New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-09-08
REFORM IN TEE CUSTOM HOUSE

When the war with the Rebels ia hushed. we
shall have to begin war with the SpoilSneh.
The Democratic party inaugurated tho system
subsequently too faithfully followed by their
oDponents-of distributing Offices among politi-
cal partnans as a rev ard for services rendered,
till il has become 70 be accepted, II not az part
If our polity at least as a necessary evil inherent
in our form Of Government. Inc abuses "hlch
have grown out Of this system are gigantic, ara
the knife Of tho political surgeon must DO I'M
sparingly used, or else the whole body poiiuc
will become a mass of incurable gangrene.
Tic loudest 10 cry out against them, when
they cannot food upon tho corruption, are, OF
course, the Democrats, for 1t was they VINO
sowed the first seeds; but the party when hopes
and shall deserve to command the confidence OF
the people is that which whonin power shall apply
an un,paring hand to the evil, and If they cannot
correct it altogether, shall, at least. top oil The
most crying abuses and restore something hko
purity 70 tine administration OF OWL affairs Inc
purifying process OF four years suffering hoin
civil%ar can hardly fail to open tbs eyes OF the
people to many wrongs which in days OF pros
perity were hardly noticed, and It is not TOO
much TO hope that we shall yet learn That IN a
Republ:c the business Of government belong tol
he people themselves, aud cannot DO leit win
impunity in tho hands Of unserupnlous politi'
clans, and that government, to answer It's
true purpose, must first of all DO pure. These
are. to.be-sure, truisms, but trnisms which have
had merely an abstract acceptance without any
acknowledgment anywhere Of public duty to
apply them in our public relations. But WEI
must make the application, and carry out rlg'
idly in practice if we are ever to have popu-
lar government what it should be--al honest
and economical administration Of affairs, with
the protection of oil the rights Of the Aumblest
citizen.
1t Is two years since charges were fist made
of corrupt conduct in the business Of The Gus
tom-House of this city. That there was waste
fulness aud exirayagance, that the publicmoney
was used FOR partisan purposes, that commerce
was subjected to burdens and incumDances
that were an outrage upon our merchants,
everybody knew, none 50 well as tie merchants
themselves, who were the immediate sufferers.
fhe officially was 20 learn precisely where this
evil began, where it had its hmest seat, and
what remedy could be applied for ts efetual
cure. The opposition press was ready enough
to seize upon the fact "a so much political cap
ital, and were severely and sayagely yirtious
upon the existence OF corruption from wbicl its
party could derive no benefit except by DO
nouncing it. Not that we object TO the deIun-
ciation; but we should have moro faith in the
sincerity Of the Democratic party, had il e1er,
when in power, given any evidence that it be-
lieved in political purity when it had the op,or-
tunity to practice it. The question was, not
whether abuses existed in the Cnstom-Hotse,
for that nobody doubted--but what was tleir
origin, and how they could be corrected
II was this problem which tho late Secretary
of the Treasury, Mr.. Chase, undertook to
solve and at once, instituted measures 10 that end.
Unmoved by partisan clamor he chose, through
special agent, Mr. j.. +. Bailey, to have o
thorough examination made into the whole ys-
tenn Of the custom-house business; whether The
evils charged were Of recent growth, or were
transmitted from former administrations wheth.
CT through them this Office OF mo Government
had been made an instrument of political fannt-
icism and political power, and whether the ek-
travagances and corruptions charged originated
with those now in power, or whether they we're
simply abuses which they found in existence aud
have not abolished The ends of justice and
good government, he thought, would be better
served by pursuing such course, and proving
the thing to the bottom rather than yield to a
populag cutlery aud sleucng it by handing over