New-York tribune., 1892-01-07
foundation than the fact that Democrats were in
HILL md HIS HORSETHIEF.

DtIt NOulu Dt nV bNAiti N'JN'S 'N''N'' -
lus,rate the audacity of David b. Hill than has
been afforded fy the decision just handed down
by the Supreme Court of Connecticut III the case
of the quo warranto brought to test the title ana
authority of the Acting Governor. This was Il case
in which. as has been stated by TIE TRIBUNE
already, the authority of the Governor fesIcd
entirely upon the decision OF certain important
questions of constitutional construction. lhey
were questions OF such 4 nature tina, the! couiu
not be decided offhand. They were in sense
new and unprecedented. No lawyer OF any
reputation in Connecticut would have ventured
upon stating absolutely and finally an opinion
upon the whole matter which was not open 10
argument. Cpcn the questions OF law involved
there were wide differences of opinion which dld
not run on party lines. 1t is no secret that
MANY eminent Democratic lawyers in Connecticut
differed in the most positive manner from Mr..
Uammerslv. who was the counsel Of the Demo
cratic Committee. nor is il denied that some Re
publican lawyers agreed with him in his con-
.tluction OF the law governing the case. Buf
we think we can confidently state that amoEs
all Of the members Of the Connecticut bar WHO
were called upon to consider the case there was
never any question but that 1t was - involved
and intricate that nothing but 4 decision OF the
highest court could settle il conclusveiy. And
this ought to be said in behalf Of the people OF
Connecticut. who for the last year have been
criticised somewhat for the. lack of deiinitcncss
in their State offices-ior which they have found
some compensation in the absence of leglsla-
ton more likely to be mixed and misleading
than wi,c-that they have with great patience
folded their hands AMI waited.
The most striking feature of the deadlock,
however, has appeared, not in Connecticut, but
in this. the adjoining State The internal dis
t,rbance Of the ordinary processes OF government
through the lack Of appropriations to meet ex-
penses by legislative enactment has been cor
rccted by the patriotism and good sense of Gov
ernor Bulkcley, who has in this particular shown
himself a worthy successor of Jonathan Trum-
bull and William A. Buckingham lie has pro-
vided by his own means and credit for carrying
on the State Government in all departments, so
that the efforts Of his opponents to bring about
condition of anarchy have been unayalling.
Whatever else may be said of Morgan Il.
Bulkeley. this will remain and be sufficient for
his fame that in a trying time he stood mp.
He carried the State safely through period in
which few men would have taken the risks and
incurred the hostility which he has met with
something that seems even to carping contem-
poraries to be very manly and very bold. IL is
TO him, il should be said in passing, that the
State is indebted fer having gone through time
of peri with such sense Of security. stability and
peace that no one inside her peaceful borders
ever dreamed there was any danger And all
the time the law-abidng citizens waited pa
80 .b md nv which
they should find ont whether he was really Gov
ernor or usurper.
They waited year for their Supreme Court
Meantime h0rSethief escaped the jurisdiction
Of the State and came over into New-fork.
Governor Bulkelcy issued Iequsition for him
upon David B. HILL then, by grace OF God, ls
it 50 seems TO finite minds, Governor Of New
York. 1t was IN ordinary process. 1t only
called for the surrender Of a thief 10 the Jnris-
diction 70 which he was amenabe for his crime.
That was all. No nice points IN II. NO poll
ties II was simply question whether the GOV
crnor OF New-York would surrender a criminal
or without any inquiry whatever give him safc
ASYLUM. What did David Il. Hill do? Con
slider the question as one Of State comfy, Of good
ncighborhood, of common justice? Not at all.
the safety Of the citizens Of his own state, a
question Of making a Botany Bay Of his own
Jurisdiction? Not at all. With him II was sim
ply question of poltics-of very sma!l politics.
IIe gave the thief an asylum, and offered TO
other thieves similar immunity, just for the sake
Of saying formally and officially to the Governor
of a sister State that he, the Governor of the
state of NcwY orlt-he, David 3. llill-had de
cided without witnesses. without facts and with
ont hearing, all the questions involved in tho
election dispute in Connecticut, and decided them
in favor Of his own party. And he yaunted
himself upon it. And some Democratic news
papers praised him for ii. One Democratic ncws
paper in Connecticut, "Thc New Haven Regis
ter which was just ~ loyal TO the party as
David t. IIill but which saw the hOllowncss Of
the mans pretenGons had the courage TO say
Governor Hill had made mistake.
But what show this decision makes Of David |
b. Hill The court Of final resort has patiently
heard the whole case, and decided unanimously |
Democrats and all-that Morgan g.. Bulkclcy |
is rghtful Governor. David B. Hill let Il horse
thief go-gave him an aSylum-in order to settle |
a question on the very narrOwcSt pdty grounds,
which he knew nothing about and with which |
he had no business Could there be "A better |
illustration Of character than this which David h. |
Hill has given Of himself?