| CHAPTER I. |
| Page. |
| Partisan Abuse.—Jackson also subjected to it.—The Firstdetailed Narrative of Life of John Kelly, Author’s longAcquaintance with, Popular Misconception of his Character.—Anti-KellyCrusade in the Press.—Compared toNathaniel Macon.—Kelly a Safe Leader. | [3] |
| CHAPTER II. |
| Birthplace and Parentage.—A Good Mother.—Anecdote ofthe Son.—Chastises a Larger Boy.—Narrow circumstancesof his Youth.—School Days.—Loses his Father.—Employedby James Gordon Bennett in the Herald Office.—AtNight School.—The Future Man as Sketchedin the Utica Observer.—Discusses Political Economy withBonamy Price of Oxford.—Relations of the Boy with Mr.Bennett.—Their Friendship.—Leaves the Herald.—Apprenticedto Jacob B. Creamer.—Encounters a FactoryBully.—A Prosperous Young Man.—Loses his Mother.—Providesfor his Sisters and Brother.—No Thought ofPolitics.—A Glimpse at his Future Life.—Interviewed bya World Reporter.—Utica Observer upon Hostility betweenKelly and Tweed.—Tweed Talks of Kelly to HeraldReporter.—The Ivy Green.—David C. Broderick.—KellyFond of Athletic Sports.—Becomes Captain ofEmmet Guards.—A Fire Laddie.—His Intrepidity.—HisLife Threatened.—Fondness for Private Theatricals.—PlaysMacbeth, Othello and Hamlet.—Essays Comic Roleas Toodles, &c.—Religious Strife.—Persecution of Catholics.—TheIncendiary’s Torch.—St. Patrick’s CathedralThreatened.—Bishop Dubois.—Native American Riots.—AnOutbreak Imminent in New York.—Bishop HughesCalls on the Mayor.—Election Frauds.—A Battle at thePolls.—Kelly as Leader.—Ascendency Over Others.—EntersUpon His Public Career.—Kelly, Stephens, andWise, an Anti-Know-Nothing Triumvirate. | [9] |
| CHAPTER III. |
| Alexander H. Stephens Resolves to Withdraw from Congress.—TauntedWith Cowardice by Know-Nothings.—Re-entersthe Field as a Candidate.—Letter to JudgeThomas.—His Great Anti-Know-Nothing Speech atAugusta, Georgia.—His Re-election.—Perversion, AfterHis Death, of the Sentiments and Language of HisAugusta Speech.—The Virginia Campaign of 1855.—Letterof Henry A. Wise, of Accomac.—His FamousAlexandria Speech.—His Wonderful Anti-Know-NothingCampaign.—A Contest of National Importance.—ASecond Patrick Henry.—His Election a Death Blow tothe Know-Nothings.—Large Number of that Party inthe 34th Congress.—Sketch of Henry Winter Davis, theMaryland Know-Nothing.—John Kelly Meets Davis inDebate in Congress.—Their Speeches.—The Irish BrigadeAttacked and Defended.—Kelly’s Speech Published onSatin.—Anecdote of Andrew Jackson and Col. Hayne.—TheDebate Becomes General.—Kelly, Akers and CampbellTake Part in it.—Minnesota and the NaturalizationLaws.—John Sherman, Muscoe Garnett and John Kellyin a Lively Debate.—Sherman Insists On the Order of theDay to Cut Kelly Off.—Elihu B. Washburne Demandsthat Kelly be Heard.—Objection Made.—Kelly PostponesHis Speech.—His Influence in New York and CongressExerted Against Know-Nothingism.—High Estimate ofHis Character Expressed by Lewis Cass, James GordonBennett and Alexander H. Stephens.—Kelly UrgesAugustus Schell’s Appointment as Collector of NewYork.—Kelly at Washington.—How Received.—His Simplicityof Character.—Rugged Strength.—AttractsFriends On All Sides.—Devotion of His Constituents tothe Man.—They Regard Him as Another DanielO’Connell.—Large Personal following in New York. | [45] |
| CHAPTER IV. |
| Review of Political Parties in the United States.—Federalistsand Democrats.—Maximum and Minimum Theoriesof Hamilton and Jefferson.—Blue Lights at New London.—Decaturand Jackson.—Massachusetts the Birthplaceof the Secession Doctrine.—Speech of Josiah Quincy.—HartfordConvention.—Essex Junto.—John QuincyAdams the First Protectionist President.—The Whigs.—Harrison.—Taylor.—WhigParty Buried in the Graves ofWebster and Clay.—The Know-Nothing Dementia.—FederalistsAt Last Succeed.—Origin and ExtraordinaryDevelopment of Political Abolitionism—The JeffersoniansRouted at every Point.—The Disciples of HamiltonAgain in Possession of the Government.—UnfortunateBolt of Martin Van Buren in 1848.—Tilden and LuciusRobinson Follow the Sage of Kinderhook.—Kelly FollowsWilliam L. Marcy and Horatio Seymour.—TheAbolition National Conventions.—Webster Attacks theFree Soilers.—Benton on Van Buren.—Blair InventsFremont for Wm. H. Seward.—Tilden and Kelly againin Harmony.