The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-09-14
OxunnSc Dsseeeos Ane Gen. Uass-Hhs Usss anA
Ah0sss ~ PusnsasAssa.

the special organ of Gov. Marcy, on the relar
lions subsisting between the administration and
Gen. Cass. 1t evinces the characteristic policy
Of that faction Of political adyenturers known
as the '.spoils men, whose varying fortunes
have never carried them ond the atmosr
phere of low intrigue and the petty larceny
baunts of dwelling political management. As
contemplate, however. as these men have ever
been in the eyes Of an honest public sentiment
up to this time they have not been charged
with such an imbecile display Of the imple-
ments of knavery-the dies and tools of coun-
terteit retreat-as those described in the article
to which we have referred Themselves en-
sconced beneath the drippings of the treasury.
and finding all their hopes conferred in the miser-
able rewards of office how can they be expected
to rise up to the dignity of craftsmanship, and
to realize in the administration anything else
than a system of compensations and scramble
for "spoils ~
Gen Cass" says the Union, &" distinctly
notified the President, before the Inauguration
that he would accept no Office J" "of course,
then" il adds I" he had no cause to complain
on his own account Gen. Cass' interest in
the administration was then confined to the
simple question whether he was personally
served with an Office or not The principles for
which he had commended vanished into thin air
under the potent power of public patronage.
If be declined the place he foreclosed his right
of complaint, and thereby endorsed and APP
proved" the policy of the administration.
The Office must be the beginning and the end Of
his thoughts and the sovereign controller of his
actions.
Having thus cured Gen. Cass by Gov.
Marcy's spoils elixir, there was no earthly
reason why the same potent medicine should
not be administered to his friends Adds the
Union: then, declining to take any place him
SELF under Gen. Pierce, would naturally
make him more solicitous that justice SHOULD
be done to his friends" Whereupon the organ
officially AYERS that Gen. Cass, having made no
demonstration of dissatisfaction, renders it
conclusive that he endorses and approves
the policy Of the President in reference to ap
pointments
1t will not escape the notice Of the political
reader that the Union confounds the question
of principle with that of policy. Gen. Cas-
is expected to make an issue with Gen. Pierce
If his friends are not served. He must
descend from his elevated retreat and fight the
administration upon questions of Office Him.
self candidate for President in 1913, now a
Senator Of the United States. the silence he
has preserved in the midst Of the spols -strug-
gle at Washington is construed into satisfac-
ton at all that has been done.
Is there no man in the government possess
ing sufficient sense and delicacy to see that,
without an absolute surrender of all self-re-
spect, Gen. Cass could not make issue with the
President touching the distribution of the pub
lie patronage?
Does not Gen. Pierce know that not an ar-
pointment to any Office out Of the State of
Michigan has been made on the recommends
ton of Gen. Cass? and that even within
that State not the slightest regard has been paid
to his views and wishes? What means, then, the
shameless prostitution of Gov. Marcys Or
gan in perverting an expression Of earnest so
licitnde for the success of the administration
into an approval by the veteran Senator of the
policy of appointments made by Gen. Pierce?
We say nothing of the indelcacy and the
questionable morality of the organ in thrusting
before the country the confidential views OF
Gen. Cass, and making deductions from his 81
lence in reference to his satisfaction or dissatis-
faction with the treatment of his friends by
Gen. Pierce. The purpose the disclosures were
intended to subserve is too manifest, and their
insincerity too apparent to need exposure
| The Union can vindcate itself only by pub
| fishing Gen. Cass' letter endorsing the appoint
| ments and expressing his satisfaction with the
treatment of his fir ends Meanwhile we assert
that the Union has seen no such endorsement
and never will. CARRIED extracts and broken
sentences from private letters are bad material
by which to sustain good cause. If justice
has been done to Gen. Cass and his friends the
ready avowal Of the fact can be obtained from
him; if injustice has been done he will embrace
only an appropriate occasion to make known
his views, and not be driven to petulant pro-
tests and to the scurvy tricks of mere spoils-
politicians for a remedy. We assert again that
Gen. Cass has been totally overlooked at Wash
ington; but that he is willing to wait for re-
turning sense Of propriety, and to hope for
restoration Of the administration to the coun-
| ellis OF disinterested craftsmanship.
II Governor Marcys spoils machinery works
well, why is it that he should thus surrept-
tiously avail himself Of the services of General
Csss to keep it in motion? A good cause is
generally its own best defender; the one that
is sustained by certificates and hearsay test
mony, to say the least il questionable credit
If General Cass and bis friends have been vel
treated surely it needs no doubtful assertions
and sly serenades from the organ TO satisfy
and put them to sleep The machinery of
party does not make history; assertions are
not evidence; wishes are not horses politi
clans are not statesmen; organs are not always
musical; men are not omnipotent-
We 70 or, dauu.,nu1 ,,rnnpI