The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-09-24
DAILY PRESS.
PORTLAND.
Tuesday Morning. September "a, 1857
who IL ResaonsihIes


A virulent Copperhead paper, attempting TO
flsten the responsibility for the revenue frauds
upon the Radicals, says:
We will watch the disgraceful developments
now in progress with close attention, giving
due support and hearty applause to vigilant and
honest officers, but sparing no man, high or low
who shIinks from doing his whole duty. We
expect developments more astounding than any
that have yet been made. The Democratic pal :
ty washes its hands of all completely with any
branch the Republican administration which
has afforded cover for these enormous frauds
by occupying the public attention with the pro-
tracted squabble between Republican Presi-
dent and Republican Congress. We own no
stock in either branch of the concern, and
see no remedy but in turning out both
parties to the quarrel.
About one point there can be no controvcr-
sy-the loss to the government from the frauds
OF dishonest Treasury officials is enormous
The estimated loss to the Treasury from the
non-payment of the tax on whiskey alone, is
from one to two millions each day. This may
be slightly exaggerated, but the actual sum is
large enough to make an impression even up
on so wealthy capitalist as the United States.
Fora week past the staple OF the news has
been the recital ofnewly discovered evidence
duplicating parties in Boston, Buffalo, Brook
lyn and New York in unlawful whiskey trans
actions. The New York papers are unable 10
give their usual full reports of prize fights and
executions on account of the whiskey affi-
davits that crowd their columns. 1t
is whiskey, whiskey, everywhere, but not a
diop to be taxed. One would think from the
prominence given to this article of consump-
ton, that Bacchus was the tutelar deity CT
Gotham, with Silenus for his deputy Curious
ly enough one ofthe atlantis in the celebrated
Callicott case does bear the name OF the god
of wine, but it is villainously disguised as
Backus.
Nearly all of the Irregularities in connection
with the manufacture of whiskey have grown
out Of the bonded warehouse system. When
the manufacturer does not put the whiskey
at once into the market, or intends to export
it, the Government does not exact the tax,
but trusts the manufacturer for it upon his
placing the whiskey in warehouse and giving
a bond with sureties that is supposed to be
amply sufficient to preclude the possibility of
any loss. The warehouse to which liquor is
removed directly from the dstillery is said to
belong to class A. Subsequently it may be
removed, under certain restrictions, to other
warehouses, which are designated as class b. 1t
is in the removal from one warehouse to an
other that an opportunity occurs for the per-
petration of those frauds which so seriously
diminish the revenues of the government.
Worthless bonds are given-falsc receipts are
forged-iiquor is removed to remote parts of
the country with only a nominal observance
OF the regulations OF the Treasury Department,
and finally all trace of it is lost.
Now the manner in which the Democratic
organ, from which we have quoted, attempts
to shield its party from the opprobrium aris-
ing from these frauds is simply ridiculous.
The method it adopts constitutes an ac-
knowledgment that primarily the RESPONSE
bility rests with the power that appoints all
the collectors, inspectors, detectives and rev.
enue officers, through whose connivance,
negligence or corruption the wholesale rob
berries are committed. But it is insisted that
the appointing power is Republican Ex-
ecutive a
Is Andrew johnson a Republican? 1t is
difficult to treat SO absurd and puerile
proposition seriously; ior it is no moro conso=
nant with reason and candor than would be
the assertion that the autocrat OF all the
Russias is an agrarian. The only shadow
of reason to justify it is that Andrew john
son was once nominally in sympathy with
the party which he now regards as a body
of revolutionary fanatics. John A. Logan
and Benz. +. Butler were Democrats in 1860,
but are thought to be entitled to recognition
as Republicans in 1867. Everything that
the loyal party, johnson has done to entitle
him to q place in the ranks OF the dsloyal
party. Its measures are his measures, its
leaders are his friends and confidential adj
visers, and its newspaper organs his apollo
gists. No condition of Democratic member
ship has been unfulfiled and no formality of
dismissal from the Radical organization has
been omitted.
The only test of membership of political
party is identity of sentiment. Not being an
organization known to law, any man can con-
meet himself with it by thinking and acting
with it. No accommodation can be effected
on personal grounds as long as the individual
is in political sympathy with his party. He
may be refused official preferment or suffer
social ostracism, but politically he is Repub-
lican or Democrat according as he holds the
tenets of one or the other.
Another more specious method of endeavor-
ing to make the Republican party responsible
is to aver that Congress, by passing the Civil
Tenure act, deprived the Executive of the
power to deal promptly and effectually with
Civil Tenure act contemplates the existing
state of things and amply provides for it, by
suspending a delinquent, in accordance with
the provisions of that act, the President can as
surely put stop to the exercise Of his official
powers as when the authority of absolute Ie-
moval was vested in him, and it is only
when the Senate refuses TO sanction the action
of the Executive that Congress becomes in any
way partaker in the guilt of the corruption
lists. The course actually taken by the Presi-
dent is this: he has not allowed the Civil Te-
nure act to stand in the way when he desired
to remove officials who for years had served
the country faithfully and well, but when a
knavish collector was suffering the revenues
of the government to run to waste, he has
waited tour months before interposing.
Railroads to the Atlantic.
The New York Evening Post in a recent