Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1870-11-10

GS5 ne lollOWlnB aElcle WIS WTlbteH
and put in type for our last issue, but was
crowded out to give place to other matter.
The Secretary CT the Interior,
&c leral Cox, Secretary of the
Interior, having resigned his posi-
ton in the Cabinet, has returned to
Cincinnati, and Hon. c. Delano,
his successor to the Secretaryship,
las entered upon the discharge of
his new duties. Mr. Cox was a
faithful and honest public. officer,
and it is not denied that he dis
charged the duties Of his office
with marked ability and due
regard to the best interests Of the
country, and we shall be disappoint-
ed, if his successor, Mr. Delano,
does not aim to do the same thing
In the case Of Secretary Cox,
there is reason to fear that his res
ignation was caused in consequence
Of the interference of designing,
wire working politicians, who, it
may be inferred from circumstances
that are now apparent, exercised an
undue influence over the President.
There was a demand by the politi-
clans who had taken it upon
themselves to run the govern
ment, Independent Of the heads
Of departments at Washington
City, to levy an assessment upon
the clerks Of the various depart.
mcnts, of from one to two and Il
half per cent on their salary,
When this proposition was made to
Mr.. Cox, to collect an assessment
from the clerks in his department
for the purpose OF dcfraying the
expenses Of conducting the cleo
ton campaign, he property refused
to make any such assessment upon
his clerks. This displeased the
wire workers, who seemed to pos.
sess more of the confidence Of the
President than Mr.. Cox did there
fore, the faithful and honest Secre-
tary preferred to return his com
mission to the Executive, and retire
from the performance Of Cabinet
duties.
We are satisfied that the people
of the rural distrcts-the bone and
sinew of the country-will justify
Secretary Cox in refusing to com
ply with the demand made upon
him, to levy a tax upon the clerks
in his department, for the purpose
Of carrying on political contest
in the interests Of this class Of pol
ticIans, who care more to get into
official stations, than they. do for
the real interests Of the government
and the people.
II the salaries Of the clerks are
SO high that they can afford to have
n tax imposed upon them, and to
pay it, their salries should be re-
duced to fair compensation. If
they are starvation salaries, they
sho id be increased to a just sum
but they should never be increased
with q view to swelling their purses
To a degree that would enable the
clerks to deflay the expenses of
conducting the political campaigns
of the country. Itis most per
nicious system for any political
party TO adopt, and Should be de
nouncedby every honest man, of
whatsoever party, Clerks will find
enough to do, if they will attend
properly and honestly to the duties
assigned them, in the various de
llartments Of government, for
which they should receive a fair
rompensatiop, but they should new
nr be paid high salaries with view
70 enabling them to appropriate n
portion Of that pay to the engineer
ing of campaigns. lut If, rs in sll
other departments Of public or pri- |
yate business, they choose, yolun
tarialy, WITHOUT tue fear Of decapi |
tatiou, to assist in deirayiug the
expenses incurred in an election
campaign, it is all right, but theI
system OF leyying n tax OF one orr
two, or any per cent, upon the in
como Of the clerks in the depart |
by issuing mandatory or
der or ukase, is all wrong, and wei
hope the heads Of the different de-
Of our government,
whenever such result is attempt !
ed, viii treat them Just as Secreta-
~ Cos has. even though it should
ie at the risk Of losing their official