New-York daily tribune., 1858-03-08

os'.crrse. we are NOT to presume any man re-
,re,,t 70 great principle because we differ from
him on some irrelevant matter which We deem
essential We must "agee to differ On such
topics. But tie danger Of intolerance is less than
taat Of conformity. II is pleasant to commend,
painful to condemn, the acts Of those who are
effective champions Of our own cherished princ-
pes and whose influence over the public mind is
among the means whereby we hope to secure the
s.ceudancy of those principles. Nine times in ten
the Journalist sees fit to stle his rising doubt Of
the wisdom or proprety Of what is proposed or
urged by leading champion Of his own party, and
either praise or let il pass in silence.
But the journalist must not ignore the demands
of duty to his readers and loyalty 10 his convictions
lie must consider that the praise which is rendered
Of course comes in time to be in effect no praise
that when the pubic have learned by experience
that whatever the Hon. Mr.. BubbetOn utters or
proposes viii be indorsed and eulogized by the
Snagtown Gazette, then said Gazcttes praise
ceases TO be of the least consequence to BubbetOn
or any body else. The prayers by water-pOwer
which NJ. Hue reports the process of grinding out
in Thibet, were quite as efectual. The moment
it is generally understood that whatever the Hon.
Mr.. A. or Mr. b. utters in Congress or in the
Legislature is sure Of cOmmendatiOn IN this or
that Journal then il were quite as well for the re-
cipient of such adulatOn that said journal should
dry up 1t can no longer aid him, but may
serve to render him ridiculous.
The struggle between the natural Republican
sentiment of our people and the Slave Power is by
no means so simple as many are inclined to regard
If, but has many ramificatiOns. Two unprOmlnent
allies Of the Slave Power especially inyeterate
ard formidable. One Of these ID Popular Ignorance.
The dark places Of the earth are full ofthe habita
tions of cruelty Find ten voters anywhere who
do not habitually read any newspaper, nor keep
themselves advised of what goes forward IN Con-
gress, in Kansas, in the Executive departments,
and at least seven of the ten will call themselves
Democrats and be virtual tools of the Slave Power.
In warning against Popular Ignorance, therefore,
and in favor of General Education improved Schools,
more effective Teaching, &C., &C., we are battling
for Repuboansm as effectively, though not 80 i'm
medately, MS in resisting the cOnsummatOn, in the
LecOmptOn fraud of the yillaines which have
dalkened the SnDals of Kansas.
The other unobtIuSiye but deadly foe of the Re-
publican cause is Public Patronage. AS general
rule, the great of those who mean to live out
OF the Treasury will always adhere to the strongest
and most tenacious political organization, which is
undoubtedly that of the Slave Democracy. Youth
who aspire to live easily and generously as Federal
Judges, Collectors, Postmasters, Tidewalters Army
Officers, &c, &c, must inevitably say, 1.-The
Democratic party is i'll power at Washington at
least threefourths of the time so | will join that
as ahoIdng the best chance, aud work, watch and
wait, ill my turn shall come round" Hence you
VIII find that not merely in the Civil Service, but
in the Army and Navy a5 well, the most of the de-
sirable posts are filed by deadly enemies of the Re-
publican cause And for every one who actually
obtains an Office worth having there are dozens
corrupted by the hope of getting one.
We believe il is in every view desirable that &e
enormous patronage of tue Federal Government BE-
radically dminished-that the Standing Army be
brought down to Five Thousand men at furthest
and these mainly officers engineers and veterans
disabledfor field service yet qualified for sedentary
cut down to half its present complement of vessels,
gu0s and oficers-that the choice of POstmasters be
somehow accorded to the communities which sew
orally employ and pay those POstnasters-that the
pay of Congress- the salaries of high functiOnares
and the perqusltes Of Army and Navy officers, be
raced until it shall be more easy to earn livel-
hood and gain competence out of the public service
than iu it. To-day, nearly every man who lives by
his own muscles would like to be custom-house
officer or policeman If he COuld-not because either
post is specially honorable, but because each yields
more pay for lees work than is to be found else
where except by a very few. We believe it would
he a blessed thing for the country if the Annual
Expenditures of the Federal Government were re-
duced to Twenty-Five Millions per annum and kept
at or below that point, and every salary or annual
stipend of either Federal or State officer were
reduced twenty-five per cent. If now below $1,000
per annum and forty per cent. If now above that
point We believe such u retrenchment would be
salutary in every view but would especially con-
duce to the growth and early triumph of the Re-
publican party. So believing, we must regret and
cOndt mu every vote cast by Republican which
tends to increase Federal patronage and expendi
ture--n0t indeed as recrcant, but as profoundly
fatally mistaken. Preston King hit very sharp
hail on the head when he said in the Senate
that he never could understand why Northern men
voted OH the side of Slavery Extension unless or the
ssle or with the hope of Office. We would reduce
such temptation to the minimum