New-York tribune., 1879-03-27

parts of tho election laws are to be
be repealed, and repealed by riders to
appropriation bills, the milder PROPOSE
ton to present the repeating bills separately
being Indignantly secuted. The Democrats
Will, however, permit the appointment OF
supervisor from each party who snail DC
allowed to watch the election, but VINO
shall not be allowed to take any inter
est in it. 1t is we'll that the coun-
try should know just what 1t mas 10
eynect and the caucus deserves the thanks OF
the independent voter for being so very eA-
plicit and so loud about it. There IL only one
omission to be nOted-that Senator Beck did
not make his expected motion that the ap-
propriation bills, with their riders should De
passed by the caucus. and then sent dlrec'y
to the President.
Probably three citizens OF Newton VIII
see grave objections to Mr.. Langbein's Dill
stripping from the Mayor the power OF re-
moving heads of departments-the IRE
siding Justice of the Supreme Court the
Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas
and the Chief Judge of the Superior Court.
Before these three judges all these municipal
disputes would be tred if this bill became a
law; and it is well understood that these
Judges. and all the higher New-fOrk judges
have already more work than they onght
to do. Perhaps, also, the distinguished
gentlemen who now fill these places would
prefer to devote themselves to law ana
keen aloof from all political cOntro-
yersies. Past experiments of this sort have not
resulted happily for the prestige OF the courts,
which should always enjoy the undivided respect
of the whole people, and must suffer III popular
esteem, even from the unjust resentment OF
defeated party. Lastly there are great
many reasons why the Mayor, being
at the head of the local government and
being responsible for it, should nave
some discretion in the choice OF his
subordinates and there are great many
reasons also why any measure OF this sort
introduced for a special and political purpose
should be very closely scanned. The Legls-
lature should see, whether it DOGS so or not
the wisdom of making haste slowly in this
matter.
The expediency of Mr.. Langbein's bill IS
one thing the prOpriety of treating hr. Ounl-
bletOn's petition with any conspicuous hohor
is another. That document is a thoroughly I'M
pudent production, and comes with excellent
consistency from the man who, when law officer
Of this county, refused to allow committee
representing the entire bar to see his Official
books. 1t may be, and doubtless Is suspected
by a large number Of citizens outside OF Tam
many Hall, that Governor Robinson was
actuated in his recent decisions by po-
litjcal motives, but it would be i'm
possible to prove it, except perhaps by the
testimony of a committee of clairvoyants.
The law gives him discretion in acting upon
such charges, and leaves his motives to the
scrutiny of his own conscience. For Mr.. Gum
bleton therefore to ask the Assembly to re-
view the Governors action by an inveStlga-
tion is simply asking the Legislature to put a
gratuitous insult upon the Executive; and to al
Iege that the Governor has been gOvernedby po-
ltical considerations is to assert what Mr.. Gum
bleton cannot establish and the Assembly cannot
discover, be it ever so true. Ii he appeared
with any specific charge against the Governor,
1t might be well to consider the propi1ety OF
investigating it, but when the late County
Clerk declares that Governor Robinson, con-
sidered psychologicaly, is in bad way, some
one ought to suggest that there are limits to
the sphere of Legislatures.