admitted representative Of the party.
On the whole it will do the Tammany
braves no harm to shiver for while in the
shade. We have noticed that they are al
ways better men when they get outside of
the party organization. Prosperity is dan
gerous to them. They will now have time
to look after the real interests Of the
city and the rights and comfort of
its people As for the late comers,
such as Mr.. Dorsheimer and Mr. Field,
possibly they may think it wise to return
to the republican fold, to which they
formerly belonged. They may be pitied as
the victims Of misplaced confidence; they
meant to join the democratic party, but by
mistake joined what now proves to be only
an outside meeting.
Mr.. Kelly has one course open to him by
which he could secure the general approval
of his fellow citizens and re-establish him.
self in the party he has just left. Let him
go to work and utterly destroy Tammany as
political organization. That this ought
to be done no sensible voter doubts;
that it will be done without Mr.. Kelly's
help, if not with it, we hope and believe
It ought to have been done long ago. The
very name Of Tammany Is odious all over
the country; IL is hateful to the demo-
Gratis Of the interior; even Mr.. Kelly's
acknowledged honesty of purpose and
act could not make it respectable or
endurable. 1t was too great a load
for him to carry, and there is little doubt
that it contributed largely 70 his defeat at
Syracuse. Destroy it. It is an injury to
the party. 1t will be useless and worse to
Mr.. Kelly, aud he need not hope that II
will again be admitted to representation
In a democratic convention. The anti
Tammany men could not use 1t, If they
would; they would not dare to fly in the
face Of the general detestation in which II
is held. II they should take the trouble to
secure control Of 1t II would only be to
destroy IL and bury it hastily ont of the
way as an evil reminder of corrupt and de-
moralizing days.