—Robinson Governor.—His ExtraordinaryCrusade Against Tammany in 1879.—Hereditary Feuds.—QuarrelsBetween De Witt Clinton and Van Buren.—BetweenWright and Marcy.—Between Tilden andKelly.—Contrarieties of Races in New York.—Jacksonand Calhoun Fall Out.—Kelly Thinks Slavery to begotten Rid of by Emancipation.—The Fathers Thoughtthe Same Way.—Ingalls on Brown.—Lucas on Randolph.—Pierce’sAdministration.—Hards and Softs.—Kelly’sStatesmanship Displayed in Syracuse Convention of 1855.—Debatewith “Prince John” Van Buren.—Kelly’sSagacious Speech.—He lays down the Plan whichbrought the Rival Wings into Harmony at Cincinnati in1856.—Fatal Mistake of Pierce in choosing New YorkLeaders.—Marcy Desired Kelly.—Death of Marcy.—Buchananelected President.—Kelly wins a NationalReputation at the Syracuse Convention. | [102] |
| CHAPTER V. |
| Narrative Resumed in Chronological Order.—Kelly ElectedAlderman.—Strong Men in the Board.—His Standing asa Member.—Competitor of Mike Walsh for Congress.—Sketchof Mike Walsh.—Story of the Life of a WaywardGenius.—His Sad Death.—Kelly Elected to Congress.—GreatStruggle for the Speakership.—The Candidates.—ANine Weeks Fight.—Speeches of Joshua R. Giddings,Cullen, Kelly, Howell Cobb, &c.—Sharp Words BetweenGiddings and Edmundson.—The Debate Assumes a SectarianComplexion.—Attack on the Catholics.—Kelly inDefense.—He is the Only Catholic in Congress.—HisSpeech Interrupted by Know-Nothings Demanding thePrevious Question.—Important Letter of Lafayette, in regardto the Catholic Clergy Read by Kelly. | [142] |
| CHAPTER VI. |
| Seward Summons Republican Leaders to Washington to AidTheir Party in Speakership Struggle.—Horace Greeley,Thurlow Weed and James Watson Webb Repair to theSeat of Government.—Alexander H. Stephens, John Kellyand Howell Cobb, with Stephen A. Douglas, Lewis Cass,C. C. Clay and Other Democrats Oppose the Republicans.—KellyNames Aiken for Speaker.—Aiken would haveDefeated Banks but for the Blunder of a Democrat.—BanksChosen Speaker.—A Stormy Period in Congress.—Sketchof William H. Seward.—A Historic Quarrel.—ItDestroys the Whig Party.—James G. Blaine, in hisRecent Work, Fails to Mention this Quarrel.—ItsMomentous Consequences.—Fillmore and Seward, Taylorand Preston.—A Death at the White House Leaves Sewardand Scott Amid the Ruins of the Whig Party, andPlaces the Sceptre in Fillmore’s Hand.—Seward Foundsthe Republican Party.—Election of Banks Places Sewardagain in the Ascendant.—The Stormy Days of 1855-60.—DemocraticWeakness.—Its Causes.—Impracticables.—Dissipationin Congress.—Fire-Eaters.—Altercations andFist Fights in the House.—Sharp Debate between JohnKelly and Humphrey Marshall.—Both Get Angry.—ACollision Avoided.—Kelly’s Popularity in the House.—DevotedFriendship of Stephens and Kelly.—Charity andBenevolence of Each.—An Estimate of Kelly by Stephensin a Letter to the Author.—Kelly’s Tribute to His DepartedFriend.—Declares the Georgia Statesman thePurest Man In His Intentions he had ever met. | [174] |
| CHAPTER VII. |
| A Review of Mr. Kelly’s Congressional Career.—HisSpeeches.—He Addresses the House upon the State ofParties in New York.—Historical Account of DemocraticDivisions in that State.—Hunkers and Barnburners.—Hardsand Softs.—Know-Nothings and Republicans.—Pierce’sBlunder in Choosing for Administration Leadersthe Opponents of the Compromise of 1850.—JeffersonDavis Secretary of War.—Famine in the Cape de VerdeIslands.—Twenty Thousand People on the Point ofPerishing.—Archbishop Hughes Appealed to by BishopPatricio.—The Archbishop Intrusts the Appeal to JohnKelly, who Lays it before Congress.—Eloquent Speech ofMr. Kelly in behalf of the Sufferers.—A Vessel Orderedto Carry Food to the Afflicted Islanders.—Kelly Re-electedto Congress by an Immense Majority.—A Know-NothingRiot in Washington in 1857.—The MayorPowerless.—The President Calls out the Marines.—CongressAsked to Establish an Auxiliary Guard to ProtectLife and Property.—Mayor Swan’s Baltimore Know-Nothingsand Henry Winter Davis’s Plug Uglies.—GeorgeP. Kane, Marshal of Police Redeems Baltimorefrom the Rule of Assassins.—His Character and Services.—JohnKelly Favors the Auxiliary Guard Bill.—HisSpeech Upon it.—He Rebukes Maynard of Tennessee fora Know-Nothing Sneer at a “Parcel of Irish Waiters.”