The New York herald., 1870-01-10
Health .Oacer el The Port.

-~~eA aWss4S~s Fs~r ~-~~'g4~ u -~lHH
I, We trust that no mistake win be made at
Albany In regard to the appointment OF .
Health Ofacer for this port. It is pretty plain
what we want, aud Of the several men whose
names have been mentio in this connection
there is but one who can be accepted as meet
ing the requirements Of the case. Here Is
clear issue for the Governor, and he should
understand that when proper and even emf
~a~sI~ At is q candidate for position as
..o.-..y -
against half q dozen others who, by compari-
son, are so many impossibles, In such circum-
stances it will not do to proffer to the public
explanations and excuses in lieu Of the straight
forward act Of appointment. Nothing can
be taken as an equivalent in such q case. An
intelligent people cannot tolerate such an
explanation as that good appointment has
failed because the place was bargained away
explanation is an additional offence. Bad
appointments to important places are bad
enough but when they are deliberately de-
Tended on grounds that assume the public
Offices to be the property Of the politicians we
have to face something worse than the worst
appointment ever made. NJ Aasnssss .ag
st Some time ago we published conversation
with Mr.. Peter D. Sweeny. One of bis remarks
that was best founded in common sense and
acute political philosophy was o criticism Of
General Grant, 10 the effect that he had entered
upon office not as trustee, but as II the Presi-
dency and its Legitimate power for conierring
honors and emoluments were his private pro-
perty. This covers the whole ground OF the
relations Of the people to those who hold
Offices that have the prerogative of appoint-
ment to other offices. They hold as trustees
under moral obligation of the most sacred
kind to fill such places from consideration Of
the public will, and it Is an indefensible appro-
priation for them to proceed on other grounds.
We hope that Mr.. Sweeny still holds to his
own wholesome view Of this case and as he
is supposed to be man of some influence
among those now in power at Albany, it may
perhaps not be too much for the public to
expect and even require at his hands that he
will say word in support of his principle In
its application to the very important post Of
Health Officer. Otherwise, and if in the dis
tribution of offices here we see fragrant viola
tions Of this rule, the public may suppose that
in the event of our metropolis ever furnishing
President to the country he may not do bet
ter than others have done. 4
We do not believe ii possible to name for the
Health Officer Of this port u man more fit than
DR.. Carnochan, while we are sure that all
others yet named are entirely his interiors in
every qualification for the place. He is man
of national reputation, and as the welfare of
our commerce is national concern, only such
one should be entrusted with the great power
over our trade that the Health Officer must
necessarily WELD. He has been for twenty
years surgeon-in-chief of the State Emigrant
Hospital here, under the presidency of Mr..
Gulian G. Verplanck, and while this fact Is an
eloquent testimonial 10 his satisfactory reln-
tions with some of the best men Of the COM
munity, it also implies special experience Of
the greatest value. Into his general quail
fications as man Of science and large and
general culture it would be superluous to
enter 8fs t4
tits On additional praise to any man to say
that his nomination to an honorable place
meets with opposition. But it has been in
quired why the profession here are compare
lively silent on this subject 1t is character
istic of the profession that 1t is always silent
on such subjects unless especially called out,
and we believe that this very inquiry has
already drawn forth in DR.. Carnochan's favor
the warmest expressions from large number
of the most eminent men in the profession. II
the expression is not universal it is doubtless
because the Doctor was never a member Of
that secret medical society whose existence in
this city was publicly reprobated 30 long ago
as 1880, and which, being organized especially
to secure to its members q monopoly Of the
honors and advantages open to professional
men, naturally looks with no favor Oh such an
appointment as the one proposed.