The national Republican., 1869-03-10
message to the Senate Withdrawing his recent

message to the Senate Withdrawing his recent
request for modification Of the law forbid
ding an importer from discharging the funo-
tions OF Secretary Of tho Treasury. It was
immediately judged by oil that (as no new
nomination 10 the Treasury seoretaryship
was made) Mr.. Stewart has successfully OBJ
Waited the legal objections to his appoint
nent, and would at once be sworn In. I
hear that he has certainly executed an as
slgnment Of his business to John Jacob
Astor, IT,, VIM. NJ. Brown, (of Brown Broth.
ers 4 Co.. and Judge Hilton, his (Mr.
stewart's) counsel, so framed as to divcst
him Of all legal interest In his late business.
II this be true he will probably be sworn In
In the course OF this afternoon. The en-
cheney Of the transfer, however, will GER
tainly be carefully considered between
Grant, Mr.. Stewart, and sufficient legal
counsel Gro II is accepted as effective In law
to allow Mr.. 8. to become the head Of the
Treasury Department without such Con-
gressional action as President Grant asked O
few days since.
MEST.
l presume the great desire of Grant to
have Mr.. Stewart in the Treasury Depart
ment arises especially from that gcntleman's
better knowledge Of the details of the busi-
ness Of importing and of the New York Gus
tom-house regulations and practices In con-
nection with that business. The Treasury
loses annually quite fifty millions of dollars
by frauds Of omission and commission
through that particular custom-house alone,
aud 1t Is surely true that no other man knows
so well as Mr.. Stewart how to render the
custom houses, one and all, honest and
fair-dealing institutions. There is really
little more difficulty in managing the affairs
Of the New York custom-house upon an
honest basis than Mr.. Stewards almost az
large private commercial business, which
requires for It's transaction the constant ser
vices OF thousands of employees In New
York and elsewhere.
II the custom-houses be managed upon
business principles simply, they can be hon.
estly conducted. II they arc to continue re-
ccptaclcs only for professcd politicians on
small scale, as up to this time, they will re-
main corrupt-rotten to the core. The fifty
millions per annum will then inevitably con-
tinue to be stolen through them. 1t is not
wonderful, therefore, that such politicians,
here and elsewhere, as ''run" the New York
custom-house have their ''backs up'' against
any policy on the part Of Grant that looks
to diyorcing the Governments affairs from
the control of their policy.
TIE STEWART INBRoGLIo SETTLED.
hear that this afternoon Mr.. A. T. Stew
art sent to the President a package contain
ing four papers, viz his resignation of the
office Of Secretary Of the Treasury Cd, his
deed or covenant transferring his business to
Messrs. Astor, Brown and Hilton, the net
proceeds thereof to be devoted to charitable
purposes Sd, an opinion from ex-Attorncy
General Evarts, holding that the deed did
not cover the point Of legal objection in
volyed, and 4th, an opinion from Chief Jus
tice Chase, ruling that 1t did cover that
point, and therefore obviated any legal oh.
lection to Mr.. Stewards being sworn into
office. President Grant is understood to
have accepted the resignation, presume on
the ground that 1t would be improper to have
any doubt whatever hanging over the entire
lawfulness Of the official acts OF any of his
Cabinet officers.