The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-03
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
KDrroRIAL OPINIONS or THR LzADNe JOURNAL
URoN cuRRHNx ToFI0s--OOMPuHD EVERY
DAY FOB THR gvNBIEa rRLBaRAPH.
The Luck Of Mr., MCMulIin.
Ffom the N. y Tribune.

The Luck Of mir, MCMullIn.
From the ". Y. Tribune.
Republics may be ungrateful, but tn
Moyamensipg Hose Company and othe
friends Of Alderman MoMullin OF Philadelphi,
are not open to the accusation. What th,
generous McMullin has done for the Moyamen
sing Hose Company and its friends We dc
not know, but what the Hose gentlemen have
just done for Mr.. McMullin is of record. Last
Monday night, at the Academy of Music they
presented the lucky Alderman with choice
variety of valuable gifts. Impr',n'S, there
was shirt-pin for the Alderman's snowy
fronts. a diamond pin Of the estimated value
of two thousand five hundred dollars.
There was a gold box for the Alderman's
tobacco, ever SO many csrats fine, and gleam-
ing also with diamonds, the whole being
Finally, there was superbly emblszoned
diploma Gin frame of gold and red velvet"
with q portrait of the Alderman at the top,
and with complete exposition of his public
and private excellence. This, Of course, Mr..
McMullin will value much more highly than
the breastpin and the tobacco-box. The
level may pass from the family thesaurus.
The executors Of McMullin may dispose of the
receptacle for ine-cut. But the diploma,
having no money value, albeit of moral price,
lessness, will remain an heirloom in the
MeMullin family, and will be displayed with
pride upon the walls of his latest descendant.
Future McMullins will look at 1t with tears in
their eyes, and will wish they had the breast
pin and the tobacco-box also.
We do not say that the Alderman has not
tnerited these tokens Of the appreciation Of
his fellow.creatures but still we consider him
to be, in some respects, q fortunate man. The
valor displayed by him in that peculiar species
of combat which is sometimes, though vul-
carly, called "a muss,'' far be it from us to
dispute The strength of constitution ex-
hibited by him, under the trying ordeal Of
"drink all round" it would be vain for us to
question. But how many others have valiantly
fought, how many others have magnifcently
imbibed, without receiving even a diplo-
ma There is many MoMullin, in all
but name, who carries no costly dia-
mond in his frontal linen. There is many
q mute, inglorious MoMullin, who takes
his fne-eut from its native foil ! There is
many McMullin lacking brilliant opportunity,
who will transmit to posterity no illuminated
certificate Of public and private virtue So
goes the world Some have the silver spoons
and some the wooden ones; some have golden
boxes and some no boxes at all for their to-
bscoo; some receive q certificate OF character
from the Moyamensing Hose Company, and
some commitment only to Moyamensing
Prison Some expire and are forgotten, and
some achieve the undying fame Of William
MoMullin!
Presentations like that which we have re-
corded not only raise our ideas of the dignity
of public service, which are apt to get a little
low and skeptical, but they may also be con-
sidered from an economical point of view. We
wish that some general plan of this kind might
be introduced in this city. To every alder
man who could prove that in Office he had
stolen nothing at all, diamond-pin; to every
alderman who could prove that he had stolen
n06arafalv a GOLD tobacco. hov In oldar
man who could prove that he stood the lowest
on the list Of peculators, a diploma Why
shouldn't we have these prizes for virtue?
these certificates Of moderation And if we
should introduce them, who knows but we
might have aldermen as wise, pure, clean
handed, disinterested, peaceable, and
altogether lovely as McMullfni Why should
municipal ornament? Why should we not
regulate If possible the mysteries and the
miseries OF peculation?
Prepayment OF Interest on the Public Debt.
From Rs N. 7. Herald.
Our national legislators are so absorbed in
party political matters and about the spoils
that they forget what laws have been passed.
The Senate, for example, spend a good deal of
to authorize the prepayment of interest on
the public debt, and now, when this bill has
been sent to the House, the discovery is made
all at once that law for the same purpose
was entered in March, 1854, and remains on
the statute book. Many of the members of
the present Congress helped to pass this law,
yet they forgot the fact, though 1t is only five
years since the law was passed. By this the
Secretary of the Treasury is empowered to
pay the interest on the public debt before 1t
Is due, by q period not exceeding one
year, either with or without rebate of
interest upon the coupons, as he may think
proper, and he is authorized to sell gold in the
Treasury for that purpose. This is not bad
use for the surplus gold in the Treasury to be
applied TO, If the rebate of interest be made
for the time II is anticipated. II would be
. saving Of something. But II would be better
II the large sum which continually lies idle
In the Treasury, amounting in currency, per-
haps, to hundred and fifty millions, were to
be applied to buying up the debt at market
rates and while 1t Is deprecated. This would
not merely save seme interest for the time
being, but for all time to come through the
reduction and extiDguishment of a part Of the
principal. But 1t is the misfortune of the
country to have legislators and financial agents
of small ideas, that are mere peddlers in every
thing, and that know nothing beyond misers-
BILE, patchwork legislation.
Great Expectations.
From the ". Y. World.
The Tribune says, "we expect great deal
from Mr.. Boutwell, in his great efioe." We
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