New-York tribune., 1874-02-21
THE GOVERNOR-THE NEW DISTRICT
ATTORNEY

Tbe action of Gov. Dix in the BrittOn case
has been worthy of the admirable reputation
his administration has already won. The
question before him was purely one OF evil
dence His duty was that of judge. lie has
discharged that duty, has weighed the evidence,
has rendered verdict clearly in accordance
with it, and pronounced the sentence. 1t is
the sentence which ono of the foremost Grim
insl lawyers Of New-York declared inevitable
within half an hour after the commission OF
single act in that long course OF official mis-
conduct which has compelled it;-a sen
tence which every citizen OF Brooklyn
familiar with tho methods of the King
and the sources of their protection, knows to
be absolutely just, and which every dispassion-
ate citizen who reads tho Governors decision
will accept without an instants question
There will not be wanting tools and
allies of the defeated and now disorgan-
izing ring to prefer charges of partisan
bias and malevolent Influence affecting the re-
suit. Few who remember Gov. Dix's charac-
ter and career, and that of the Brooklyn King,
which he has thus smitten, Will care to
give second thought to such charges;-
those who do, need only examine the
evidence for themselves. 1t would be absO-
lutey conclusive in any court OF justice,
and no man can peruse it without seeing that
tho Governor, no matter what may have been
his feelings or his wishes. was absolutely shut
up by the undisputed evidence to the inevi-
table sentence. Distrct-AttOrney Britton Is
removed not because of any political charges, or
any personal adverse influence. He Is removed
solely because his neglect of official duty, and
misuse of official power, compelled his re-
moval. and would have made the Governor
who should have retained him participant
in his crimes.
Gov. Dix has been as sagacious in tho ap-
pointment of a successor as he was just In
the removal of the late incumbent To ap-
point a Republican would have been to
give a handle at once to those eager
critics who would seek for some
political motive in so grave punish
ment TO 20 out of the City of Brooklyn for
a District Attorney, as was at one time warmly
urged by the RefOrmers, would have been to
admit that the poison of the Ring has perme-
ated the whole bar of Brooklyn. To select any
of those able and upright lawyers, who, neverthe-
less, have been associated in the public eye with
the Ring by judciously distributed retainers,
would have been to cast suspicion at the out
set upon the new appointment. Clearly the
one thing for the Governor to do was to Sc
lect an upright, independent, unquestionably
honest Democrat, with skirts absolutely free
from Ring corruption or official int1uence-a
man too independent in position to be subjectto
the temptations of the now desperate Ring, and
of character too high to permit of suspicion.
Mr.. Rodman seems to fulfill these conditions.
We shall be better able to decide upon his fit
ness for the place when we see how he dis
poses of the evidence which is believed
to have been long calling, loudly and
in vain, the District-Attorney's atten-
ton to the alleged corruption of Messrs.
Fowler Kingsley, and others - how he
deals with the ballot-box suffers whom Mr..
Britton has been conveniently unable to
find in what spirit he receives the evidence
on other points which the Reformers OF
Brooklyn have been long accumulating. No
man in the history of Brooklyn has ever had q
better opportunity to render distinguished public
service and secure the gratitude OF honest
men. Mr. ROdman and Mr.. Hunter may
make the present era as memorable in Brook
lyn az Samuel j. Tilden and Charles OCOnor
have made recent one in New-York. We
do not undertake now to say that Mr..
Rodman is sure to do it. But
we feel fully warranted in say
ing that Gov. Dix seems to have made the
most judicous selection, and that the people
of Brooklyn have reason to expect the dawn
of an hOnester day.