The sun., 1891-01-20
IL It Abdication 2

10 IL Abdicauon
The question Of the day, almost equal In
It's sinterest to tho momentous contest over the
Force bill In the Senate is whether by taking
tho Office Of Senator In Congress Governor
HILL now abdicates the great post OF leader
OF the Democracy and necessary Demo-
cratic candidate for President In 1892. 1t is
q problem which cannot now be solved with
dogmatic positiveness. but which time will
soon determine by facts.
From the first. the Mugwumps who sup
port Mr.. CLEVELAND exclusively, have been
OF tho opinion that for Governor HILL the
Senate means abdication, and as such thcy
have desired 1t and worked for 1t. On the
other hand, while we have shared their
opinion and have made no secret OF it. we
have desired intensely that their effort
might prove futile. The most Intelligent
and uncompromising of Mr.. HILL 8 original
friends, those who have supported him and
promoted his advancement from earnest de.
votion to Democratic ideas alone. have Also
been Of the same mind with US respecting
this subject; and it is proper to say that
they now regard tho event with feeling
Of dismay and disappointment not known
since Mr.. T1LpEN was defrnuded OF his Office.
Possibly they are mistaken, and we SIM
cerely hope the sequel may prove It; but
this is no time to pass compliments or en-
courage pleasant illusions.
One thing, however. We are absolutely
unwilling TO believe and wo know the ac-
cusaton will not be admitted by those dis
Interested and patriotic Democrats Of whom
we have just been speaking. They will re-
jcct with indignant ardor the imputation
of the nblest and fairest ot the chief
Mugwump Free Trade organs, the Pfort-
dence Journal when it declares that In TAX
ing the place OF u Senator Governor HILL
has apparently decided not to oppose tho
denomination OF Mr.. CLEVELAND" II that
were true tho Governor would be guilty Of
conduct like that OF General who should
desert his army on tho very field OF battle,
and leave his friends to tho mercy OF an
enemy pledged to their determination. OF
such conduct we all know and feel that HILL
Is incapable He may be led into error-all
men are fallible-but that great crime
against Democracy and his friends Is inn
possible with him.
Another error Of opinion. though Of
much lighter nature. is attributed in the
Tribune to Lieutenant-G Governor JONES. He
when the term OF the new Senator will COM
mence Mr.. Hill may continue to be both
Governor and Senator, simply by refraining
from taking the oath and refusing the pay
OF the latter Office until the regular session
OF Congress commences in December next,
This seems to us to be u decidedly i'm
practicable and anti-American idea. II
Mr.. JONES himself were elected to the
Senate. he could not accept that
Office and yet hold on to the ono he now
fills so faithfully and ,honorably. 1t is not
necessary to find any express statute. and
we believe there Is none. which In terms pro-
hibits q man from holding both Of these
places at once This Is because the case
never occurred which made 1t necessary
to enact such statute. But the unwritten
law Is most distinct and Imperative; and. II
the question should arise. public opinion
would enforce It's prohibition quito as effect
ually as II 1t had formed q part Of the statute
books from time immemorial. The thing
Is impossible Gen. JONES could not be q
Senator at Washington and still preside
over the Senate at Albany and stand ready
to take the place OF Governor HILL should
he die, or become disabled.
This will be admitted by everybody in case
an extra session OF the Senate should be called
to meet Immediately after the termination
OF the present Congress on March L. Then
Gen. JONES would have to choose at once be-
tween resigning one office or the other. But
II no called session should be required. might
he not continue to be Lieutenant Governor
till the meeting Of the Fifty-second Congress
in December He need not be sworn in as
Senator, and he could send back the pay
which the Sergeant-at-Arms OF the Senate
would send to him punctually. But it is in
dispensable that there should be two Sena-
tors from New York. Would there be
two in the situation We are considering
II Yes, one Of them could not also be
Leutenant-G Governor. II No. then there
would be vacancy in the Senatorial repre-
sentation Of the State; and as the Legisa-
ture would be in session, an election must be
held to fill it. 1t seems to us that there is no
escape from this conclusion And II 1t be
true as regards tho Lieutendnt-Go Governor, 1t
Is equally true as regards the Governor. II
Mr.. Hill accepts his election as Senator, he
must ccase to be Governor on iIarch next,
and Gen. JONES must succeed him as the
chief executive officer OF New York. Tho
oflce OF Senator in Congress Is too great q
thing to be made a convenience OF for any
man, however able or distinguished, to play
fast and loose with.
How far this necessity should influence
the final decision OF the much more impor-
tant question OF abdicating tho Democratic
leadership and retiring from tho Presiden-
tial competition, is O topic that we shall not
now discuss. Sufficient for the day is the
evil thereof.
Tho Disgrace OF Connecticut.
To-day Is likely to be vociierous day
under the imitation gilded dome at Hart
ford. Mr.. BULKELEY has issued procla-
nation warning the Connecticut folks
against recognizing the Democratic State
oficnrs whose election has hacn declared hv