New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-24
TIE SPEAKERS VALEDICTORY

Mr.. Speaker Mcclure babe farewell to the
Assembly in a spirit of such calm and bcauti-
full cOmplacency that we have scarcely the
heart to disturb it by an unpleasant remark.
lie has been a very noisy, quarrelsome. and
obnoxious person during the session-a sort of
roaring bull, so to speak, in the Legislative
china-shop, kicking, plungng, and smashing
in what he calls "the heat and excitement of
discussion" until the public hardly knew
whether to laugh or be angry. But Mr..
Mcclure is now ready to forgive everybody
whom he has abused, and to forget all his own
transgressions. In spite of seeming animOsity,"
lie has hugely enjoyed himself upon the whole.
and he retircs with the proud conviction that
he retains the respect and confidence" of the
Assembly "as a presiding officer" and that he
has done nothing which will not increase his
reputation. Mr.. MCGUIRE is so nice and
cheerful
AS matter of course the Speaker enter
tains strong opinions of an unbridied, licen-
tious, rbald and vituperatve press, which has
had the efirOntery to impugn the integrity of
members of the Legislature, and to hint that
the friends and protectors of notorious thieves
are presumably men who need watching. The
licentious and unbridlcd press has made itself
unpleasant to the Canal Ring and other swim
ding organizations this season, and has annoyed
so many of the richest contractors in the State,
that Mr. Mcclure has no hesitation in pro-
nouncing it extremely dangerous to a free
government" 1t is nuisance that must be
put down and stamped upon. And yet Mr..
Mcclure, with all his horror of vituperatve
newspapers, must perforcc acknowledge that
their severe language toward certain men,
bers of the Lcgislaturc-and especially toward
the Speaker-has not been without a show
of reason. The most important measures for
the correction Of fragrant abuses, the check of
corruption the prevention and punishment of
official misconduct, have been opposed in the
Legislature with hot passion which could not
but excite remark. The Canal Ring in partic-
ular has had no more daring and Jealous de-
fender than Speaker Mcclure, and whatever
has been done to break its power has been
done in spite of his angry, and-if he will lend
us the use of the word for mOmcnt-his
vituperatvc protests. He is so well aware of
the attitude in which nc has exhibited himself,
that he thinks it necessary to offer an explana-
ton. He did not care for the Canal Ring; it
was not that; but he was mad at the Gov
ernor. lie had not been consulted in advance
about the remedial measures introduced by the
Governors friends-and we rather suspect that
he had not been invited to take q hand in the
composition of the Governors special message.
"That the majority of this House."
he says, "havc not shown unity, har-
"mony, and sense of responsibility, is too
"lamentably true. But who is to blame
"When the Speaker of the House and the
"leading members of the majority were not
"appriscd of the intention to introduce and
"prcss to their passage such grave cnactments,
ait is not surprising that collision and disa-
agreement should ensuc." In other words
Mr.. Mcclure did not really believe in the
party which he cspouscd, but he was in hri
at the behavior of The other side. Well. we