Year: 1876

Conferenoss.


On reading the proceedings Of the Tam
many and anti -Tammany conference com-
mittees, whose business it is to attempt
to unite the Now York democracy on q
single local ticket one might we'll suppose
the Offices of the city government to be
the personal property of the political Lead
ers, which they are free to sell, barter or
give away as they are to dispose Of their
watches. overcoats or household goods. Mr..
John Kelly, on the one hand. as the auc-
tioneer of the Tammany side, declares his
intention TO retain the Mayor. Sheriff. Sur
rogate three Coroners. fourteen Assembly
men, five congressman. three Aldermen-at-
Large and eight district Aldermen for his
own friends, and to hand over to the anti
Tammany party the County Clerk. the Su-
porior Court Judge. the Marine Court Judge.
two Congressman. seven Assemblymen, ono
Alderman -at-Large, the Senator in the Fifth
district and three district Aldermen. This
modest proposition is promptly rejected. and
on its side anti -Tammany, through the rival
John, proposes to take the Mayor. one-third



blymen. and to leave the remainder of
the spoils to Mr.. John Kelly and his
Tammany braves Tammany, in its turn.
rejects the moro liberal offer of the opposi-
ton, and q suspension of negotiations takes
place in order to afford time for further dick
ering Each side knows that the other has
demanded more than it will in the end be
willing to take, just as in any other sharply
driven bargain, and when the committees
again assemble the Tammany auctioneer no.
tifes his friends that the anti-Tammany
traders insist on having the Sheriff or Sur
rogate and one Coroner in addition to the
County Clerk. in exchange for which they
are willing to give up the two judgeships
and the Senator. Then Tammany decides
that it cannot afford to resign the rich Office
of Sheriff or Surrogate, but consents to cast
the coroner bone into the anti-Tammany
kennel Anti -Tammany refuses to yield.
hungering, as it does, for the Sheriff's fees
and the Surrogates power; SO the dickering
is further postponed.


We would just suggest to Mr.. John Kelly
and the anti-Tammany leaders that in thus
trading and swapping the public Offices Of
the city of New York they deal in goods
which do not belong to them and which
they cannot deliver. They assume to be
able to trade and swap some fifty thou
sand independent democratic voters
of the city when they thus make
public auction of the municipal Offices,
and this is ON undertaking which they may
probably find it difficult to accomplish. The
majority of the people of New York desire q
local union Of the democracy in this cleo
ton, because the city is largely democratic,
and it is believed that such union would
help the democratic cause. But party can
only be injured by such barefaced and
shameless act as this attempted auction Of
offices among handful of local politicians.
If Mr.. John Kelly, Mr.. John Morrissey and
the rest sincerely desire democratic union
in New York for the sake of the party
throughout the Union, and for the purpose
of placing the national government on the
foundation Of democratic principles, they
will not care what faction obtains this ofics
or what faction secures that, but will nomi-
nate democratic ticket that will unite the
honest, independent democratic voters Of
the city. Only by such policy can they
insure union and success, and they cannot
too soon break up the Office auction pool
which has been in operation for the past two
days.