New-York tribune., 1867-02-18
MASSACHUSETTS.

f''" our '''' BosrOv Feb H. 1867.
Gen. Couch was in command Of the Army oi the
Potomac for about half an hour one memorable
and critical OCCASION was last fall put in advance ol
the Johnson column as the candidate for Governor III
opposition 10 Gov Bullock, then received the Once
of Collector of Boston and now disappears from the
scene find some Republicans regretung his reJec-
iion by the Senate. They say he IS an honest ana
well meaning man. and i suppose he Is. lie has
allowed himself however, TO be the tool oi
ropperheads; and he went as far as he durst
in the work Of removals. A good deal of amusmeht
,v,s creoted month ago or so by his futile attempts
TO get rid Of Mr. Howard NJ. Doe. an Inspector lie
removed him twice but twice the Member OF Con
gross from the Thiid District, Mr. Rice, went to Nc
Uulloch who compelled Couch to restore him.
Mr. Perry of Berkshire or Franklin County also re-
,eiyod notce 10 leave but Couch found out that ne
yyas hrother Jaw of Mr.. Dawes, NJ &. from DIS
trict No 10 and he forthwith withdrew ms
note of removal On Saturday night people
were lStonished TO find that Mr. Bancroft had been
nominate ed as Gen. Couch's successor. What pOItea
advantage could accrue to Mr.. johnson from tls
selection " was wholly impossible to discover Fci
baps the president SuppoSes that the history OF the
United States is 10 be brought down 10 the present
time, and that Mr. Bancroft viii do for hm niue
Job Of whitewashing by and by. But as the historian
how be can nterpolate chapter on the Presidential
policy Of 1896 into narrative Of diplomacy and war
Of the Revolutionary period. Mr. Johnson had better
abandon this idea. There is precedent for appoint
nr historians to high office To say nothing OF MI
Motey's case there was the case OF Mr. Nahum
gapen, author of the History of Democracy VINO
was appointed Postmaster of this city by MI
Buchainn Nobody ever saw this history. but
preface to It, (said to have been written by Mr. Ran
iouD was printed. and so enchanted the sage OF
WheatlandS that ho sent the professed author COM
mission The great historical work proceeded no
further Mr. Rantoul wouldn't, and Mr.. Capcn
couldn't fnish it, and in point OF fact there was no
need of finishing it. The work success with
ont having even an existence. To-day we hear
that Mr. Bancroft declines and that Mr.. kings
bury is to be appointed Collector. Mr. hnigS-
bury's qualification is relationship more
or less near to Mr. Secretary McCuloch, that nigh
toned gentleman who has charge of the Treasury
Department. and of whose reputation Mr.. feaSendeh
is 80 careful. McCulloch has been trying to get
Kingsbury into some good place for long time l
believe he is from Maine, and so the Senators from
that state win probably waive all opposition to him.
s they did 10 the confirmation of that other high
toned Maine gentleman, the Sixth Auditor, whose
mpartality in the distribution of extra pay Slr sum
ner was ~ imprudent rs to question
Arother recent political failure is that OF Gen John
I Swift (a paper General, and not real one like
Couchj who must by this time be satisfied that he
made mistake in going over TO the enemy at the
precise perio& he selected lie should have stuck to
his friend Gen. Banks and waited until after the
election of 1866 His patron is now in high favor at
the White House, and will doubtless be able to do
something for him. suggest that he be sent INTO
New Hampshire OF Connecticut to stump for Harm
man or uawley. 50 that there may be some decent
excuse for giving him another office IN place OF
the one ne has lost Under the new political policy
of MIR. johnson, the ColectOrsbip and As-css0rahlp
are likely to he filled with Radicals. Church Howe
an msavory character who got appointed Collector
at Worcester has been rejected in spite OF assistance
from Gen Butlcr (who ought TO be careful and not
make many more such mstakcS, aud Col Sprague'
"A good Republican. is to have the place. Col. r.. L,
Stoue Of the 49th Regiment is TO be Assessor in place
OF Bnney of Salisbury a Copperhoad lawyer. Bin
news fate is a hard one He turned ont lot OF
Republican subordinates and then restored them
with The understanding that he should he spared
MI Alley however who ought to have looked aite
his case-tw (which is no worse than that of Colby o
The Nacburyport Herdd who is energetically backed
up by Allcyi-Mr Alley left Washington, and Blnney
went down among the dead men, Col stone l.
reckOned % Radical, but is rather cratic iii his
political action, occasionally. He viii make good
officer, aud thc appointment viii be popular one
Perhaps Gen. Cushing whose law-partner he is has
helped him to this place. The collector IN Gen. Banks
district Mr. Howe OF lIayerhill was confirmed; but
the Assessor sanb0rn OF Lawrence, was rejected,
nobody, fortunately, being willing to back him up
one of the Copperhcad Johnson orators Of last Fall
went On the other day to got Major Il. T. Watson ap-
pointed 20 this place. bat came suddenly home with
The news that Cen Banks had arranged with the
President 10 have ex-MayOr Stone of Charlestown
appointed and this gemcnt, any other which
Banks may make viii doubtless be carried out by
Mr. johnson ont Of sheer gratitude for the part Banks
took IN defeating temporarily the Reconstruction bill.
Col King ha, beeny confirmed as Assessor in Mr.
Rtclics place. which is well enough Cen Banks
and Cen t;ltlcr are working together flor Once to
defeat Gen GOulon's confirmation United States
Marshal. hut f'rOng petition has gone on from
mcnibors o, the Legislature and leading Republicans,
10 ronncract their hostility, which arises from some
old army matters. Gen. l.. ". Pierce, who lost an
ann IN the service has been rejected Collector for
tho First District This seems hard but suppose
Pierce is totally unfit for any such difficult position.
Mr. C. g. Davis and Mr. d. W. Alvord old Iree
Soilcrs are not hci, 20 be disturbed. Mr. Davis has
friends at court and Mr. Alyord, without breaking
out Of the Republican ranks, has taken several Occa-
hions to emphasize his free trade and anticenralza
tiom notions strongly that he has been taken out
of the company OF the ultas, aud placed where the
shots of the contcnding combatants are not likely TO
hit him In Mr.. Dawess district the Collector and
Assessor have both kept very quiet, aud Western
Massachusetts is tho most fisly" part OF the State,
politically speaking. there seems 10 necessity for
any change there. Mr. Dawes is a very good
Representative. but unfortunately lives in
Pittsleld. and consequently knows little or
notlag Of the wishes of the people OF even hs own
region Gen Banks, betweocn whom and Nh. Dawes
81 .f..gI 1gY, V,fal1.