The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-03-21

Secretary OF the treasury In the puDhc
prints. Making spread-eagle display of Gin
dependence of judgment" and "freedom OF
action"-things understood to be dear to the
average American heart--he declares to the
man whose subordinate he is, 81 do not see any
improperly in my giving publicity to my dis
sent from your views of public financial policy"
That a man intelligent enough to fill such a
position creditably should not be able to see
the improperly, the indelicacy, the offensive
ness of such course, is due to want OF manly
tone in official life-to . low state of Official
morality. Under our system the confidence Of
the country is intrusted to one man in each
necessary department Of government. While
any man is Secretary Of the Treasury or head
of any other department his views Of public
necessity must prevail, and, when they are not
satisfactory, means are generally found to
make the place 50 hot that any man with
sense of personal dignity and decent self-respect
will leave it There il and can be but one pos
sible understanding in relation to subordinates
in these departments. Assent to the thoughts
of their chief and earnest endeavor to carry out
his ideas are assumed as necessities of the p0-
sition. 1t is not contemplated that any one in
department should differ with its head and
retain his place. II is true any man may differ
from another and believe his plans to be wrong,
and not be willing to lend himselfto the propa-
CATION of plans that he supposes to be mis-
chievous, Inere can be no proper or honora-
lie escape from such difficulty but the resig-
nation of the post that imposes duties which
violate our sense of right fla subordinate
differs from his chief, and still executes the poll
cy of that chief, he does violence to his own
sense of right; while, If he refuses to execute
that policy, he embarrasses the business of his
position, and the public service suffers. Resig-
nation furnishes an easy escape from his
dilemma, and ii is not to be supposed that any
man is so attached to Office or salary that he
would hold the one or draw the other while
these acts required him to do violence to his
conscience, or when his services had ceased to
be valuable to the community.
There was formerly better tone in public
life on this subject. With our British ances-
tors, with the generations that framed the con-
stitution and first lived under it, this was not
so much matter of official courtesy as it was
an absolute point of honor Men had not then
that tcnacity Of Office that induced them to hold
it at the expense of public obloquy 1t would
have been considered a disgrace to hold posi-
ton under a man and oppose his policy; while
to bcker and dispute publicly over the bust
ness of the department would have been to
forfeit the last respect of the community. But
now the subordinate sees 'no improperly in
giving publicity to his dissent" from the policy
of his superior.
1t Is not favorable sign for official delicacy,
for that nicely of honor that men once carried
with them even into office, when they no longer
resign position, but require to be driven from
it; when, to use tho fashionable cant, they want
to throw the responsibility on some one else.
Such responsibility ought to be taken with
oct hesitation, If for no other purpose than 10
ill public places with another class ofmen.
A DisGRAcEruL SrECTAcLE.-The Senate OF
the United States, which ought to be body
distinguished for its dignity and high sense Of
propriety, has for secretary political dema-
gogue who daily abuses the President of the
United States in the coarsest language. This
man, il is we'll known, ia the editor of, or con-
trolls, two newspapers-one in Washington and
one in Philadelphia. He makes these the chan
nels through which he vents his spleen upon
the chief OF the nation. This is q sad common
iary on the times, and shows the demoralizing
revolutionary spirit that is abroad, and that has
even penetrated the Senate. 1t Is q step to-
ward the orgies of the Jacobin Convention of
France. The appointment Of this man to the
respectable position of Secretary Of the Senate,
| looking Mt his history, was remarkable, and
showed how low that great body had fallen
| from its former high character. But il is posi-
| lively dsgraceful for the Senate to retain him,
now that he is daily pouring out coarse abuse
| upon the President decent respect from
| one coordinate branch of the govern ent is
due to another. That is the way to make gov
eminent respectable in the eyes of the people.
But for the Scnate-that dignifed body Of the
| nation, which is a part of the executive, and
holds particular relation to the President-to
| tolerate such conduct is nexcusable. The
| Senate, out of respect to itself AZ well to
the President ought to dismiss him at once.
| Nursed into political existence by that weak
and scheming old copperhead politician Blu
chanan, whom he betrayed, he has belonged to
all parties, and Is ready to belong to any
party to serve his ends. II is high time such
Northern demagogucs were squelched, AZ the
Southern ones have been. Let these Northern
Marplot politicians be put down, as their old,
mischievous companions Of the South have
been. At least, let not the Senate of the
in the high Office he holds. If he will follow
his mischicvous instincts and throw his venom
upon the chief of The nation, let not the Senate
| sanction IL by any connection with him.
Tur Gas MoxoporJys or ruE CITy-W. have