New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-11-20
THE GUILLOTINE,

When new Administration, of o new political
sauint comes in the old Postmasters throughout the
land EXPECT TO be executed and after four or elght
wears of place, can phlOsophicay bare their necks
for the blow The anguish of the stroke is mtigated
by the fact that it comes from avowed enemy and,
if man is to be slaughtered it is a consolation that
be ia not slaughtered in the house Of his friends by
the hands of ancient associates OF the 1920 POST
masters brought to block by the President since tue
LIST of July last it is safe to say that majority voted
for Mr. Johnson-a mistake, we submit, carrying us
own punishment aud entailng remorse when shOuiu
not be aggravated by pecuniary losses. But inc
Presidential appetite for the blood OF PoStmasterS is not
vet satiated Ii is announced in the newspapers that
the President, chastened in his serene mind by the
late elections, will "make no more important remoy-
ais" There would seem to be in this statement an
intimaton that the unimporan removals are 10 go on
and at this moment hundreds of little towns and VII
lagos are full Of intestine feudsi neghbors swear
ing against neghbors, aud families wsging YER
bal warfare against families; while aspirants Tor
the post-ofRce are bothering everybody with
petitions for appointments; aud frightened ncum-
benis are making desperate efforts to send on counter
memorials. There is talk in the shops and IN the
streets; there is schsm entirely archaeological IN
the church; women join in the afrayi and even
children are shaken By tender animosities; half the
community, perhaps, sympathizes with the quick and
half with the defnct official and the bad blood thus
engendered may continue to boil in the veins oil sew
eral generations In the City, we are accustomed
&c these things, and, in the hubbub, they may soon
be forgotten; but in the rural districts they are
ranked among the leading events of the century
and color all the future traditions Of the parish.
We wish that the President being mighty hunter,
could have been persuaded to spare this small game,
partly for his own sake partly for the sake of worthy
Office -holders aud partly for the sake of the mail
service itself In political strength and party resour
ces, His Exceency will gain nothing these forcibiy
feeble demonstrations and for every friend he makes
by decollation, will insure from two to twenty
enomes. The men who. under the present most Pc
culiar circumstances, so lower themselves as to
seek hls patronage at their neghbors expense cannot
In political way, be Of the least possible service to
him or to his faction. The gentleman who is removed
will have the public sympathy-the gentleman who Is
put in must be tolerated, but be will not be beloved
The sufferer will be regarded in the light Of an injured
individual, and to certain extent justly. Expect
ing to keep hs place for certain number OF years at
least he has made his arrangements accordngly has
fitted up an Offices has acquired skill in the routine Of
the business and having comfortably settled himself
to his own satisfaction and that Of his townsmen, his
pipe is suddenly put out by some new convert to
Johnsonsm who has been watching his oppor-
tunty, and who has long determined TO have the
office or die in the attempt to it. He succeeds;
he walks in the PROSTATE form of his predecessor;
and unless he can hire an instructor in the business,
he deranges the correspondence of the neghborhood
by hundred mistakes and exposes the most tender
secrets by the eccentrcities of his delivery Unless
the President really wishes to punish the people for
their blindness to the spendor originality and pru-
dence of his policy, he will let the Postmasters
alone. He will not, at least, allow him
self to be made the tool of suburban spectators and
the arbitrator of village squsbbles When he brings
the nose of some behemoh of office to the sacrifcal
ring, we have not word to say, at least to him; but
such ptess energy against the minor objects of his
wrath is to say the least of it, undgned and little
lauuhahlp