The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-12-16
Kelly to His Heelers.
N. Y. Herald

John Kelly spoke piece" on Saturday
in the council of his immediate supporters
and admirers, which piece, in order that
the public might know the style Of the
orator. we have already printed. 1t IL true
we did not print it. in full. but We made
only such changes as wers.. necessary to
put the ''honored leaders" language
within the limits of common decency. He
said of his recent decent defeat
Tt has been said that Mr.. Kelly feels
badly being deprived of the office OF
ConiptroIter. Now it is not of much
consequence to Mr.. Kelly. He can
do without the Office. Let me say it was
not matter of any moment at ALL
This, it may be noted, is the first allu'
sion that Kelly has publicly made to the
enormous amounts of money he collected
from the city for shaving fellows con-
dsmned to be hanged. By his. enormous
fees collected as Sheriff he made fortune
OF course. and means that he can live upon,
it. Therefore another Office is mot OF
much consequence"
It will not be amiss, however, to deolars
that discharged the duties OF that office
faithfully, and my record in that otics is
evidence Of the fact.
Well. Kelly. ws.will know.Emore about
that when others have had the same OPP
portunity to examine youriaccounts in the
Comptroller's Office .as they.havs had to
examine the accounts you kept while
Sheriff.
In regardito theI democratic party he
said:-
Men have; Joined il temporarily and
have gone out of it when they failed to
get Office and have made combinations
with the republicans.
This is a piece of autobiography and
refers to KelIy's recent bolt of the dem
ocratic nomination aad his combination
with the republicans to elect republican
Governeri of the. State, and also to the
combination to give twelve thousand Tam
many votes to Garfield.
He assails the Mayor in this
For the character of that man his face
ia the index. 1t is said that physiogno-
mist can read the secrets OF the heart
his features. and Mr.. Cooper's character
is fully exemplifed in his face.
1t is true that the Major has manly
open couutenance. rather handsome than
otherwise; but it will occur to everybody
who has ever seen Kelly that he, of al
living men. should say least about the eyi
that nature has stamped upon mems faces
for the same reason that those who live IL
glass houses should not throw stones.
"Mr, Cooper" he continued, lacks
common honesty. and he has around him
to-day the vilest lot of characters IN thi:
city, and the people will one day rec
ogniZe that fact"
This is also thing that Kelly shoulc
not do-challengs the attention of thu
public to his following by inviting com
parison Of his adherents, with those Of any
other man.
At the close ofithis general -bulIyragg
ing of everybody who helped to put him i
his place he referred to the press, by which
he said, "the people are led away" tha
is, of course, away from John Kelly, AM
TO that extent he spoke the truth. H
further said, as If in special reference t
the HERALD / acknowledge the charac
ter and worth of the press, and consider
fortunate for the people that there is
press in existence and we may assur
him that the people are Of the sam
opinion.