The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-05-16

a total Of 7.Is4 packages OF I'D kinds. Sugars were
steady with sales OF about 700 hhds rates given else
where. Freishts were firm to English ports, and
essements iAir.
Official Corruption and Party Organiza-
tion-An lAae endent Press the Oaly
Remedy.
The explosion in the New York Post Office
has occurred at a moment peculiarly adapted
TO give an impulse to the spirit Of change that
is rife in the political world, and TO give an
other blow to the crumbling system Of party
organization.
If we examine critically the case Of Mr.. Fow-
Ter, we shall find that bis crime was as much
the result of the existing scheme of party orea-
ton and party control as it was of the want Of
strong moral principles in the man. And, in
deco, If we carry the analysis little further,
we may perhaps come to the conclusion that,
under our present party system, no man Of
strong moral principles could successfully un-
dertake the labors that Mr.. Fowler has 90 long
borne. Appointment to public Office Is the sti-
mulus and the reward that attend the profession
al politician Out of the salary he IL not only
20 live, but also to meet the numerous contin-
gent expenses of Q profession that is necessa-
riiy more wasteiul than any other. IL
we contemplate only the relation between ex-
society makes upon men in the social position
Of public officer, We shall observe at once an
immense disproportion. Our present public
salaries were adopted at time when the aggre-
gate wealth Of the community was far less than
il now is I; and. having been set under wise
system Of public Economy, they are now con-
fessedly inadequate TO the support Of men call
ed TO Gil the public Offices.
But the great cause Of the evil lies in the in
satiate calls which the present system Of party
management makes upon Office holders and
party leaders. We will take the case Of Mr..
Fowler as an instance. Besides being Post
master, he has been Grand Sachem Of Tamma-
ny, Chairman Of the New York General Com
mittee, member Of every convention-city,
State OF natonal--and the centre Of one Of the
most active of the many political cliques within
the broad lines of party demarcation. These du-
ties have called him now to Washington. now
TO Albany, then to Syracuse then again
presence in Tammsny meetings, commit
tee meetings. and clique consultations
innumerable. IL would naturally be supposed
that the onerous duties Of the Post Office OF the
greatest commercial city in the Union would
of themselves require all the time any one man
could find; and yet under the present practice
Of official appointment, no man can become
Postmaster OF New York unless he deyotes
large portion of his time to political manage
ment and party organization. The result Is
that the minor duties, which, as the world now
goes, are the public ones, are left to subordi.
rates and what subordinates cannot do Is Left
undone.
The evil does not stop here, though il is evil
IDENTIFY grave enough at this point Besides the
demand upon his time, the professional politi-
clan has far greater ones upon his purse. Free
social intercourse, wines, dinners, suppers and
treats innumerable, costly ss they are, are the
least of these. Oficious friends, political in
s,ruments and hangerson, men whose good
will IL lie desirable to retain, venal rascals who
must be kept in golden traces, and a number
less class who are always in trouble and
always running to the politician for
whom they hurrah, and tor whose can
dida,e they vote, TO say nothing of
The expenses Of party gatherings lighting OF
halls, printing Of posters and party sheets,
building of platforms, hiring Of shoulder hit
ters and 30 on to the end OF very long chap
ter, constitute a positive and inevitable drain
! upon every man entrusted with public office
and the handling Of the public money. Here
is the eternal source Of public corruption, and
the FIRST great cause Of official defalcstion. We
are not surprised at the case Of Mr.. Fowler,
and shall only be sstonished Il II ia not disco
yered in many other quarters. That it does
exist in numerous places where IL is not even
suspected now, We are fully confident; and the
number of retired Office holders whose accounts
with the government have never been settled
IL much greater than the public has any
ides Of
This system Of corruption Is not peculiar TO
the laas democratic party, for the black repub.
Lien \ Just - thoroughly imbued VIII II, y