—ADrunken Congressman Murders a Waiter at Willard’sHotel.—Kelly Corrects Stanton of Ohio upon a Point ofNew York Political History.—The Empire Club in thePolk and Dallas Campaign.—Bill Poole’s Club.—PooleKilled.—Mr. Kelly Replies to General Quitman of Mississippi.—Paysa High Tribute to the Gallant Mississippian.—Describesthe Riotous Scenes at the June Election inWashington.—The Bill Defeated.—Nichols and WashburneAttack the Bureau of Statistics in the State Department.—JohnKelly Replies and Turns the TablesUpon the Attacking Members.—Edmund Flagg a ManWith a Grievance.—Nichols Drops Flagg and Beats aHasty Retreat.—The Naval Appropriation Bill.—A Disagreement.—Senateand House Appoint Conference Committees.—KellyOne of the Managers on the Part of theHouse.—His Speech on the Appropriation for the BrooklynNavy Yard.—An Irish Tory’s Book, “The AmericanIrish.”—John Kelly Traduced by the Author.—Bagenal’sCalumny Refuted.—Mr. Kelly’s Great Speech on theHomestead Bill, May 25, 1858.—Advocates Colonizationin the West.—A Life-long Enemy of Monopolies.—Especiallyof the Railroad Land-Grabbers.—Demands thatthe Public Domain Shall Be Reserved for the People.—JohnKelly’s Standing in Congress.—His RemarkableAbility Early Recognized.—His Rapid Rise in the House.—ConfrontsSeward in Speakership Struggle, and in thatover Collectorship of the Port of New York.—Mr. SchellAdvocated by Kelly and Made Collector.—Personal andPolitical Relations of Kelly and Schell.—A BeautifulPicture of Friendship.—The Two New Yorkers as DevotedFriends as Gales and Seaton of the National Intelligencer,or the Cheeryble Brothers of Romance.—Societyin Washington in Former Days.—Frugality and Simplicitythe Rule.—Some Ancient Magnates.—Marshall andWebster Go to Market with Baskets on their Arms.—ChancellorBibb as a Fisherman, and John Quincy Adamsa Swimmer in the Potomac.—John C. Calhoun TalksPhilosophy with a Georgetown College Professor.—MonroeDies Poor.—Clay Would Rather Be Right than President.—Websteran Old School Patriot.—Calhoun LosesJackson’s Friendship Because Mrs. Calhoun will not VisitMrs. Eaton.—Old School Manners Still Flourish DuringKelly’s Terms in Congress. | [207] |
| CHAPTER VIII. |
| John Kelly Elected Sheriff of New York.—Difficult Duties ofthe Office.—He Masters Them.—The Sheriff’s Jury.—RosewellG. Rolston.—His Opinion of John Kelly.—The SheriffBecomes a Favorite Among Lawyers.—Kelly the OnlySheriff Ever Re-elected.—Nominated for Mayor.—Supportedby Nelson J. Waterbury.—The Herald upon Kellyand A. Oakey Hall.—The Tweed Ring.—Kelly and TildenOppose it Vigorously.—Kelly’s Health Fails.—Loses HisFamily by Death.—Goes to Europe.—Visits Holy Land.—AllegoryOn the Cross.—Kelly No Longer Interested inthe Busy Trifles of Politicians.—Enjoys a ContemplativeLife.—Rumors of his Retirement from the World.—HowThey Originated.—His Inner Life.—His Charities andMunificent Gifts.—Bishop Ireland upon John Kelly’sNoble Character.—His Conduct During the War Betweenthe States.—Visits the Army of the Potomac.—HarshTreatment and Sufferings of the Waring Family.—JohnKelly Petitions for Justice and Mercy.—Stanton Obdurate.—MontgomeryBlair Co-operates with Kelly.—Returns toNew York from Europe.—Becomes Leader of TammanyHall.—Greatest Work of His Life.—O’Conor, Tilden andKelly Destroy the Tweed Ring.—Tammany Sachems for1871 and 1872.—The Story of a Great Revolution.—Deathof His Two Daughters.—Declines Chairmanship of NationalDemocratic Committee in 1872.—Mayor Havemeyer.—CommissionersCharlick and Gardner.—TheMayor’s Death.—Unfortunate Faction Fights in NewYork Politics.—Kelly the First Man to Bring out Tildenfor Governor.—The Truth of History Vindicated.—TildenCalls upon Kelly in 1876 Immediately Beforethe St. Louis Convention.—Kelly’s Pledges at the Convention.—TheElection of Tilden. He Declares Tammany“the Right Wing of the Democratic Army.”—JohnKelly Comptroller of New York.—Comments of thePress upon His Appointment.—His Second Marriage.—HisWitty Speech at the Lotos Club Dinner.—The PresidentialElection of 1884.—Kelly Holds His Forces inHand Magnificently at the Decisive Point of the Battle,and Does for Cleveland What he had Done Before forTilden.—A Democratic President at Last.—Kelly’s HealthImpaired.—New York Times on John Kelly’s PoliticalShoes.—Conclusion. | [244] |