Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-02-08
The Custom House and the Presi-
-- dent.

mat lQc new Ork ana new Of-
leans Custom House rings are sores
upon the body polite is a fact that
needs no argument to demonstrate.
Investigate made within the last
three years, including those now in
progress, show that the New York
Custom House is sink of corruption,
discreditable to the administration,
demoralizing in its influence, and al
together stencil in the nostrils of
the whole people. 1t is not worse
now than formerly. 1t has not been
improved by transferring its influence
from one faction Of the Republican
party to the other 1t would not
have been better had this transfer not
been made. 1t has always been bad
80 bad, indeed, that in speaking of
its management there is scarcely an
opportunity to use the degrees of
comparison. Those who controlled
it under the Grinnell management
were as INSCRIPTIONS as those who
now control it. and those who now
control it are probably fully as bad
10 iJiCuCSOooOlos ~ OCSAl
administered upon the principle that
TO the victors belong the spoils, and
the object of the recipients of the
enormous patronage has been to en-
rich themselves first, control the pol
itics of the State second, and through
the State the politics ofthe nation. If
this use of the patronage were legit-
innate, it has, as events clearly dc.
monstrate, been badly managed. In
stead of controlling the State of New
York, the Republican parry in the
State has been split. In the Senate
of the United States the two factions
are represented by Senators who owe
their election to the use of that pat
ronage; and while they are both Re-
publieans, they are both disturbing
elements in the party, and, therefore,
weight upon the party. They hate
each other, and their antagonisms
are greater than the contest between
Republicans and Democrats exhibit.
Mr.. Greely, who is q leader Of what
is called q Fenton faction, has also
been goaded to madness by that Gus
tom House business. When the Fen
ton faction controlled the Custom
House, Mr.. Greeley was so well sat-
isfied with Grant that he virtually
pronounced in favor of his renomin-
alton. He went so far as to say that
nobody had been mentioned in con-
nection with the presidency in 1872,
,Nro1NoI>1,y xua,,II ha
Grant, and that Grant would be better
fitted to fill the Office in 1872 than he
was in 1868. The one term principle
was not serious obstacle, in MIR.
Greeley's estimation, at that time.
That performance went very far to-
ward fixing the minds Of the people
upon Grant for second term. Mr..
Greeley was intimate with the Presi-
dent. He was supposed to under
stand the inside workings of the ad-
ministration, and the people, having
confidence in Mr.. Greeley, relied to a
large extent upon his judgment. A
change in the Custom House man
agement, however, worked an imme-
diate and wonderful change in Mr..
Greeley's mind, while it also planted
the seeds of dissatisfaction in Mr.
Fenton's mind, and converted Mr.
Conkling into one Of the pillars OF
the administration.
Thus, while there is q corrupt Gus
tom House ring, and while it's pat
ronage is largely used for political
purposes, we do not find political
strength, but the reverse. There is
disaffection in the party deep and
wide spread, and we find Mr.. Greeley
the late confidential friend and warm
est supporter of the President, oppos-
ing his denomination and arraigning
him upon charges chiefly connected
with the Custom House business,
although the Custom management is
now no worse than formerly, and no
worse than it must continue until n
radical change is made in the laws
that govern that branch of the public
service. H. is not Charged that Grant
has failed in any way to maintain the
principles of the Republican party ;
or that he is personally corrupt; or
that he has not administered the gov
ernment with special reference to
honesty and economy; but that the
Custom Houses are managed by mn
scrupulous rings, and that the i'm
mense patronage thereunto belong
ing is unscrupulously used to ad-
vance, not particularly the party, but
factions within the party. These are
dangerous charges. and they are
made most boldly and persistently
by these who, in part, once were the
recipients of that patronage, and who
used it with rs little seruple as those