The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-10-20

THE WORK or PRoscRIPrroS-CAsE OF CAPTAIN
BRowNEIL.-T cabinet, il would appear, have
not yet "equallzed" the Offices of the country.
Frying about IN the holes and corners and around the
edges, they still find, now and then, customer
for execution. A Washington correspondent has
furnished the case Of Capt. Brownel, as one Of the
latest. This was a hard case, called for by pub
he necessity, and without Justification. Capt.
Browne1 IL man whose services and patri ,tlc
conduct deserve even the respect of the butcher.
Under Van Buren,, Harrison and Tyler, he was Of
fered his progressive rank post. captain, with
back pay tor twenty years, which would have
amounted to $22, 200, which he declined, asking
only TO be allowed the rank Of lieutenant, 10
which he was promoted ia 1915. Ia 1872, wh-a
the Senate, In consideration OF his services IN the
bslIle OF Lake Erie, in 1913, proposed TO give him
a pension from that date, he declined il, because,
during part OF the interval, he had been earning
subsistence out of the public service. Bat on be-
ing ienstated, it was understood, that from his
disqualification for service, he was to be other
wise employ ed; and hence, on the establishment
OF the lint line Of our ocean steamers, ne was ap-
pointed TO the post of inspector OF the ships, from
which he is now removed. The conduct of this
officer, in refusing to take the slightest advantage
Of the government, dollar OF the public money
10 vi ich he believed he was not entitled, though
repeatedly offered to HIN, should, at least, have
been respected.
1t may be said that Commodore Perry being
equal 10 the whole duty of inspecting the steam
ships, the Office hell by BFowneli was snecure,
and that his renewal was but an act of economy.
Ii won't DO. The cabinet were operated upon by
other motives; and, ten to one, TIE malice OF some
DISAPPOINTED partisan, IN "A scheme for swlld'lnr
the treasury lies at the bottom of the transaction.
Had Captain Brownell been toady of the cabiaet,
he might have been spared. A single case, or
dozen cases, of bad appointments might be
excused, from the difficulty with the cabinet of
knowing any thing of the real character of the APP
picsnts I; but a regular systematic distribution to
the mere hacks of party, of the best Offices, and
the expulsion of some of the hes, men OF the coun-
Try, TO make tor these cabinet scullions, can
not be tolerated This huckstering accounts for
the muilny among the honest portion of the wings
of New York and Philadelphia. This is the policy
which, ia part, is shaving down the wing party to
the numerical strength of the ofiice-holders and
their family conn, ctions. This is The system
which Is converting the government into great
almshouse, at which the beggars Of The dominant
parry fed at the public expense. Between
EwIng's policy at home and Clayion's foreign poll
cy, there is scarcely toss-up for the choice it is
six for one and half dozen for the other. Ia the
home policy, the pledges aud the wishes Of General
Taylor have been violated and in our foreign poll
cy, the government has been degraded. The cabi-
net have been false IN the one and falhless in the
other. Reform is demanded IN both lei Us have
reform, or let us have change. We are In for
one or the other.