The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-08-03
A

GENERAL GRANT was less Of a mere party can
didate than almost any public man nominated
for the Presidency since the days of Wash
ington, and while it was expected of him that
he would faithfully support the principles
and policy of the Republican party, it was
also expected that he would endeavor to
reform some of the abuses that have grown
about our political system, and especially
that he would make a vigorous and persistent
effort to do away with the Infamous scheme
of dealing put the public offices as rewards
for political services, that has been the curse
of the country ever since General Jackson
devised it. That General Grant intended to
~inaugurate this reform is certain, but no
sooner was it known that he was elected than
he was beset by professional politicians of
every degree, from the ponderous Sumner,
with his claims to the privilege of arranging
a slate for the best foreign missions, and the
'bottled-up' Butler, whose friendship and
support could be purchased if he were I'M
corked and allowed to select a few snug
berths for his personal friends, down to the
smallest of the wire-pullers who were ready to
take anything, and who, if they could not get
into the Cabinet, were willing to put up with
the ~perquisites of porters in the custom
houses or sweepers in the public offices.
Grant found that there was more vexation of
spirit in fighting an army of politicians hungry
for the spoils than there was in conducting
a campaign against the Rebel hosts in the
Wilderness and the swamps of Chickahominy,
and the consequence was that he made a half
surrender which was if anything worse
than a total defeat. Some of the Presidents
Independent appointments were not such as
were calculated to strengthen his administra-
ton, and a few unfortunate blunders gave
the enemy an opportunity of which they
were not slow to take advantage; and by
compromising with sin he lost a great por-
ton of the moral support which citizens of
all shades of political opinion, outside of the
political rings, would have given him if he
had persisted in his determination to feet a
reform in our civil service. Although the
President has not come up to the expectations
of his best friends, in regard to this one mat
ter at least, he has nevertheless shown him
self to be FESTIVE under the dictation to which
he is subject, and any effort on his part or on
the part of any officers of the Government to
abolish the existing abuses is entitled to
cordial support and encouragement. 1t is
with considerable qualification, therefore,
that we find Secretary Cox, of the Interior
Department, protesting against the tax i'm
posed upon the clerks in his Office by the
Congressional Campaign Committee. This
committee, it seems has determined to abo-
fish the tax of one per cent. hitherto i'm
posed, and to make an assessment instead at
the rates of three, four, and five dollars,
according to the rates of pay of the clerks,
and to this assessment the com
mittee expects that every clerk
will promptly respond very plain
hint to pay up or put.
To this demand of the Congressional Cam
paign Committee Secretary Cox has replied
that he could not possibly object to an appeal
to the Gberality or party zeal of any employee
n his department, but to tax them in a man.
ner different from that in which other citizens
are taxed, or to attempt to enforce its pay
ment by political penalties, is, in his opinion,
a political immortality of which he cannot
approve.
We hope that Secretary Cox feels strong
enough to brave the wrath of the Congress
sional Campaign Committee for this inter-
ference, as he will undoubtedly be made to
suffer for it, as other independent Cabinet
officers have been made to suffer when they
refused to bow the knee to Baal. He will be
attacked openly and covertly on the floors of
Congress, his appropriations will be cut down,
charges of fraud in the management of the
bureaus of the Interior Department will be
made, and he and his subordinates will be
investigated, Fl" offices now under his control
will be abolished or transferred to other de.
partments, the newspaper correspondents will
be inspired to write him down, by inform.
ing the country that he is incapable; that
he behaves with incivility to Congressman
who visit him on public business; that
the President is losing confidence in
him; and that he is altogether in such a
bad way that his instantaneous removal is
necessary for the peace and prosperity of the
country. These tactics have been tried
before now with success; and with the case
of Attorney-G General Hoar before his eyes
it is certainly remarkable that any other Cabi
net officer should pretend to have an opinion
of his own with regard to the regulation Of
the Government patronage. There are indi
cations, however, that the backbone of the
administration is beginning to s%tiffen; and i
the President and his entire Cabinet-on the
principle of better late than never-deter
mine to hang together in this matter, and t.
fight the whole race of professional politi,
clans until they succeed in making our civi
service a little better than it is, they will
deserve the eternal gratitude of their coun