The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-05-06

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Ave days after tho new Immigration Com
| missioner shall have been nominated by the
Governor and confirmed by the Senate.
There is reason to believe tho charge that
the Tammany Senators united with the Re-
publicans In preventing the confirmation OF
| Mr.. MURrHA chiefly because no would not
promise them any share In the patronage OF
the Office. They could probably secure moro
under the existing Republican admnistra-
| ton, IN which Mr.. BARNEY BIGLIN plays so
| prominent part, than they seemed likely to
receive from Mr.. NURrHA II he was con-
| frmcd.
As ci'zcn. n Democrat, and a politician,
Mr.. CLEVELAND would have been amply jus
| titled In expressing the most contcmptuous
Indignation toward men who were Influenced
by such motives. Eut as the Governor OF
the State OF New York, addressing n CO.
ordinate branch Of the State Government.
he hal NJ right in his official capacity to ac-
cuse the Senate OF base and dish0norablc
action In the exercise Of tho functions which
the Constitution and the laws impose upon
that body.
Yet Is not this precisely what he did in
sending such message? Since he placed
Mr.. MURrlIA'S name before the Senate no
official communication had reached him in
regard to 1t. Ruinor said that the nUnina
ton was to be defeated by combination be-
tween IammaDy Hail and the Republicans.
Tho Governor heard this. Ilo could not con-
troll himself. IL" knew perfectly we'll that
the responsibility rested with the Senate No
further act on his part was needed to pu,
the responsibility whore IL belonged. II was
n time for manly sclf-control, not for u weak
outbunst of Intellectual anger. II the COM
bination Of Senators which opposed his
wishes was as determined to do wrong as
he evidently supposed it was a moments
consideration would have shown him that
any rcmonstrance on his part even II it were
proper must be unavailing. Almost every
man OF experience in affairs has learned bet
ter than to write letters when he Is angry,
but apparently this lesson was not included
in GROVER CLrvELAND's education.
And so he sat down to scarfy the Senate.
What he wrote might be well enough for a
political speech. As we have said, there was
cause for personal indignation, assuming
was no excuse for such an official eX-
preston of Indignation. To illustrate
tho improperly of the Governors course,
lcl Us SunpOSt luul lIls Soclllle Uul seen
fit to send him similar communication
questioning his motives, for example, in max
ing some OF the appointments which he has
made Suppose the Senate had charged him
with an overweenng greed for patronage"
in causing Mr.. JOHN A. MCCALL, the new
Superintendent of Insurance, to appoint an
unknown deputy from Buffalo. Would such
a communication be the respectful treatment
which one department OF the State Govern
ment should show another But IL the Sen
ate as such, has no right to impugn the mo-
tives OF the Governor, what right has the
Governor as such, to impugn the motives OF
the Senate
We have considered the Governors mes
| sage solely with reference to its propriety as
an official communication from the Executive
to the Legislature, and without regard to the
merits OF the controversy concerning the
confirmation OF Mr.. MURTIIA. 1t seems
probable, indeed, that Tammany Hall has
blocked the way to an important reform
which every good citizen and true Democrat
ought to favor. Nevertheless, we believe
that even tho opposition OF that faction
might have been quietly overcome by the
simple force OF character OF a Governor, IL
We had one, whose ability and political
sagacity fitted him to be leader.
What the Democracy Of New York most
need is such Governor