New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-08
4 QUESTION or PTBLIC MORALS.

II i not easy to reconcile such nomination
as that of Maynard with the belief that Inc
pcoplc are intelligent. honest anxious 10 get
Justice done. and fit for the responsibilities Oh
self -govcrnment The offence of this man was
not technical or trivial one. It's deliberate
purpose was to rob the people OF their rlsh's
and of their government 1t was crime under
the law. was pcrpetratcd with IL deliberate
falsehood which of itself ought TO exclude Il
person from official position, ana was more
over an intentional defiance and defeat OF inc
court which had cndcavorcd to get justice
done 1t is hard TO conceive more aSgra-
waited case of wrongdoing. Il baser form OF
dishonesty and the offence was so fragrant and
outrageous that honest members of the same
political organization with Maynard joined in
public condemnation of his act. The selection
of such Il person for the highest judicial tn
bunal is something more than IA deliberate re-
ward Of political crime 1t is IN attempted
prostitution of the judiciary which ought To be
met by all respectable citizens with keen ana
resolute resentment.
Ii is the common impression that when Il
great political party shrcwd and ably led
puts up candidate against whom serious OBJ
icctions have been raised. il is because the
long headed leaders know better than most per-
sons what the voters are disposed TO approve.
Either the shrcwdcst Democratic leaders have
blundcrcd almost inconceiyably or the temper
Of Democratic voters throughout the state was
fairly expressed in the unanimous vote 10y
which Maynard was nominated in convention.
But if that is The actual temper of Democratic
voters generally. there is surely reason 10 begin
To question the qualification OF the people Tor
the duties and responsibilities Of sclf-govern-
lncnt. II crime such as Maynard committed
is upheld and deliberately rewarded by ma
iorty Of the voters in this State for no other
reason obviously. than because il WAS per
pcratcd in the interest Of political party and
enabled that party To- grasp the control of III"
State then indeed is the stability Of free in
stitutons in grave peril.
But il is not vet To- be- believed that ma
iorty Of the people of this State, or even the
Democratic voters as a body. will record their
approval Of Il crime fragrant. Some If them
will undoubtedly act upon The feeling expressed
by The Ncw-York Times which cditonally
says:
DO the people OF this State propose to eject q
criminal To the Court OF Appeals bench;
MIR. Maynard stole and suppressed corrected
election return. allowed the false return 10 BE-
counted by the canvassers. h. being present and
not protesting, and through this crime. punishable
under the Penal Code by five years imprisonment.
his party gained a seat In the State senate 10
which it was not entitled. and with that seat the
control Of the Senate. The people hal voted the
other way. Judge Maynard's act thwari'd their
will. 1t was in its nature and intent one Of the
eravcst crimes known 10 the laws Of Republic
1t was so pronounced by the committee OF the Bar
Association By that committee. composed of the
most eminent lawyers In this city. many OF Them
Democrats Maynard was declared to have been
guilty Of suppressng the corrected return ana con
nving at the counting Of the Illegal one There IS
room for doubt about the facts
In strong contrast with this honolapl" cN-
preston OF just indignation there is shown 10y
some other journals an intense satisfaction IN
the "puck and courage" Of the party which
thus stands by" one Of its workers To whom
il owes it's success Mr.. Ridgway. OF Brook
lyn. said in convention. The Democratic
party Of the great State Of \ewlork knows
Isaac H. Maynard. and they owe him Il debt
of gratitude that they can only in "A small
allied position II did not seem 10 occur TO
Mr. Rdgway that he was covering himself and
his party with shame by such declaration.
Therein he gave voice to the intense hatred
which criminals and all persons OF the danger
ous classes feel toward the laws which hold
them i'm check. and toward the decent public
opinion which upholds the laws.