a master in the art of
controlling men.

[Footnote 1375: Myers, _History of Tammany_, pp. 301, 305.]

[Footnote 1376: _Ibid._, pp. 261 and note, 300 and 301.]

[Footnote 1377: "About the same time, and in adjoining city districts,
two bosses entered upon public life. While Tweed was learning to make
chairs, Kelly was being taught grate-setting. While Tweed was amusing
himself as a runner with a fire engine, Kelly was captain of the
Carroll Target Guard. Tweed led fire laddies and Kelly dragged about
target-shooters upon the eve of elections. Both entered the Board of
Aldermen about the same time. About the same time, too, they went to
Congress. Within a few years of each other's candidacy they ran for
sheriff. Tweed was defeated. Kelly was elected. While Kelly was making
bills as sheriff, Tweed was auditing them in the Board of Supervisors.
Tweed became the Tammany boss, and Kelly succeeded him. Tweed fell a
victim to his greed, Kelly escaped by the Statute of Limitations."--New
York _Times_, October 30, 1875.]

If any doubt had existed as to Greeley's treatment at Baltimore, it
quickly disappeared on the assembling of the convention, for the
question of nomination or indorsement alone disturbed it. If it
adopted him as its own candidate fear was entertained that Republicans
would forsake him. On the other hand, it was claimed that many
Democrats who could only be held by party claims would not respect a
mere indorsement. Southern delegates argued that if Democrats hoped to
defeat their opponents they must encourage the revolt by giving it
prestige and power rather than smother it by compelling Liberals to
choose between Grant and a Democrat. The wisdom of this view could not
be avoided, and after adopting the Cincinnati platform without change,
the convention, by a vote of 686 to 46, stamped the Cincinnati ticket
with the highest Democratic authority.[1378] Little heartiness,
however, characterised the proceedings. Hoffman, in casting New York's
vote, aroused much enthusiasm, but the response to the announcement
of Greeley's nomination was disappointing. The _Tribune_ attributed it
to the intense heat and the exhaustion of the delegates,[1379] but the
_Nation_ probably came nearer the truth in ascribing it to "boiled
crow."[1380] This gave rise to the expression "to eat crow," meaning
"to do what one vehemently dislikes and has before defiantly declared
he would not do."[1381]

[Footnote 1378: Of the 46 oppositi