New-York tribune., 1877-01-03
TILE GOYERNORS MESSdGE.


We are not disposed to quarrel with our new
Governor for his discussion of National affairs
in a message to the Legislature of New-York.
Doubtless it is better that State documents
shoud y deal q with State affairs, and
in : times past we have had enough TO
say against the injection of stump speeches on
National politics into Governors messages. But
Gov. Robinson succeeds Gov. Tilden. The
crustiest of political opponents would hardly
deny him the privilege of arguing the case for
the Presidential aspirant who gives HIM his
place.
But he might have argued it better Gov.
Robinson's whole plea may be said to be
almost summed up in the two statements-thaf
the law of Louisiana concerning the powers
of its Returning Board is inconsistent with
the Constitution of the State and OF the
United States, and that the actions OF
the Returning Boards in Florida and South
Carolina have been diSapproved by Repub-
lican Judges. What the Governor has to say
concerning the impolcy of the Louisiana
legislation will not provoke any discussion.
Thousands of people regard the law as
bad one, passed for bad purposes, who
nevertheless insist that while it is a
law, the officers appointed under 1t, and sworn
to obey it, cannot consult either their own
wishes or the opinions of Northern Governors
in the discharge of their duties. The ques-
ton is not whether the law is good
one or a bad One but whether 1t is binding,
and whether the Returning Board obeyed
if. 1t is binding if legally enacted, and not
In violation of the State or National Constr
tuition. Now % both sides are estOpped from
denying that it was legally passed, since the
National Government has recognized the
body which passed it ;-(2) Northern Gov
ernors cannot undertake to decide whether
it is or is not in conflict with the Constitution
of the State Of LOuisiana-that is the business
of another tribunal and (3) as to the qucs-
ton of its being in conflict with the Constltu-
ton of the United States, we take leave to say
that Gov. RobnsOn's argument is trivial. III
a LEGISLATURE can under the Constitution or
the United States choose the Presidential cleo
tors itself (Which is undisputed), it certainly
can provide for the details of counting the
vote for electors, which it invites the people
themselves to cast.
Nor does Gov. Robinson's effort to make
party capital out of the alleged party standing
of the courts of South Carolina and Florida
impress us as quite worthy OF himself
or his Office. The Governor knows that
| the Supreme Court of South Carolina,
for instance, does not owe its organ
| ization to Gov Chamberlain, but to the thicvlsh
carDet-bag governments which preceded MN.
! He knows that it was as bitterly denounced by
| his political allies at the South as Gov. Cham
berlain was enthusiastically praiscd that the
praise of Gov. Chamberlain ceased pre-
ciscly when it was found that he was
not useful in the Tilden campaign, and that
the denunciations of the Supreme Court
ceased precisely when it was found that it
roud be useful. Gov Robinson knows, too,
that the hatred of what he calls the
Republican Supreme Court of South
Carolina for Gov. Chamberlain began
precisely when that officer refused
a commission to the infamous son of its Chief
Justice. Under these circumstances, docs he
think it quite worthy of Governor OF New
York to pettifog the case by talking about the
! friendship of this Supreme Court for the men
against whom it decidcsf
But all this political argument was to be ex-
Dected 1t is part of the service due to
the candidate who put Gov. Robinson in Office,
and the party which is to sustain him. ASIDE
from this, the Governors message seems to us
sensible and busnesslkc. On the vital
question of inland water transportation 1t
is specially suggestive, and those who have
enlisted in a railroad war to shut up the
canals. nav gather from it that the Governor
is likely TO prove formidable focman.
lie exposes and opposes the waste OF
| publc money the lateral canals,
the nismanagcment of the state prisons, the
extravaganza in the public buildings (Which
he describes as "amountiDg almost to
"lunacy ~ and the mismanagement OF saw
ings banks. He takes Old-fashoned ground
AGAINST the extension of the common
school system, so as to include the higher
branches OF literature and science, doubts
whether the normal schools are worth what
they cost, wants the nuisance of frequent changes
in school books remedied by law, and recon-
mends specific appropriation for the benefit
Of the common schools instead of the present one
and a quarter mills tax. On great variety
of other questions of State policy the Cover
nor makes always positive and some
times quite peremptory recommends
tions. Thus he condemns fatty the
State survey, provided for at the last session,
and wants the clause authorizing it repealed
He declares with equal explictness in favor
of continuing TO exempt churches from tax