New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-16
ms LOOKED INTO HIS CONSCIENCE.

In his speech accepting the Tammany nomina
tion for Justice OF the Supreme Court the o'her
night OK Recorler Smyth remarked win elho'ioh
that he appreciated the honor more particularly
"bccause of what happened ut this time year
ago" He doubtless had reference to the CIR
cumstance that n wear ago he was candidate TOT
re-eIection TO the office Of Recorder, which he
had held for fifteen years. and was defeated by
nearly $1,000 votes, running behind Ill o'her
candidates on the same ticket. That Tammany
I'm such circumstances should have put MN up
again for a judicial position within tweNe
months after such defeat might well excite
grateful emotions. but 1t Is doubtful whether
candidate is justified in indulging In such de-
pressing "reminiscences upon such an OCCASION
They neither inspire confidence nor provoke
hIlority. Referring then to his career as Re-
corder he said he had endeayored TO discharge
his duty faithfully. After an absence OF year
from the bench" said he. Il have looked into
.my conscience and find there no reproach FOR
ANYTHING which 4 did" Which goes TO show
that the voters must have found something In
his record which he failed to find in his con-
science. II sometimes happens So And 1t sug-
gcsts reflections.
We do not understand from the language OF
the OK Recorder that he has spent his entlre 'he
since leaving the bench in looking into MS CON
science for reproach Upon any fair cons'ruc'
ton il would seem rather to imply that II Is OH!
within few days-say since the NOMINATION.
that il occurred him as one or the necessary
prelimnaries of the fall campaign to look lhto
his conscience for reproach. 1t ought not to take
q year or the nine months since Mr.. Snlyth re-
fired from the bench, to look very thoroughly
into almost any conscience Doubtless Mr..
SMITHS il one of the largest and rO0mlest IN
Tommany Hall but it is hardly credible that
| no would devote nine months to looking into II
for renroach That's more time than Is ordi
noriIv devoted to an entire houscclcaning 1t Is
not likely thas he has actually devoted more than
two or three DAYS to the search. and probably
NOT more than two or three hours day at that
So that, after all, II it is one Of these highly
artistic decorated. panelled and frescoed con
sciences. with dadoes and friezes ana aicoves
and portieres and sideboards and beer bottles
| and brica -brac and such ike, 1t Is dollars 10
| doughnuts that something in the way or re-
| proach might have escaped him. We hate 10
| think SO. We would like 10 believe that when
he looked into his conscience for reproach he
went into it with a lighted candle, double
barrelled gun. pointer dog, setter pup ana
power to send for persons and papers But lie
could hardly have done it in the time allowed
and if he had. he would have said more about 1t
A mans examination Of his own conscience
is ordinarily private affair. but Mr.. Smyth Is
running for office on the strength of having
looked into his own and finding no reproacl
there This makes it matter OF public interest
and it is accordingly important to know whether
| he looked into 1t with the determination ano
| carncstness with which the mature maiden pur
sues the marauding mouse, or only went through
If with feather buster to avoid missing things
M We mean no unkindness to the eX-hccorder
but we feel called upon to say that II ne i run
ming for office on the strength OF his haViht
looked into his conscience and found 10 re
nrooch he will find ii necessary to take another
| look in order to satisfy the public. Somewhere
among his brc-a -brac he will find the cara o
| T. Diver, J.