New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-10
TEE GnHERNoKs MANNsRS.

The tone adopted by Governor HUI IN MS
communications to the Legislature has Always
been trrculent and overbeating, but he has per-
mitted himself of late such license rs TO attract
universal attention. In vetoing the SECRET bal
10. hill Inst month he exceeded oil his previous
attacks upon the motives of members and In
sinuations againstRthe sincerity Of their ofAcial
notions But in dealing with the Excise Com
mission and Vedder bills he went so iar tnao
this performance paled by contrast In the
first. named veto he attacked " the mad anxiety
with which this bill was made party measure
nv the majority of the Legislature" and the
reckless haste with which it was originally
rushed through both houses without listening
10 suggestions, criticisms or amendments pre-
sented by the minority, with the evident inten-
ton that the bill should not be approved, and
that the Executive might thereby be placed be-
fore the people of the State in the false light
of having vetoed a reform measure" Again
he SAYS: at is most charitable to the intelli-
gence Of the advocates of this bill to believe that
they intended that it should not be approved by
the Executive" He alleges certain defects
which, he says, al will oharitably assume were
the result of haste, inadvertence or the absence
of due consideration on the part Of its trainers"
These illusions were insulting to the Legis-
lature as body, and to the people whom it
represented. and were unworthy OF the Execu-
tive of the State of New-York. They were
such as no man holding any official position
should permit himself to make in public COM
muncation. Whatever latitude may be per-
mitted in debate in legislative bodies, or In
public speeches, there are certain courtesies
which are indispensable in the formal trans
actions of official kfe. So far as we remem-
ber it has been the custom of the New-I ork
Legislature to treat every occupant OF the In
ecutive Chair with respect, and the converse Of
this has usually been true. But Mr.. Hill has
continually violated the aXoms OF good man
ncrs, and has at times been even indecently
abusive. His vetoes Of the Excise Commission
and Vedder bills were the most fagrant in
stances Of this. The former began with this
amazing sentence: Hypocrisy is stamped upon
nearly every page and line of this measure"
This was the keynote. The bill was " not hon
estly designed to subserve the cause of temper
ance It's insincerity is apparent, and so APP
parent that it is scarcely denied"
The recent excise measures Of the Legis-
lature had designedly been made Objectionable
and extreme in many features for the very pur-
pose of preventing Executive approval" This
involved a. shameful violation OF official oaths."
The bill was "iniqutous." Representatives
claiming to be honest and honorable men de-
liberately and unblushingly voted for it, II
was supported by false arguments" flimy
pretexts' and preposterous claims" The ma.
jority had "beea loud in their hollow professions
in behalf Of tempel ance.n Honor, good faith
and fair DEALING called for the passage Of the
Commission bill. The assertion that the bill
passed was substantially the Commission bill
was simply a bold plain and unmitigated
falsehOod," designed 70 cover and concea! the
apparent treachery and bad faith involved in
the rejection of the Commission bill" II was
"a species Of dupIicity, deception and double
dealing worthy only Of the defenders Of the
substitute who have been juggling with this
question for so many years" In one place the
Governor refers 10 the Ignorance or stupidity
of the authors Of this bill" The people were
told that they must wait until Legislature
shall be chosen with higher notions Of honor,
with broader conceptions Of public duty, and
actuated BY sincere and honest desires 10 serve
instend of betr0y the cause Of temperance and
good government" In discussing the Vedder
Tax bill, the Governor said: ut is not an
honest measure"
II Mr.. Hill should venture TO address 10 the
Legislature, while in session, communications
so insulting as these, we should hope to sec
them returned to him by that body with the
declaration that they were not couched in prop
err language. 1t is not an excuse for him that
Mr.. Cleveland set the fashion before him of
scoldng Representatives as II they were school
boys and impugning their motives. Mr.. Hill
ought to be taught that in his official utterances
he must respect the proprieties of official life.
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