Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1889-09-09
Is History Repeating Itself :?


The kilograms advise us that John L.
Sullivan, of pugilistic fame, is about to
abandon the fstic arena, and is intent
upon entering upon a legislative career.
There is, after all, nothing specially sur
prising in this. Some ten or twelve
years ago the death of Mr.. John Guppy
was announced in the newspapers of
Great Britain. Mr.. Guppy had been for
thirty years previous to his death an
honored, unobtrusive and useful MEM
Der OF Parliament, and yet when he was
John L. Sullivan's age he was, like the
doughty Bostonian, a professional prize
fighter.
But we are not obliged to go to Eng
land for examples of prize.fghters be-
coming legislators. John Morrisey was a
striking instance Of how prizs.fghter
really became a very valuable public
man. When Morrisey first ran for Con-
gress the New York Times made a very
determined and bitter fight against him.
The great hitter, and successful opponent
of Bill Poole, for the first time in his life
went out Of his way to notice these at
tacks. He addressed letter to the
Times in which, in temperate and re-
spectful way, he narrated the incidents
of his life. He said, in substance, that
he was born bruiser and blackguard,
that of late years he had been steadily
emerging from his low environments,
and that he was impelled to geek higher
associations and better avenues for the
employment of his energies by his love
for his young son, to whom he was de-
sirous OF bequeathing better fame than
attached to the career of either gam
bier or a prize.fghter. Morrisey's manly
letter hit the public between wind and
water. He was elected, and reelected,
and proved to be an exceeding honest
and patriotic Congressman.
But Morrisey's career furnished still
more striking evidence of what an ex-
prizs-fghter may achieve. II it had not
been for his presence in the st. Louis
Convention in 1876 Mr.. John Kelly
would have defeated the nomination of
Mr.. Tilden for President. In the can.
vass that followed Mr.. Morrisey hung
steadily on the heels Of Mr.. Kelly, and
compelled him to toe the mark. Two or
three years later the Tammany Chief
sought his revenge. Morrisey had been
nominated for the State Senate in an
aristocrstic uptown district by a wing
of the Democracy. Kelly caused the
Tammany Democrats to nominate as his
opponent Hon. Augustus Schell, a
gentleman of great wealth and respecta-
bility, who had been for many years
Chairman Of the Democratic National
Committee. Kelly and nearly every
body else supposed that Morrisey's
political goose was cooked. 1t was
thought that Schell would surely be
elected, or, If he were not, that the
Republican candidate was sure winner.
Quite to the CONTRARY! From the open.
ing to the closing of the polls the aristo.
cratic equipages kept rolling up, deposit
ing millionaires from Fifth and Lexing-
ton avenues to cast their ballots for Nor
risey. The plutocrat, old Cornelius Van
derbilt, led the column of Morrisey's
friends. When the polls were closed it
was found that he had received an over
whelming plurality. lis matter of local
New York legislative history that he
proved himself an honest and incorrupt-
IDLE Senator. Shortly after his son died,
and this seemed to break the old Iron
sides heart. His own death soon fol-
lowed.
Sullivan has never given any evidence
of having about him the mettle which
made Morrisey, maugre his early sur
respected by the best men of
the nation. Outside Of his muscular de-
velopment, he seems to be veritable
moon-calf. His instincts, if not brutal
always, are always low. The fact that
he has graciously signifisd his intention
to affiliate with the Democratic party will
doubtless DO gratefully appreciated by
that organization.
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