New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-15
A PrRLIC SERTAN1.

Tho New,Ierscy Senate Committee which has
been investigating various transactions connect
ed with the service Of the State held another SEES
sion Yesterday. and Mr.. Henry c. Kelsey resumed
the witness stand 1t Is probably unnecessary To
explain that Mr. Kelsey is an interesting per
sop,ce. having occupied the important post "f
Secretary of State for quarter of century I'M
der successive administrations and so conducted
himself i'm the eyes Of the public as to establish
n reputation for scrupulous rccttudc and claim
n thc offcctionate remembrance Of posterity.
Nor has ii been forgotten that in consequence on
Mr.. Kcscy's first appearance rs witness in this
Investigation on May .. public confidence III the
.odty of his high repute was suddenly ana
rudcly shaken. 1t was then ascertained. upon MS
own testimony that Mr. Kelsey had been in the
habit of retaining through long periods for his
own use and profit great sums of money belong
Ing TO the State: that he had invested these funis
in his private business enterprises. thus largely
increasing his working capital and avoiding the
necessity Of borrowing money and paying inter-
est thereon; that he had never thought it worth
while to keep a separate account OF me S'a'e
financial contributions to these numerous ana
diversified undertakings. but that he had always
made it a point at intervals which he deemed
that he owed it. without interest. of course. even
at considerable temporary Inconvenience 10 MIN
self: and that as a part Of the system which he
had found so satisfactory be had drawn for the
EXPENSES of his office considerably more than he
had found il necessary Ia dlsbulNe.
Having thus explained the manner in which he
had performed his delicate and onerous trust, Mt
Kelsey desired the privilege of going into retire
in ,.ln that 10
ouently emerge with still more complete and
triumphant vindica;on Of his conduct than the
immediate circumstances permitted. The re-
quest was granted. and during the last Twelve
DAYS he has had the advantage Of uninterrupted
intercourse with his books and his lawyers. lie
reappeared yesterday soothed and fortified by
rcpose and legal advice, and made long ana
painstaking statement. which he had been as
sured on high authority would prove entirely
satisfactory The substance Of it was that he
had never violated statute in the smallest par
ticular: that for everything which he had done
or left undone he had full warrant In either the
words or the silence Of the L. VS.: that he had
been sustained throughout by precedent ana
acouIescence, but that in token Of his perfect
good faith he had recently adopted and would
hereafter pursue totally different system. 1t Is
proper 10 say mat Inc couns'l ~ llc CoHHi'Nc
asserted that Mr. Kelsey had not made suiii-
cicnt answer, that he had not obeyed the laws.
and that many processes OF his administration
were not justified by his explanation But for
the moment let 1t be assumed that Mr.. Kelsey
Is right on this point and Mr. Corbln wrong. In
that case what remains TO be saidf
Well, 1t seems to us that II remains 10 be said
that the aged Secretary Of State Of Ncw-Jcrscy
is sIngularly indifferent TO his own honor. He
makes no attempt to show that he has served the
Commonwealth well during the last quarter OF
century. 1t apparently does not greve him 10
reflect or enbarrass him TO acknowledge that the
people have been compelled 10 pay year after
year for the support Of the State large sums OF
money which they might have kept in their own
pockets II Mr. Kelsey had not been determined
10 get rich through the free use OF public funds.
He stands on what he claims 10 be the letter OF
the law Evidently II he has been troubled in
spirit during the last twelve days. his only
anxiety has been lest some statute should trip
him up at the last. But he has been advised by
eminent legal talent" that he Is safe; and being
safe. why should he not be happy! This Is said
to be a degenerate age. but we should hate to
doubt that even now there are many men In
public office who would rather starve than pros
hy st,cf,