New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-24
T1uMANY INGENUOUSNESS.


The exceeding righteousness of the Tam
many mind affords really delightful subject
for contemplation. The large-eyed innocent
way in which the entire Tammany faction
stand of and wonder why it is that the County
Democracy will not jump at the chance to be
reconciled with them, forgetting old scores and
uniting in one grand harmonious swoop
upon the public plumber now In sight, is one
of the most interesting spectac!es OF current
politics. There was a touch OF assurance, not
to say impudencc, in the manner in which the
Tammany people totally ignored the reason for
being of the County Democracy, and the funda-
mental principle upon which that body was
organized, when they sent over committee OF
conference with statement that there were
really no causes of difference between them,
and no reason why all the factions should not
unite tremendously and lovingly IN the APP
preaching campaign. But that is surpassed
by the air of injured innocence with which they
received the report that the County Democracy
had rejected their oveTturcs, and had sent back
word that primaries for the election OF dele
gates to Buffalo had been called in tie regular
WAY by the organization recognized by the
State Convention and State Committee rs
aregular,r and that if the Tammany people
had any desire to be represented the only thing
for them to do would be to attend and take part
in those primaries. They complained that they
had been misunderstood, and grioved over 1t so
softly and deprecatingly that the heart of even
Robert b. Roosevelt must have been more or
less touched by it; aud when thOy raid they
should appeal to the Convention, it was not in
the old defiant way, but with folded hands and
the meekest air of resignation.
And then the smplc-mindedness with which
Mr. John Kelly, noticing the statement of the
County Democracy concerning the "regu.ar-
ityr of that organization, remarked that he had
always supposed that the majority of the party
was entitled to he recognized As regular. there
by intmating that If it was Il question of regu-
larity Tammany should have sole recognition
as having majority of the Democratic voters
in the city! What innocence and freshness our
friend John Kelly contains, 70 he sure! And
now conveniently he forgets everything that
has happened during the past iour years except
the solitary fact that IN single test of strength
Tammany Hall showed numerical superiority
over the rival faction There are Demo-
Gratis who remember that only four years
ago Mr.. Kelly led the Tammany delega-
ton out of State Convention and into
open revolt against the party, simply because
the majority of the Convention refused to obey
their dctation in the choice of "a candidate for
Governor. Mr.. Kelly was not SO meek and
soft-spoken then rs now. Neither he nor his
followers minced words about majority being
always considered regular. They simply did
not Ike the action of the majority, and So regu-
lar or irregular, repudiated it. For that action
Al. AL
gret Having established that pre- cedent, there
is no reason why, upon similar or even less
provocation, they may not refuse to be governed
by the will of the majority; no reason why they
may not bolt from the COnv sntiOn at Buffalo as
they did four years ago at Syracuse. No harm
can come to them for it, Tammlny has ma
iOrity of the Democratic voters III the city, and
if that makes regularity and entities to recog-
milton, they can claim admission to the next
Convention with just a. much justice a. to this.
THIS is the moso interesting feature in the local
Democratic situation: that 1ammany, instead
of paying auy penalty or receiving any punish
ment whatever for rebelng against party dis
cipline and boiling regular nominations, comes
calmly forward with q request to be specially
rewarded. The State Convention and the
party are requested to put premium On.bolt
| ing If the defeat of the Democratic party in
1879 and subsequently, had a lesson for any
| body,'it was not for Tammany, but for the ma
ority of the party. 1t may have taughC the
| party to avoid giving Tamnany any offense in
future; 1ammany learns nothing from it ex-
| cept to keep on its own way, defying party dis
| ciplne aud boiling wherever things do not 20
to suit. The indications now are that the
"A. 6 "a,
| ostentatous desire for harmony and peace, will
| BIZ rewarded by admission to the Convention
| And after that we cannot for the life of us see
the slightest occasion for prolongiDg the exist
ence of the organization Known us the County