The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-12-24
More Evidence of John EelIy's Trsach-
cry


cry.
The New York Herald continues the
attack on John Kelly. and charges him
with being solely responsible for the loss
of New York to the Democrats. In its
issue of Dec. 81. it says
''Whom the gods would destroy they
first make mad" When Boss Twecd's
ex-Sheriff Kelly was kicked out OF the
oomptrollsr's Office the clownish antics IN
which he INDUCED while abusing the men
who had punished him for his official
nisdeeds as well as for his treason to the
Democratic party were attributed to his
natural ooarseness, blackguardism and
brutality. A few persons, however. in
sisted that he had lost his head in his wild
rage at his defeat and exposure, and this
theory will be confirmed by his laundering
attempt to wriggls out OF the position IN
which he has been left by his notorious
treachery. IF any proof were needed
beyond the well known facts that Kelly
gave the state to the Republicans last
year, and punched" twenty FIVE or thirty
Thousand Garfield electoral tickets in the
Tammany boxes this year, to prove his
political perfdy it is supplied by the
figures he quotes IN q statement which be
lIQDuC0DIlY aQUE6kE6B 10 the OCEuCCEa Cy
of the state of New York.
ANUNRxPEcTED BUT BLUNDERING FIGURE.
However expert Kelly may have
become under the tutelase of Watson and
Bill Tweed in connecting fees in the Sher-
IFS Office and IN swelling the charges for
sallows building and for murderer's last
shave he shows himself to be an ignorant
bungler in handling the figures of an cleo
ton. He groups together certain returns
with the idea that he is sharp enough 20
twist them into evidence that Samuel j..
Tilden and his friends, and not Kelly and
his heslers, are the real traitors who gave
New York to the republicans and thus
defeated General Hancock. And the
very figures he quotes carry home to him
the treason he practicsd and make bis
guilt even clearer than it was before. 1t
is, of course, understood by every inteli
gent person that the electoral vote OF New
York il transferred from Garfield to
Hancock would have elected the latter and
restored the democratic party to power in
the nation after an absence of twenty
years. Ii was as we'll known betore the
election of 1879 as il ia known to day that
New York was to be the pivotal State In
the Presidential contest; that without this
thiVty-6veselsctoral votes the republicans
stood barely chance of electing their
candidate, and: that with its thirty i've
electoral votes the democracy
was almost certain of success. 1t was
known also in 1879 that whichever party
could carry the State election that year
would, in all human probability, secure
the New York electoral vote in the Presi
dent contest twelve months later The
entire State government was then TO be
chosen-Governor Lieutenant Governor.
Secretary of State. Comptroller, Treasur-
er. Attorney General and State Engineer
giving to the successful party the powerful
Office of Superintendent Of Public " orks,
with the vast patronage OF the canals
stretching from end to end Of the State,
the scarcely less important position of Sup
erintendent of State Prisons, with the
patronage of these institutions and the
valuable infunce of contractors; the vari-
GUS Boards controlling all State affairs; the
department of Public Instruction. Banks
aud Insurance; the Quarantine Commits
sion, the Health Officer of the Port of New
I ork, the Captain of the Port, HarboI
Masters. Port Wardens. Commissioners
OF Emigration land all the large State
patronage concentrated in the city OF New
York. 1t was almost q certainty that il
the republicans could secure this great
power in addition TO federal offices already
curry the State ia the Presidential contest
It was an absolute certainty that in 1875
they stood no chance Of wrestiue
the State from Democratic hand,
unless through some secret treachery OF
open revolt in the democratic ranks. A.
this important crises in the fortunes of tbs
rival political organization John Kelly
turned traitor to his party, and joining
hands with the republicans struck biz
knife into the heart of the democracy
Not one citizen Of the United Seates at al
conversant with political affairs believed
before the election of last year that Mr.
Cornell, the republican candidate toI
Governor, or any one of his associates o,
the ticket of 1879, could be elected with
out Kelly's aid. The result proved tina
30 Kelly's treason alone did they owe then
success. The traitor Kelly received IT..
900 votes and Cornell was elected by q
plurality of $4,000. John Kelly gave the
republicans in 1879 the State governme nt
and the State patronage to aid them in
electiDg their President by the means OF
New York's electoral vote in 1880,
RESULT OF A TRAITORS WORK.
AS if to complete the record of his in
fanny, John Kelly now stupidity croups
together the election returns of certain
~; al, l., Tr.l