The national Republican., 1869-02-23
our w..n,.s,.. C.rr..p..a..e..

Our wsshisGts. Cerre.pesae.ce.
To ne Repubiiean.
THE EXPLOITS OF AN ADvEsTuRER.
The antics Of Mr.. Collector smythe, In his
efforts to get revenge for the fhilure Of the
Senate to confirm Ids nomination as Minister
to Russia, are source ofinfnite smuseuaent |
to the political pubic hsrr. They illustrate |
the height or extent to which chs rage Of |
mere adventurer (as smythe really is) goes |
at times. With less than three weeks Of |
public life LEFT TO him, he essays to punish |
Senators (by decapItating their men) for |
their failure to force him on Grant as Min |
lister to Russia.
NO srxrArHi Win MS VICTIMS.
None here, except II may be their imme- |
dlate patrons, sympathise in the slightest |
degree with the small politicians he Ia be-
heading. Their removal simply smooths
the path OF whoever Grant may appoint col
lector Of the port Of New York. They were
appointed from corrupt motives on his part,
as his removal OF them now, under the cir
THE NEW cotLzcroR's PATH srooruED.
The chances are twenty 10 one that the
removal Of every mothers son Of them
would have been necessary In the work Of
reforming the New York custom-house.
That would have been a somewhat trouble
some job, "backed," as Ii Is to be presumed
most Of them were. These antics Of Smythe,
embracing proof, as they do, of the eonsid-
erations on which the New York custom
house has been filled, illustrates the i'm
portance Of the task Of reform In the person
mel Of the revenue collecting branch Of the
Government, which President Grant has be-
fore him.
BAD APPOINTMENTS.
What is tho case in the New York custom
house exists In not a few branches Of the pub
lie service at this time. They are filed with
men appointed, for the most part, from i'm
proper considerations, who regard their
several places as pay for services rendered to
somebody or other who eau keep them In
office, and therefore give themselves little
trouble about the manner in which they dis
charge their duties, further than TO be sure
to get or to make as much as possible In so
doing.
4 IMPORTANCE OF REMOVALS.
There Is no telling what would be the dif-
ference In the net revenues Of the Govern
mcnt with men dlling Its Offices who should
discharge their several duties as faithfully
as the employees Of all successful business
men are required to do. 1t Is evidently tn,
purpose Of General Grant to bring back th,
public service In this matter to that stand
ard, II he can.
THE DUTY OF PUBLIC MEN.
The country will doubtless reward will
Its emphatic favor all public mon who ma,
rise above the considerations which have o
late years prevailed among them as a class
in recommending for ofiee. Those who con
scientiously refrain from recommending any
except for the good of the public service, ar,
to be the men who will remain longest II
: public life. No man will or should obtain OF
retain the confidence Of the incoming Presi-
dent whose recommendation Of others may
be based on any other considerations, as he
cannot fail to hold the hackers Of his ap-
polntecs responsible, as far as he can, for
l
the trusts he may devolve on them.
MAINE VS.. THE COPPER TARIFF.
The Maine shlp-building interest complains
loudly against the bill increasing the duty on
copper, which President johnson vetoed to-
day. This interest Graves from Congress a
drawback upon copper (imported) as it may
necessarily use.
MAINE WANTS MORE SPECIAL LEGISLATION.
While sympathize deeply with that i'm
portant industry Of Maine, Indeed Of scarcely
less importance to the whole country than to
Maine,) fail to see the propriety of Especial
legislation" for its relief. Two wrongs never
, yet made right. II was wrong-grieyously
wrong-to increase taxation upon the people
at large only for the benefit Of few owner,
OF American copper mines and gamblers In
the stocks Of copper-mlning companies. That
was most reprehensible Especial legislation, -
and is temporarily defeated by the veto from
President johnson.
JOHNSON TEMPORARILY RELIEVES MAINE.
Realizing the appliances at work to pre-.
vent him from vetoing that bill, the memory
Of his ante-war positions upon such matters
enabled him to defeat the efforts to max,
him aid and abet the copper operators.
A GROWING PARTY AMONG THE REPUBLICANS
, But the Maine ship-building interest III
the copper tariff bill passes over the yeto)
will surely join the party opposed to special
legislation, which Is so rapidly growing In
the Republican party of the West. 1t now
embraces most Of the rising men in (Con.
gressionaD public life from that section.
Though, as yet, only opposing special legis-
latlon with reference to the tariff, II II
bound In the end to make war on II In what.
ever connection II may show ITSELF
= WANTED, MORE REVENUE AND LESS TAXA
/ TIoS.
r The exigencics Of the Treasury and tn,
national credit, as well as those Of tn,
finances of the people, require two apparently
irreconcilable things, viz: much more rev
enue and much less taxation. Their antag
onism Is but apparent, however.
Thorough collection Of the taxes and hon,
: est return of them to the Treasury, and stern
refusal to increase public expenditures or to
| lessen the revenues through special legisla
tion, will speedily reconcile these two ap
parehtly lrreconcllaDlc pubic necessities.
CAPITAL EXAMPLE.
In this connection permit me to say tina,
Governor Hoffman, Of New York, has set
notable and noble example, In the manner
In which he is graphing with the hydra.
headed monster, Especial legislation .
Never were the Albany lobby so paralyzed az
OF late by Governor Hoffman's two or three
vetoes.
ANOTHER STRUGGLE COMING.
The outside friends Of the vetoed "copper"
tariff bill arc working like beavers to-day
to drum up two-thlrds vote In the House,
to override the veto. Thoy think themselves
sure of ten Republican members who voted
against the measure on Its passage. II so,
they will surely beat the veto; as members
about to retire from public life arc not un-
frequently persuaded in such cases to
| forget their record, and to sanction measures