The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-19
csvsrasr Tilasn's Quarrel with Mayer
WiekhaA.


political secrets. They will be concerned to
find that Governor Tlden is in fair way to
divide the democracy of the State into hostile
factions. He and the Mayor were alike
| elected on platform of which 'home rule
was one of the chief planks. Nothing
could be more unexpected and sur
prising to the honest democratic masses
who voted for both than to find them,
before they have been two months in Office,
wsgng public contest with each other on
this question Of "home rule" This scandal
lous and disorganizing controversy results
from the personal weaknesses and in6rmities
of temper Of the immediate parties to it.
Mayor Wickham has not made due allowance
for the individual peculiarities Of the Cover
nor and, on the other hand, Governor
Tilden has stood too proudly on his official
dignity in dealing with local officer who
might have been won to his views by frank
confidence and courteous attentions, but is,
like most self-respecting men, repealed by the
insolence Of Office
The sharp legal sparring between these OFF,
GERS, disclosed in the correspondence which
we publish, must not mislcad anybody into
the belief that they are exhibiting this want
of harmony on a mere disputed question of
law. The truth is that each of these officials
has taken his ground on question which is
only personal, and that their legal con-
fest IS Nero trial Of wits to give
o color of law to foregone conclu-
sions. All who penetrate to the pith
Of the controversy will find that it hinges
on the question of the removal of Comptroller
Green. upon which the Mayor has set his
heart, and which the Governor has decided to
oppose Had Mr.. Green been out of the
question this public quarrel between the
Mayor and the Governor would not have
arisen. Governor Tilden would have been
too glad to give his assent to the removal
of the Corporation Counsel and Fire
Commissioners and there would have been
none of the punctilousness exhibited in the
official correspondence if the parties had not
been looking beyond the immediate occasion.
The Mayor could have had no sort Of reluc-
lance to putting the Governor in full possess
sion of all his information in the case
of Corporation Counsel Smith, and the
Governor would not have stood fas-
tidiously on his dignity in demand
ing detail Of proofs. But they both
understood that this was preliminary
skirmish, looking, on both sides, to tho
removal of Green. Hence Mayor Wickham
has been anxious to establish Q precedent
which would curb the prepossessions of the
Governor in favor of Green, and hence Gov
ernor Tilden has tried to keep warly aloof
from any precedent which would embarrass
him in protecting his favorite. The contro-
versy does not really hinge on a
question of law, but on ques-
ton of personal motives. The legal
discussions are a mere blind to conceal the
real question. Mayor Wickham is bent on
removing Green and Governor Tilden is de-
termined to prevent it, and everybody will
go astray in judging this controversy
who overlooks this cardinal fact If the
official fate Of Green had not been
involved there would have been the
frankest official intercourse between the demo-
cratic Governor and the democratic Mayor.
Mr. Tilden would have had no occasion to
demand, and Mr.. Wickham no motive to re-
fuse o full transcript of the evidence in any
case This unseemly controversy has not
arisen out of points Of law-which would
have been courteously waived between such
parties in ordinary circumstances-but ont Of
conflicting personal prcpossessons and an
tipathies.
This being the case, we decline 10 go at
present into the merits Of the legal hair split
ting between these democratic functionaries,
We prefer to deal with facts and not with the
thin pretext with which the underlying points
of difference are glazed over for the deception
of the public The inevitable 'nigger in
the fence concealed under all this idle
parade of legal points, is Green,
whom the Governor thinks it neces-
sary to protect in iurtherance of his
Presidential aspirations. The law has been
strained on both sides, as we might easily
show, if We were dupes enough to regard this
as a legal controversy. But knowing that the
legal dispute between the Mayor and Cover
nor would never have arisen if it had not
been prompted by personal motives we must
be excused from discussing straws and per-
mtted to deal with facts. Governor Tilden,
who is playing his game for the Presidency,
fancics that he would be damaged outside
the State if he consented to the removal of
Green. Mayor Wickham, who has no other
motive than to raise himself in the esteem of
the citizens who elected him, believes, on
good grounds, that the removal of Green
would be the most popular act he could at
fa,npt and r,rafers the hon eat apnrObatiOn of
his constituents to the flashing favor of an
aspirant to the Presidency.
This controversy between the Governor
and Mayor as to their respective rights under
the city charter will fade into insignificance if
the Costigan bill, which passed the Assembly
xAala.da.r ahonld olso no tha Gan b. nd BIO