New-York tribune., 1879-09-15
THE DIrlyr RIGnT or BOLTIyG.

THE Divine RIGHT or BOLTING.
There was period, not so far back in his
tory but that the youngest voter can remem-
Der il. when the boiling was all done by Re
publicans. At an unsatisfactory nomination,
or distastcful platform. or any imaginary or
real grievance growing ont of the party man
ocement or policy, these Republicans whose
party allegiance sat lightly, as 1t does on most
of them. felt at perfect liberty to paci, their
knapsacks and get out of the camp, either
TO 20 over 10 the opposition or organ
ize a snug little independent movement
The divine right of boiling, If 1t has
never been looked upon with favor, nor ever
been formally set forth rs an article OF politl-
cal faith. has at least always been exercised.
with absolute freedom and utter disregard OF
the restraints Of party discipline. And Ii is Il
Singular fact that in all those years IN which
from one cause and another Republican bolt
jn, has been going on, the bOlters have inva-
riahlv been sustained in their position by
Drmocr,tic ncwspapers. This not because OF
The injury done TO the Republican cause and
the advantage accruing 70 their oWn-oh no.
let DO such unjust suspicion be harborcd for
4 mOment-but because of the principle at
sake; because every voter should exercise
his OWE independent Judgment and not per-
nit his political action to be controlled by the
dictllm Of a party caucus. And how they did
auulaud from one end of the country to the
other, whenever Republican bolted n0mi-
nation or dehed caucus. The independent
Voter who has figured more or less III the
poltics of the past eight years was always
Republcan dissatisfied with the action of his
own partv and taking the Democratic ticket
as his choice of evils. He never a dissat-
isfed Democrat voting the Republican ticket.
The consequence was that the Independent
Voter WAS petted, caressed and fondlcd by the
Democratic newspaper TO such an extent that
in some doubtful OF hopeless districts they
nominated him for office; not, of course, to
distract and worry the opposition, but simply to
show their appreciation OF political indepen-
dcnce. They never happened to nominate him
in sure Democratic district but that vas
doubtless accidental.
We regret TO see that many OF these appre-
ciatiye Journals are discussing the present
bolt of John Kelly ana Tammany Hall In
! different spirit from that i'll which they used
to talk about the manly and courageous
action of Republicans who refused TO abide
by the caucus. They used to talk as though
| the perpetuity of free institutions was fmpcr-
illed and the rights OF man were placed in jeop-
ardy by the tyranny of caucus and the slavish
habit of submission to its will Now they are
talking as though the revolt of the Tammany
Hall Democracy were crime against the
| Constitution, to be punished 10y Outlawry.
They Slll Mr.. John Kelly, whom they lately
praised as wise and honest statesman and
great party leader, by the hardest names.
They denounce Tammany Hall, whence
lately they derived their political inspir-
! alton, as corrupt and mschlevOus
organization that had too long dOmi-
neered over the party, and say angrlly it's
good 1iddance that 1t has taken itself ont.
They see nothing manly or courageous in its
action nothing to admire in its assertion of
independence; nothing to praise in its mo-
tives or to Justify in ito conduct. 1t makes
difference, of course, whether it is Republicans
or Democrats who bolt regular nomination.
In the one il is manly, i'll the other disgrace
full. To the one they give "tatfy" and soft
words; to the other dcnunciati0n and abuse.
And vet il seems to be IN exercise in both
cases of the divine right OF boiling. Why
should il be so admirable in one and so CEN
rurable in the otherl We would like 10 be-
heve that ali these gentlemen Were sincere
when they were prasing Republicans for as
scrfing against caucus dictatiOn the right
Of independent judgment; but We confess
that when we see them denouncing so
earnestly the assertion Of that right
by members of their own party we are almost
inclined to suspect that they think more Of
party success than OF any principle that may
hc Involved.
1t is hardly necessary to say that TIE
TRBrNE believes in fhe right Of Mr..
Kelly or any other Democrat, or n whole
body Of Democrats like the Tammany or
g4nization. to support or bolt IA nomination
as tlcy please. II has always maintained the
rielt OF every voter 20 tie excicisc OF li5
own independent Judgment Party discipline
goes for yoiy Ettlc with us-iudecd for very
little Nth most Republicans. We believe that
when party Is held together by 10 stronger
tie than tiat. that IL i time it fell 70 pieces.
These warring factions of Democracy are at
odds, so far can see, only upon the
questions of the spoils and the division OF pub
hc plunicr. Il is not a very lofty cause
for quarrel; but such a. IL Is, there Is
ja-t rs much night on either side to
.ti,Y m