Year: 1879

| itself than In its relations to the demo-
cratic Presidential nomination. Mr.. Kelly
does not belong to the order of astute and
subtle politicians; he is no Talleyrand.
much less Machiavelli, but a plain,
blunt, resolute, pugnacious citizen.
who is incapable of refined politi-
cal man1uvres, and has no purposes
which he does not swear upon his sleeve. ="
If left to himself he would be no match for
so artful and secretive politician as Mr..
Tilden. Mr.. Kelly in politics is like those
military commanders of limited faculties
who know no strategy but to make fierce
attack on the enemy wherever they find
him, and trust everything to the result of
obstinate hard fighting. If, therefore, Mr..
Kelly had not dexterous allies behind the
scenes who keep themselves out of sight
to make their cooperation more effective,
he would easily be foiled by the crafty old
political fox who has done SO much to un-
dermine him in the politics of the city,
which is Mr.. Kelly's stronghold.


MIR. Kelly's bull-headed opposition to the
denomination of Governor Robinson came
so near success as to depend on the action
of the Kings county delegation, because
he had coadjutors in the State at
large who cared nothing for his boil
ing resentment over the Governors re-
moval of Gumbleton, but who welcomed
what seemed 10 them chance of unhors-
ing Mr.. Tilden. The astute anti-Tilden
democrats in the interior OF the State cared
nothing Tor the petty quarrel about Gum
bleton and the Police Commissioners, but
they saw their opportunity for utilizing Mr.
Kelly's wounded pride and were willing to
make the most OF it They are as ready
to turn the bolt to account as they
were to take advantage of the local
quarrel. Had they actively intervened
they might perhaps have prevented the
bolt. but they were willing it should take
place SO long as they were not openly I'M
plicated Not by any means that they are
Indifferent to the success of the democratic
party, but they have an abiding conviction
that second nomination of Mr.. Tilden
would be fatal since the damaging ex-
posure of the cipher dispatches. Having
failed to defeat him in the Convention
they think it justitiable to make
further use Of Mr.. Kellys indomitable
pugnacity in frustrating Mr.. Tilden's
aspirations. Mr.. Kelly's abettors behind the
scenes have double aim. One part of this
aim is to demonstrate that Mr. Tilden could
not carry the State next year the other is
to show that the democratic party can carry
| New York if disancum bered OF this cold
Man of the Sea"


1t is a refined and risky game, which Mr..
| Tilden's democratic enemies are willing to
see played-one which they would not at
tempt if they were compelled to assume the
responsibility Of its initiation. The chances
are very much against its success; but since
there is mad bull and a red rag in the
arena without their procurement, and since
the Tammany bolt insures the defeat of
Robinson and the election of Cornell, the
as well try to avail themselves Of the Incl
dental advantages of the situation as to
leave the State canvass to 60 by default.


1t may be ''hoping against hope" to ex.
pect to save anything from the wreck, but
there is nevertheless chance. The Tam
many boilers have proclaimed their pur-
pose to support all the State candidates ex-
cept the nominee for Governor. There is
no reason tor doubling the sincerity Of this
declaration. Now if, against the proba-
bilities Of the situation, Robinson
should be defeated and the balance
of the ticket elected, the demo-
cratic party of the country at large will
have no reason for despair. Such result
would prove the inability of Mr.. Tilden to
carry the State, and would show at the same
time the possibility of q democratic victory
in New York with q Presidential candidate
who could unite the party. In any
event the defeat of Robinson will
be defeat of Tilden. II the whole
State ticket is engulfed with Robin
son it will make no difference whom
the Democratic National Convention may
nominate for the Presidency, for with
out the electoral votes of New York there
can be no reasonable hope of his election.
But the defeat of Robinson this year and
the election of the residue of the Syracuse
ticket would extinguish Mr.. Tilden and
yet leave hope in the bottom of the demo-
cratic cup. In view Of the great proba-
bility Of Mr.. Cornell's election game of
this kind may be worth playing. and per-
haps it would have more chances of sue
cess than lie upon the surface.


Assuming-and, for the purposes of this
argument, it may be safely assumed-that
Mr. Kelly will make no bargain with the
republicans, and that oil his followers will
vote the whole Syracuse ticket after decapi-
tating Governor Robinson, the total demo-
cratic vote may be as largo as if there had
been perfect harmony at Syracuse. The
bolt and quarrel may even increase the
aggregate democratic vote for Governor,
while 80 dividing it as to insure the election
/ Ii