The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-04-27
The Final Adjournment OF an Infamous
l., yisiaturp.


The Legislature has adjourned, and n
sense Of relief comes over the State. This
Leg Stature was the eliminating point in a
protracted struggle Of the Democratic party
to get full control of the State Government.
For years PAST the Democracy had charged
the Republicans with incapacity, imbecihty.
corruption, and the exercise Of unwarranted
and despotc powers, especially toward the
people of this city, whom it had deprived OF
the right 70 control their own municipal
affairs.
When the Democracy, on the opening OF
the current year. for the first time in quar-.
ter of a century, obtained full control of every
department Of the State Government, the
honest and intelligent masses of that party
fondly anticipated a restoration of the old
regime, when statesmen capable and up
right swayed our councils, and when intel.
ligence, integrity, aud the promotion OF the
public good characterized tho administra.
ton of affairs at Albany and in the city Of
New York.
Knowing how much was expected from
the Democratic triumphs Of 1868 md 1869,
Gov. HOFFMAN, in u congratulatory speech
soon after the election last November, rs.
sured his political friends that their long
cherished hopes Of reform should not be dis
appointed, and especially that, whatever
else might happen, the Legislature Of 1870
would prove to be an honest one.
After a trial Of four months, what is the
verdict Of every wellinformed and unbi.
assed citizen Of this State, irrespec.
tive of party Undoubtedly it is,
that the Legislature which has
Just retired from the Capitol is the most cor.
| rupt and infamous body that ever deGled it's
halls. So audacious, brazen, and shameless
has II shown itself to be, that il has made
itself ridiculous by affecting to hold up to
| scorn those who have had the courage to
expose and denouncc its manifold rascalitics,
while, when hard pressed by explicit charges
of corruption, it has gone through the mock
| cry OF selecting some Of its tainted members
to sit in Judgment upon its own delnquen.
cies. The Legislature Of 1870 TO pretend to
be disturbed and cut TO the heart by a sus
picion Of its venalityl Could impudence
further goP
There have been Legislatures of this State
and we may name those Of 1888, 1912 and
| l945, as among them-of which, for many
years after they had ceased to exist, it was
| deemed an honor to have been n member. But
the Legislature which has just adjourned |
hx. 4 1a do xt,i1l hor lI, .1
wipe out the disgrace of having been q
participant in It's proceedings
But corruption. notorious and almost
universal, and tainting both political par
ties, is not tho only disgrace which
this Legislature has inflicted upon it.
self and the State. The majority has utterly
failed to meet the public expectation, OF to
redeem the pledges by which 1t achieved
power. Where are those odious and despotir
| Commissions in the city of New York,
about which the Democratic party has been
clamoring for tho last dozen years2 Their
existence for the coming FIVE and eight years
is unaltcrably fixed If the new charter ia
! permitted to remain upon the statute book
Where are those indefeasible rights of the
people of this metropolis to elect their own
rulers, which the Republicans had ruthlcssly
stolen away, and which the Democrats have
over and over again promised to restore az
soon as they got into powerH All lodged in
the hands Of ABRAHAM OHALI, who did not
dare to allow the electors of this city to pass
upon his own worthness to longer hold ever
his own Office, to which he was last fal
elected by a trick that would disgrace
thimbloriggcr or a stool'pigeon.
| 30. too. 8 1t Of other questions in resrec