St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-16
HYPEECRITICTSJI.

The n. Y. San and the N Y Tri5sas are
both snecring at the brevty of Grover
Cleveland's resignation Of the gubernatoria
oliice-as If it were not in good taste, and
unbecoming his high position. That is mere
hypercriticism, developing disposition to
ind fault when there is no occasion or real
ground for fault finding. One criticism on
the breyity of Gov. Cleveland's letter of
resignation is, that he should have given the
reason for his resignation to preserve full
record for the sake of history. But Mr..
| Cleveland is wiser than his critics. By the
| popular report he has been elected President,
but he has as yet received no official notifca-
ton OF the fact. Indeed the returns have
not yet been canvasSed in the House of Rep
resentatives as required by the constitution,
and the result declared. Gov Cleveland
could not with propriety assume in his Off
cial letter of resignation that be had been
elected President, and therefore resigned the
Governorship.
The letter of Daniel D. Tomplins, and
Martin Van Buren,, each of some length, re-
signing the Governorship of New York,
when elected to higher Office, are quoted
against Gov. Cleveland. But in each of
these cases Thompkius and Van Buren, had
official notice Of their election to a higher
Office. Mr. Tompkins In his letter of resig-
nation said.
Having received official Information of my
election to the Office of Vice President of the
United States, 1 surrender through their rep
resentatives to the people of the State, the
office of their Chief Magistrate"
rather turgid, verbose announcement of
very simple fact followed by string of
needless commonplace sentences.
Mr.. Van Buren, in resigning the guberna-
torial Office wrote:
1.-The President with the advice and con-
sent of the Senate has appointed one Secre-
tary of State Of the United States, and have
felt 1t my duty to accept the unsolicited and
distinguished honor, which has thus been
conferred upon me. This decision makes it
necessary that should resign the office of
Governor of this State to which have recent
ly been elected.''
After this circumlocutary announcement,
Mr.. Van Buren, filed out long letter of in
Hated personal, reministic bombast, serving
no real purpose but the application of the
letter of resignation, with little sef-elorifi-
cation thrown in. Gov. Cleveland, not hav-
ing yet been officially notified was too modest
to assume the fact, and having no penchant
for self glorifcation like his predecessors, in
his official letter of resignation, placed on
file the simple fact that he had resigned. The
induitrious student of history will not be
greatly puzzled TO ascertain the reason of his
resignation.
All the requirements Of propriety, personal
dignity. and self-respect were observed In
the brief letter OF resignation. Had he
mounted the high horse of egotistical self
gratulatory pomposity as did his predecessors
he would have laid himself open Justly to
sarcastic criticism, in resigning an office to
which he had no official notice Of being cleo
ted. Mr.. Cleveland, by his common sense
action disarms just criticism, and it is only
the littleness of the hypercritic, surchargcd
with spiteful meanness, that assails him.