The evening world., 1894-02-13
SHEEHAN IS AT BAY.
Makes A Defiant Statement tc
the State Senate.
Newspaper Critics to Be Considered
by Judiciary Committee.
MIR. SulZcr Will Try the Same Plan
In the Assembly To- Morrow.

Al.bhN i II en-. 10. just before tle EtNel
fell in the State Senate to-day, Lieut.
Gov. Sheehdn addressed the Senators AZ
follows:
by the Indulgence OF the senate.
and through Its courtesy, l desire to
make a short statement.
Sine the beginning of this session 1t
seems to have been the settled policy of
some correspondents, representing certain
New York journals. to misrcprcsent,
pcrvert the truth, and to deliberately
lie with reference to your presiding
officer. He has without complaint, sub
mitcd to these calumnies, believing that
personal rancor and dislike would soon
disappear before the APPARENT injustice
and cowardice of the attacks,
but the height of these lumni was
reached this morning when, for the pur-
pose OF influencing and prejudicing the
minds OF Senators, certain of these pa
pers published sensational and baselcss
charges connected with certain proposed
Buffalo legislation, i%nsinuating in n most
cowardly and contemplate manner That
he was attempting improperly TO infiu-
ence Senators on this question.
against such acts? by what rule of
equity or d~ccency does 1t come with
in the province of a cabal OF news report
ers to meet in secret for the purpose of
destroying the characters of men whose
sole ambition Is to leave after them an
honorable name and an unblemishen
reputation? Fancy such ATTACKS as these
upon Senators and honorable men, and
then see the audacity of such creatures,
crawling arounj this Capitol asking for
the modification of the libel laws of the
state, that they may attack pubic men
without Justice or reason under the pro-
lection of law.
There are many honorable exceptions
to this rule among the representatives OF
and the rural papers as we'll, and I
want to pay publicly my respect to these
honorable reporters. who record, in their
partially and truthfuTSy. There is no man nn
alive who can truthfully say that l la
not In this matter acted as becomes "A
gentleman n an Official; haXe talked
and who among them will say ought in
criticism of my conduct on any of these
occasions?
II appeal to Republican Senator'S, as
well as to Democratic and Independent
Senators, If this is not true. Finally, !
want to characterize in the strongest
possible manner as indecent, false and
venomous all these articles which charge
me directly or indirectly with having in
any improper manner attempted to in
Senators or members on this or any
other subject
When Mr.. Sheehan finished there was
silence for a moment, and then Senator
what the President has said, and 1t also
seems that Senator's upon this floor
might make the same complaint. re-
member that the Chairman OF the Elec-
ton Investigation Committee. had liber-
ties taken with his name and also with
those of his colleagues. o
II assert n think the time has come
for this Senate to assert its own dignity.
There are none of us who object to ION
est criticism l object to the ~stiletto
of the assassin. l object to the cowardly
sneak who has no basis for the charges
he makes: How much are we going to
submit to? Are we going to permit men
who are on this floor by the courtesy OF
this body to insult its presiding officer
leagues? Are we so cownrdly as not
to bring these correspondents to n sense
OF the decencies they owe the public?
II believe the time has come for mem
] care nothing for the criticism of, the
public press. except so far as Il is hon.
estly exercised. l nave no objection to
every act Of my pupils 9he or priVd inSel life
cation. But l want no correspondent TO
deal in aspersions upo the character
of any officer of this body or any Sena-
tor of this House
II move his matter be referred to the
Judiciary Committee. with power 70 take
such action in the premises that 1t
way to protect the members of this body
from attacks Of this kind,
Senator O'Sullivan said that he spoke
for Senator Cantor, who was unable
staying ava to hamper proceedings in
the Senate.
The motion of Senator O'Connor was
adopted.
SulZer will introduce "A resolution Of
the same nature.