The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-11-13
Tho whislkey Governnent Of tho United
States.

Tho whisl<ey Gover.ment OF tho United
At last there appears to be some prospect of
action on the part Of President Johnson In
regard to the internal revenue frauds, and
some likelihood that definite point will be
reached leading to q clearing out Of the depart
ment and an investigation into Its past trans
actions. An important budget Of evidence,
strengthened by afidavits, has been submitted
to the President, and parties interested in the
developments have been summoned to appear
In Washington and answer for themselves.
Rumors of suspensions on Q grand scale are
floating about on the air, and there is sus-
picious futtering among government Off
cials and sudden revival OF the Congress
sional whitewashing committee which look
very much like preparations for q storm.
Above all, the old policy Of blackening the
character Of parties engaged In the investiga-
ton Of revenue frauds is being revived in the
organs Of the whisk ey rings, and this may be
accepted as the surest indication that the
operators who have been for three or four
years making hundred million dollars year
out of the government expect at last to be
brought to bay.
It is to be hoped that the parties into whose
hands the investigation into these frauds has
passed will prove equal to the task and perse,
we're In their effort to keep President Johps5n
up to the mark, SO as to insure the Suspension
Of the government officials who obstruct
inquiry and bring about complete exp osure
of all the transactions Of the whiskey rings so
far as they can be ascertained. But the
people have Witnessed 20 many failures in this
direction that they will hesitate to place much
confidence in the present indications until
some definite result has been reached. The
fact is that the whiskey rings have vir-
tually governed the United States for
the past three or four years, and the country
knows their power. They have had their
voices in the Cabinet; they have carried ma
jorities in both houses Of Congress; they have
governed the departments and bureaus at
Washington they have filed the Offices of col
lectors, assessors, storekeepers and gaugers !;
they have placed their agents upon the bench,
at the bar, in the jury box and on the witness
stand. The subordinate positions in the several
districts have been filed on the recommends
ton of the collectors and assessors with the
right sort Of men, and hence, when the princi-
pal officers have been the allies Of the whiskcy
rings, the whole revenue force Of the district
has partal1en of the same character. The laws
have been made at the dictation Of these rings.
The Congressional committees charged with
the construction Of system Of taxation have
called before them mono but members Of the
whiskey rings and their co-operators, and the
very men who have made fortunes by selling
their products at less than the tax nominally
imposed upon their manufacture have been
deemed competent advisers in the amendment
of faulty revenue laws. The Tenure Of Office
law was a necessity to the whiskey government
rest. 1t tied the hands Of tho Executive, rem
dering ii impossible for him to remove any
federal ofliceholder, from his Cabinet advisers
down, without the consent Of Congress; and
hence while the whiskey rings held Congress
they were secure from molestation, however
glazing and enormous their frauds. The Pres
ident had the power Of suspension left, but this
he could only exercise at his peril, and tho
constant session Of Congress rendered 1t nuga-
tory. Thus armed at every point the whiskey
rings have for the past three or four years vir
tually governed the United States, and have
been revealing in fraud and corruption, safe
from removal, protected against criminal
prosecutions and fearless Of exposure.
President johnson is well aware of these
facts, and he knows that the groundwork Of
the whole evil is the Congressional interfe-
renee with the constitutional functions Of the
Executive OF the United States. II he pos
sessed the power of removal the corruption
that surrounds his administration would have
been long since swept away. But he is now
free from Congress until the first Monday in
December, and he can In the meantime sus-
pend the principal officers in the Internal
Revenue Department, substitute unexception-
able men in their places, proceed vigorously
with the investigation into the enormous
frauds of the past three years, and then defy
Congress to interfere with or nullify his acts
After the one determined step his way will be
plain and his task easy; for upon the first real
danger to the corrupt rings they will turn
round upon each other, and each will endcavor
to save himself by volunteering as States evil
dence against his fellow criminal. Now is
President Johnson's opportunity. Let him act
promptly and fearlessly and he will clear his
own character from the stains that disfgure
his administration, and will place the RESPONSE
bility upon those who have stripped him Of
executive power. But II he should faltcr and
decide to leave the work Of publication to his
successor, the world will be slow to believe
that his own hands are entirely clean.