The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-08-07

away In tie bushes; cut, according to Tturiow
Weed, they are the busiest party IN the field,
and viii probably blow up the Republican Con-
veOtion. Let us all prepare for the worst.
FIaHr OVER THE CUsroN HOUSE Orrcns
SECRETARY CoBB AND COLLECTOR ScHELL.-
Our special correspondent at Washington seads
us the following despatch by telegraph
assured there not and never has been TIA ls.sG
difference between Secretary COBB The President, S
retssd 70 Custom House Appointments in New YORK e
assvhsrs
This is only an attempt to convey in a az
way an apparent denial Of certain facts which
have been given in the HERALD. We never
etated that there was any difference between
the President and Secretary Cobb about the
Custom House appointments in New York.
What we said was that there were serious dife-
rences between Mr.. Cobb and Mr.. Schell; aaA
we called upon the President, they did not
settle them, to interfere, in the exercise Of his
executive duty, and turn them both out. This
course may yet have to be adopted.
Ever since the appointment of Mr. Scheu to
the office of Collector of this port bitter and un-
yielding struggle has been waged between him,
members of Congress from this city prominent
politicians thereof, and the Secretary of the
Treasury, as to the disposition of the petty
Offices under the control of the Collector. Mr..
Schell appears to have Get out with the very
sensible end proper determination not to de-
prive any subordinate of his place except for
cause But that did not please the members
and politicians. They must needs exercise pat
ronage, 50 as to secure votes when the occasion
for them arose; and that they could not do
unless pretty general sweep was made Mr..
schell modified his original plans, to the
extent Of Kidding his department Of
some of its most unworthy and discreditable
officials; but that proved to be equally distaste-
ful to those who assume to control his actions
in regard to dismissals and appointments.
Rowdies and shoulder hitters are necessary
auxiliaries in our system Of politics, and such
characters must not be interfered with on any
account Finally, it has come to I've an under
stood thing that the Collector can make no mo-
ton toward Kidding his department of nuisances
or filing it with proper men without having
previously consulted the members of Congress
from this city and the handful of politicians
who control our primary elections The con
sequence is a most unseemly contest over the
spoils, in which the Collector is rendered Dover
less.
All this springs out of an ignorance Of. or
disregard for, the relative duties and privileges
of our public officers. II these were not ignored
or overlooked, such unseemly squabbles could
not take place. The Collector is the appointee
Of the President Of the United States, the an
pointment being ratified by the Senate. To the
President is the Collector directly responsible
for the proper management of his department
1t follows, as matter Of necessity, that the
subordipates of his department must be men on
whom he can rely for the faithful and efficient
performance Of their duties, aud that, therefore.
he must have full and unrestrained power over
them. If he finds the department filed with
lazy, Ignorant and corrupt men he must be at
liberty to exercise, without restraint, the weed
ing process, and to supplant these idle loafers
with proper men. If he exercises that right i'm
properly, and turns out good men to make room
for bad, and so render all good order impos-
sible in the Custom House, then the President
knows how to remedy that evil by removing the
cause of it. The President is responsible to
the people, the Collector to the President, and
the minor officials of the Custom House to the
Collector. As the people elect the President,
and the President appoints the Collector, 90 the
Collector has the right to appoint his subordi-
mates, and should not be interfered with in the
fair exercise Of that discretion.
1t would be hard TO find out the origin of the
right OF revision which the members of Con-
gress for this district assume TO exercise over
the Collectors dismissals or appointments.
Their powers are exclusively lcgislative-his
exclusively executive. Their pswen or duties
cannot by any possibility clash. And yet we find
these came members of Congress, with the aid
or sanction of the Secretary of the Treasury.
impeding the action Of the Collector, aud pre-
venting the ratification Of his appointments.
The same game which was played out in the
administration Of poor Pierce, between Guthrie
and Bronson, is now being performed between
Cobb and Schell. The President should not
tolerate such proceedings II the Secretary of
the Treasury and the Collector of this port
cannot act together in harmony, let him set
adrift one or both OF them; but let him not
sanction any outside interference with them in
their respective spheres Of action.
IHE CHEvAITER WEBB IN THE RNG-MAsE
RooN.-lt appears TO be nov pretty well under