Year: 1875




vass is practically At an end. There are no
changes in the general drift of public opinion
from those we have reported all along. 1t
looks very much as if the opponents of Tam
many Hail. the republican and anti-Tam-
many alliance would carry the city or at
least elect the Recorder and District Attor-
noy But an election canvass in New York
is 50 uncertain an experience that it is i'm
possible to calculate carefully upon the def
mite result even within as brief time
as that which now remains A day, an hour
may change the whole phase Of the battle
and give victory where defeat is dreaded.
Although the opponents Of Tammany
Hall have made stronger combination than
we remember for many years, and, although
the leaders are inspired with feeling Of IN
usual enthusiasm and have fought their bat
tie with commendable gallantry and ZEAL
they have not the organization of Tammany
and they have that weakness which always
rests with an alliance If a public opinion
which has found expression in q hundred
ways during the last few days should con
tinue unabated Tammany will be defeated
by tidal wave If Tammany can maintain
its formerly irresistible organization and
overcome the detection in many Of the dis
triets it may still hold its power. The gen
eral expectation now is that unless something
unforeseen should occur, the opponents Of
Tammany will be successful tomorrow.


This is owing great deal to the ferocity
Of the attack upon Recorder Hackett and
Mr.. Kelly's management Of his organization.
Honest citizens in New York see that Re
corder Hackett has been good Judge, and
when he is criticised by Mr.. Kelly they nat
urally ask why is he not to-day as good
democrat as he was yesterday, as he has
been for twenty years, during which time he
has always been member Of Tammany Hail.
They resent also the attempt to strike at the
independence of the Bench by pun
ishing judge for refusing to be
the vassal Of q political master They
feel that, whatever merits Mr.. Kelly
possesses as citizen or a democrat
the party is more than any mere man,
and that this continuous dynasty Of bosses,
which has existed for twenty years, should
now cease. They more especially feel this
because we are on the verge of Presidential
election. Sincere democrats in New York
desire to enter that great canvass without
the limitations or burdens imposed by Tam
many Hall. Consequently the rebellion is
not against man, but a system, not against
Boss Kelly alone but against the theory Of
bosses. 1t is felt that the kingdom which
Kelly inherited from Tweed may be wrested
by another Tweed from Kelly.


The only victory which Tammany can win
in New York will be by superior organization
against public opinion. Even if the organ
lied power should be successful tomorrow
it viii only serve to show the country how
dangerous is this institution, an institution
which by its machinery can SO easily defeat
the popular will. twill prove to the people
also that the same tactics which secure victory
in New York can be applied by the same kind
of men to every part Of the country. In the
interest of Governor Tilden or of any
of the candidates for the Presidency, moth
ing could be more disastrous than the
victory of Tammany Hall. This may
seem strange, but it is the logic Of the



or defeated, has thrown away the greatest op-
portunity that ever befell a local leader in
New York Three months ago it was in his
power to have so managed Tammany Hall
that the election tomorrow would be walk
practically unchallenged. Every step
he has taken in these last three months
has been to invite and create opposition. He
has established a tribunal like those Of the
French Revolution, which guillotined every
citizen who opposed the will Of Robespierre
Defeated, his system falls and the democracy
may reorganize upon q comprehensive and
harmonious basis for the great campaign. If
successful, then, as we have said before, the
democratic party will, receive the severest
blow to its Presidential canvass that can pos
sibly be imagined