The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-08-20

and 1t is now our duty TO prove to the masses,
by kindness and cordial welcome, that we are
not the 6ends which their leaders declared we
were, and thus win them back to hearty fell
lowship with u.s. in spirit as well as In name.
The course of the Times and the somersault
which it has performed, are evidently for
the purpose of forcing the President into some
bargain about patronage. That paper has
heretofore praised the spirit manifested by the
Southern people, and endorsed the course
of President Johnson. Nothing has transpired
in the South to justify any change Of
tone. In fact, the work is progressing favora-
bly, wherever the provisional governors are
discharging their duties The cry that the
South hope to revive the institution of slavery
under Johnson's policy is refuted by the acts
of the governors whom he has appointed.
They have, in all the States where they have
taken any action upon the subject expressly
declared that the endorsement Of the amend
ment which passed Congress must be embodied
in their constitutions by the State constitutional
conventions, and this is made imperative. This
foolish plea is, therefore, without force. But
the secret lies in the fact that President John
son has seen ct to appoint such war DEM
ocrats as Mr.. Odell to Office, and the prob
ability Of his making other similar removals and
appointments. The republican politicians,
when they were fearful that President Lincoln
would upset their plans, were in the habit Of
compelling him to assent to their wishes by
assailing his course. The Times now fears that
President Johnson is about to remove some Of
the federal ofaceholders belonging to its spe-
and attack, which accomplished such results
with Mr.. Lincoln, is revived. We advise Mr..
johnson to pay no attention to the threats
aud assaults Of such Jeremy Diddlers but con-
tinue to do as he has done, and he need have no
fear of the result. If he yields 20 their clamor
once it will only encourage them to repeat it on
some other occasion. If, on the other hand, he
removes from Office those whom they wish to
force him into bargain to retain, he will find
them az d0cile and humble as lambs. Let him try
that plan on Raymond, and remove from office
all connected with his clique, and he will soon
have the "Little Villain " crawling on his
belly, begging for the official crumbs, and, with
his hands outstretched and tears rolling down
his cheeks, imploring the President to "pity
the sorrows ola poor old man."
Municipal Reform.
In an article in the Evening Post last
Wednesday defence Of the heads of the city
government is undertaken, which is illogical in
it's reasoning, and bears evidence that it Is con-
ceived in sel6shness and hss been born in cor
ruption In the first place Governor Fenton, it is
acknowledged, possesses the power to remove
the heads Of the city government, but the Post
argues that it is not advisable to exercise it
except in extreme cases. In the next breath
the Post comedies that the city is badly gov
erned, but claims that the Governor should not
degrade the entire municipal government by
the removal Of the Mayor and other official
heads. If this be not upholding corrupt and
vicious legislation we should like to know what
is. Here Is a plain law on the statute books
melting out the punishment for distinct crime
or misdemeanor, and here is paper claiming
some position, on the score of morality and
responsibility, protesting against putting that
law into execution. Only upon the plea OF
opposition to capital punishment can the Post
maintain the ground it has assumed on this
question Of municipal reform. But we appre-
bend there is deeper and more sordid motive
lying at the bottom Of this defence of the cor
rupt heads of our municipal government. The
Post is one of those sheets of small circulation
that is fed out of the tureen Of municipal pap
in criminal violation Of law, and as reward
therefor it pleads for its guilty supporters
The law fixes the standard of appropriation for
the official advertising of the city at less than
one hundred thousand dollars per annum; and
furthermore, it is provided that that advertising
shall be confined to four papers having the
largest circulation. How does the case stand
million of dollars is expended for this official
advertising, and the papers selected for it,
like the News, Transcript and Post, are
those having the smallest circulation in the city
Hence we are at no loss for a cue to the Posts
reasons for unfolding the present heads of the
city government and for its opposition to NUM-
cipal reform.
We have already mentioned the fact that
Governor Fenton has been memorialized to re-
move Mayor Gunther., on certain specified
grounds and to remove other heads of depart
ments for other specified reasons. We now
learn that another memorial will be presented
to the Governor, appealing for prompt action
on the strength of this matter Of the corrupt
squandering Of the city money for advertising
for the purpose of substituting the local press.
This is very grave charge, and like the mat
ter of the street contracts, the gas monopolies,
the sale Of public docks and franchises, the
bargaining about the many sales Of public
real estate, and the numerous other instances
Of fraud and corruption which can be laid at
the doors Of our present heads Of departments
ought to be sufficient to inspire Governor Fem
ton with courage equal to the emergency. The
violation of the law in relation to the amount
maid FIR nublic advcrtisinp ahouId alone rive