The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-08-04
Principles and Practices ofthe Fillmore ana
Pierce Administrations.

very well that it will not bring one particle eft
reform to the administration of public affairs,
however much it may benefit themselves. We
already see them parcellng out i'm advance the
Offices jobs and plumber, with all the GOODNESS
imaginable-one old fogy in this place, another
old fogy in that. The departments all promised
to disintered political mummies tumbled out
of their sarcophagi, each with grain of cid
WING wheat in their mouths to produce an in
crease, for some ten, some fifty and others an
hundred fold, to the delight of antiquarians and
all curious observers Of resuscitation. Some more
country editors will be sent abroad some more
village lawyers promoted to seats in the Cabinet,
old forms, old abuses, old ideas, will again mark
the administration of affairs. 1t will be plea
SAINT time for them ALL
A little more sleep, a little more slumber,
little more folding OF the hands 10 sleep.
Not, however, but that there may be some oc-
casional variety. The men who seek to recall
Mr.. Fillmore to power have pretty good ac-
quaintance with its advantages, even though they
are only temporary. The grab game is pretty
quick one. 1t can be carried on between maps,
or when nobody is looking or when those who
should look turn away their heads lest they
might become evidence.
Mr. Fillmore's administration was quite distin-
guished by bold and dashng attempts on the
Treasury, which would have been entirely sue
cessful but for the Argus eyes of the Independent
press. There was, for example, the famous Gal
phin swindle, an heir loom from Gen. Taylor's
administration, in which his Secretary Of the
Treasury was implicated and other officials of
Mr.. Fillmore's appointment were concerned. Al
though public opinion set its mark upon all the
actors in this scene, we never heard OF any indig-
nation on his part at the well concocted fraud.
On the contrary, he no doubt looks pleasantly to
Georgia and Ohio for a grateful return for his
complacency to old friends in moment Of
danger.
There was another interesting event which oc-
CURED during his administration-th Gardiner
swindle-in which some of his leading and most
esteemed supporters figured largely. Some as
counsel, some as bankers, some as agents We're
mixed up in the business Large sums of money
were received by them in one shape or other, and
so badly was the business concluded, that but
little of the money stolen from the Treasury,
through the peruries ofthe claimant and the skill
of his associates, was ever restored. One party
only deemed ii necessary for his honor, to refund
his share.
And there was still another operation equally
on grand scale, in which Mr.. Fillmore was
party, involuntarily We fully believe, and that
was the guano speculation, which originated
with some of Mr.. Webster's immediate friends.
The public were first astounded at the generosity
of some gentlemen in suddenly presenting him
with twenty thousand dollars as a mark Of their
affection and respect In short time afterwards
guano feet was dispatched from the United
States to take possession Of some valuable islands
off tie coast Of Peru; and when Peru resisted.
and would not permit the sources of her reve-
me TO he cut off by The flibustering excremen-
talists, il was found that Mr. Fillmore had en-
dorsed geographical fable from the State Depart
mcnt as authority for the expedition and had
nearly brought us into a war in support oft The
vigilance and the capacity and the attachments of
the President were here signally displayed, and
showed couclusvely TO the public he was atrusiy
guardian Of their interests and profoundly en-
lightcncd and well informed statesman!
These three memorable examples Of his execu-
live watchfuness are matters Of history, although
his biographers skip over the chapters in which
they are recorded. They rest, beside his family
misfortunes, mainly on the great negatiyeness and
impsssibility Of his character. lie il great rock
in the country of the Buialos motionlcss, amor
phous, with good big shadow, under which his
fayorites hope to rcpose while they are plumber
ing oil who pass by. Unable TO move himself
sunk deep In the sand. very good foundation
for them on which to erect their wlgwams, but to
those not within its reach, Of no earthly account
this boulder Il the object Of their idolatry
as well as their last hiding place. Whether the
people Of the United States desire 10 gee such
state Of things again, after ono accidental expert
cnce Of it, noneniity, Is rather doubtful. 1t
Is insonceivablc that they should be willing 10 90
through another four years of Fillmoreisn.
They evidently did not care about it when they
elected such q man In Lis stead a. Franklin
Pierce and 1t IL also evident that as his success
sor was not any better. they gladly threw him
overheard also. That they should now be weak
enough TO 20 back voluntarily 10 q repetition Of
either the Fillmore or the Pierce policy Is i'm
possible. II would be a procedure inconsistent
with the manly. sagacious and progressive course
which marks the American people whenever
they interest themselves deeply in their political
affairs. On the other hand. they will beyond all
question. turn their eyes In another direction,
clear themselves q the jo,sam and to,am which
are impeding their way and under the constitu-
tional flag Of Fremont, sail safely into port, to
the establishment and eternal grief OF the land
pirates and Wreckers who have been fattcning on
the public losses, and would gladly see the
national ship rushing upon the rocks and reef Of
disunion.
Harm or rHE C1TY.-Since the HERALD set
itself to work to secure the health Of the city,
much hos been done under the goad Of public