Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-01-10
Governor HamiIton's N essagc

bxoept for its prepOsterons length,
Governor Hsmilton's retiring message
has proved generally acceptable to the
Baltimore press. The Day says that the
governor has been At fault in regarding
everything as an abuse which his own
Judgment did not approve and in seeing
personal grievances where none were
Intended, but that he has given tn state
clean, capable and economical admins
Jration and has wound up his guberns
'ottsl career with message observing
" Of vastly more careful consideration
6 than II is likely to receive"
The Imericas speaks of the message IS
" very able and stateamanlike pieseiits-
d lion Of the affairs Of the stats. -"
The Herald says that the message is
wfitten "in the governors gtraighttDr.
ward way" and marked throughout
"with an earnest appeal for retrench-
'ment SID reform"
The Sun passes the document III review
without any comment whatever,
The topics Of greateet interest 10 readers
Of the GAzRTTE which srs cooaidered
by the governor sre the unsatisfactory
condition OF the oyster navy, the need OF
reform in the elective system and the
subject Of constitutional convention.
The present condition OF the oyster
navy IL ebaranfariz-a he ~, .,n,,.,.,,.,,. -.
deplorable," aud he adds that it has
bsen converted into "a political psr,iean
mechanism He shows that the state
receipts from the oyster interests were
larger before the creation Of the navy
THAI tLey are now, and recommends thst,
in any changes that may be made in the
system, the governor should be vented
with the sole authority to command the
services. Cordial cooperation between
Maryland and Virginia for the regulation
and protection OF the oyster beds on The
border ia also urged.
Regarding bribery and corruption at
elections, the governor says that he has
been advised of their prevalence to IL
greater or less extent over the state in
some localities to a irighttul and disgrace
tul extent, Hs is informed that incredi-
bic sums of money were used in some OF
tue closely contested counties Nothing
should be left untried to suppress this
evil, Not only should effort be directed
against direct bribery, but against all its
variors phases, such IS the days wages
for voting, or the hiring for election pur-
poses,or any other thing done improperly
to influence the voter
Such esustic showing in All official
document places the politicians and bribs
takers OF Maryland in the most reprehen
sible light,
As one remedy for this degrading state
OF affairs, the governor recommends the
requirement of every office holder OF
sppointee to make oath that he was not
guilty of bribery, either directly or in,
directly. He also recommends empower
ing the state to call either party TO an sc
OF bribery to the witness stand and com
pei him TO testify, exeuptng the witness
from persecution Tor his snare in til,
Ohense,
In regard to the proposed call for
constitutional Convention the Eove1No
does not think it desirable to have con
veution earlier tnau 1857, but urges tina
amendments TO the constitution might L,
, adopted which would answer the genera
j purpose.
He further recommends that all assess
mems upon Office holders within th
. state, "hv;htr state or national, for poll
T ica' purposes shou'd be prohibited a
! al-o al iu;er'ereuce by Office holders II
p:imerS Tu-etipge, CONVERSATIONS aud ell,
tious.