The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-22
Secretary McCuIlOch and Comptroller
OaTke-The Prophecies of Official Life.

From the Herald.
Mr.. Freeman Clarke, Comptroller of the Cur.
rency, discusses financial questions with the
Secre tary of the Treasury in the public prints.
Making a spredd-eagle display of independence
OF judgment" and 'ireedom of action"-things
understood to be dear to the average American
heart-he declares to the man whose subordI-
nate he is, II do not see any impropriety in my
giving publicity to my dissent from your views
OF public financial polCv." That a man intelli-
gent enough to I'LL such position creditablg
should not be able to see the improperly, the
indelicacy, the ofensiveness of such a course, is
due to want Of manly tone in official lfe-to
a low state of official morality. Under system
the confidence OF the country Is intrusted to
one man in each necessary department Of GoV-
eminent.
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 so hot that any man with a
sense OF personal dignity and decent selfrespeCt
will leave it. There is and can be but one pos
sble understanding in relation to subordlnates
in these departments Assent to the thoughts
OF Il cir chief and earnest endeavor to carry out
his ideas are assumed as necessities OF the posi-
ton. 1t is not contem plated that any one in
department should differ with its head and
retain his place. 1t is true any man may differ
from another and believe his plans 10 be wrong,
and not be willing to lend himself TO the propa-
SaIon vi planS tndI nc suppoSeS 10 DC HIS
Chlevous.
There can be no proper or honorable escape
from such difficulty but the resignation of the
post that imposes duties which violate our
sense OF right. If a subordinate differs from his
Chief and still executes the policy 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. Resignation furnishes an
| easy escape from his dilemma, and 1t 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 t0
| do violence to his conscience, or when his
services had ceased TO be valuable to the COM
munIty. .......,...-
There was formerly better tone in public life
on this subject. With our British ancestors,
with the generations that framed the Constitu.
| ton and first lived under it, this was not so
much a matter of official courtesy as it was an
| absolute point of honor Men had not then that
teLacity OF Office that induced them 10 hold it al
the expense of public obloquy. 1t would have
| been considered a disgrace to hold position
under man and oppose his policy; while tC
bicker and dispute publicly over the business
OF the department would have been to forfeit
the last respect of the community. But now
the subordinate sees mo improperly in giving
publicity to his dissent" from the policy of hi'
| superior. ......
II Is not a favorable sign for official deicacy
for that nicely of honor that men once carried
with them even into Office, when they no longel
resign position, Tut require to be driven from it
when, 10 use the fashionable cant, they want Il
throw the responsibility on some one else
Such q responsibility ought to be taken wthou
hesitation, if for no other purpose than to I'll
public places with another class Of men.