New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-10
"KEYNOTE AND BUGLE BLAST"

At the beginning of the rather eloquent
speech which he fired over the heads OF MS
audience in the Cooper Union Thursday night
Mr.. Frederic r. .Coudert said "There ought
to be, and there generally is, keynote i'll every
campaign that is one bugle blast OF defiance
from one party, arousing enthusiasm and chal-
Longing discussion upon some great dominant
TOPIC that interests the people. But we hear no
KEYNOTE in this fight" Mr.. Coudert proceeded
at once TO supply the omission. Keynote" and
"bugle blast of defiance" are both found in the
frank and outSpoken utterance which followed :
"If our party is governed by wicked organ
izaton that is our affair; Ieproaches upon this
head from our opponents are irrelevant, ana
suggestions Of reform are obviously impert-
nent.n Clearer keynote or more defiant bugle
blast than this could hardly be given The
citizens of this State who think its government
is partly their affair." and who are not quite
ready to admit that any suggestion of reform
they may make to the arrogant and dictatorlal
organization which owns the city and aspires to
own the State is Irrelevant or obviously i'm
pertinent" will do we'll to heed its significance.
We acquit Mr.. Coudert Of any intention to
give offence He only said what the occasion
suggested to him. No doubt it does seem to
him, and perhaps to other reputable persons OF
his Way of thinking, an obvious impel tnenc9
TO suggest reforms or criticise the methods OF
the ruling powers. And he is certainly moro
Dolite about it than the famous Democratic
leader who some years ago expressed the same
sentiment in the sneering inquiry, What are
YOU going to do about ii? ~ Mr.. Tweed, too,
thought suggestions of reform were obviously
tl,a4 hiu low n nd
hugle blast of defancen Mr.. Couderts view is
that the city and State Of New York are the
property of the Democratic party-that was
statesman TweeI's view-that any suggestions
rs to the management of it's affairs from per-
sons outside Of that party are obviously I'M
pertinent." and, no matter what he and other
rep1tab e Democrats have said in the past about
the corruption, treachery and vileneSs OF Tam
many Hall, if he and they are willing to be
governed by it, surrender the party machinery
to it, and turn over the State to it-why, whose
business is it? Isn't it simply "Our affair."?
"Our affair." Mr.. COudeIt? For whom are
YOU speaking? Have TamRany Hall methods
changed any since you and your County Dem
ocrats began war against them as source of
corruption and a menace to free institutions?
JN'N
as when MIR. Tiden, Mr.. Hewitt, Ellery An
derson, yourself and others began war against
them AS bad, and worse? For have they
Mt waxed fat and kicked you people out of
even the ante-roCms Of power? Simply "our
affair" is it, if you reputable gentlemen who
for zen years past have kept up distinct party
organization in this city because, as you said
the Tammany concern vicious, rotten, dan
gerOus, have turned tail on your own instruc-
lions and decided to surrender everything to tho
vicious, rotten and dangerous concern?
What are you driving at, Mr.. COudert, you
and your County Democrats? Because you
want Grover Cleveland nominated for Presi-
dent, and must conciliate Tammany to bring it
about are you going to let Tammany have
everything it wants, even to the supreme JOY
of making you gentlemen eat dirt and say you
like it? And so long as you are satisfied to do
it, do you think it is irrelevant and "Ob-
yiously impeltnent' for any one else to OBJ
iect? Thank you for your frankness, Mr.
Coudert. 1t is not so brutal as Tweeds, but
IL ,.;lI corya