Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-02-14
Forney as an Independent Journalist.

FOrney as an Independent Journalist.
This is a day of wonders. We have seen
Tom Murphy resign the fat Office Of collector
Of the port Of New York, on account OF his
great concern for the success of the Repub-
lean party, and retire to private life, carry
ing with him the unbounded admiration Of
the President, who yet received his resigna
ton. and allowed that faithful, honest, and
efficient officer and patriot to withdraw from
the public service Other self-denying OH
Gals have retired from public life from time
% time. either on account Of e timldIty
which made them shrink from the public
gaze, or because they hoped thus TO be better
able 70 avoid some Of the unhappy conse-
quences official life occasionally entails. And
now, in this list Of patriotic designations,
comes the following from the pure and in
corraptibla politician, Col. John W. Forney
WAsBSGToN. February 10
DEAR SIR w hen you did me the honor
IT, tender me the appointment Of collector Of
the port Of Philadelphia, accepted II most
because | apprehended it would
seriously Interfere with my business, and
especially with my Independence as Journti-
i-f Ten months experience have 50 entirely
confirmed this impression thaa | find myself
constrained 70 send you this, my resignation
Of that Office, to take effect On the first Of
March next. shall then return TO ny pro
fession a. a far more congenisl field Of use
ruluess,- and devote sli ny efforts 70 my
newspaper and 70 the energetic support Of
the principles Of che great Republican
psrCy.
Most earnestly thanking you Tor your
kindness aud Consideration, ] remain dear
Nv. FoRssY
To His Excelleucy. President Grant
F5rney Is evidently " going back on
Grant: but we are anxious TO know what
has led to this sudden action % the part Of
one Of the high contracting parties 20 the
treaty entered into between the President
and Cameron and Forney, when, few
months ego this independent journals, vas
appointed collector Of the port Of Philadcl
psa2 WHIST was F0rney promised that he
has not siuce received OF what does he
want that Grant will not give him ? These
8rz important questions; for on these, 81
far 81 For0ey Is concerned, hang all the Is"
and the prophets lor if one prefers g spell it
thus. profts) Samething has gone wrong
for whatever else one may say Of F1rneY, II
cannot be Justly ssid Of him he ever deserts
those in authority unless be thinks be can
make more By opposing than by supporting
hem. 1t has been said that this indepeud-
mt journalist would like 70 be United States
senator from Pennsylvania. 20 succeed that
ltlcr high-toned and pure statesman, Simon
cameron. sud-as he has sscertained that
cameron expects 70 nc reelected and also ex-
.ccts the support Of the administration IN
hat cndeaYor.-Forney throws aside the
dictatorship in order to enter the race for
be Senatorship How this Is. We don't
.now but Of one thing We may be sure
-ornoy j. at work for ForBey, and he viii
svor Grans or oppose him. jus; as re thinks
yiiI advance Forney's Interests.
To have Forney and the Philadelphia
Press as7ail Gen. Grant would be good
hing Tor Grant, politically, if tic public
could be persuaded that Forney hated Grsnt
because Grant was honest, and capable snd
Unfortunately it happens
that Forney's likes and dislikes are not
governed by the merits Of other persons. but
bY the advantage that Is coming 70 F0rney.
The war, ofwhich this resignation il undoubt-
edly the preliminary note, il a war between
Forney and Cameron, and one in which the
Presidents fitness for reelection has no more
10 do, than it has % do with the disgraceful
row between the Conkliug aud Fenton Re
publicans IN New York. Gen. Grant may
safer by getting between these upper and
neither millstones, but Forney would support
MIN ius- as cheerfully and zealously as be
Will now oppose him, if no supposed he
should advance his own wishes By doing.
The resignation has political significance
in one respect. Pennsylvania politics is
about as corrupt rs it can he and the
Republican majority IN that State is SO small
a. to make it necessary to keep the party
well together IN order 70 make sure of vic
tory. How much OF bow little political IN
duence Forney has We DO not know, bat he
wouldn' : throw up 50 fat an Office a. tn,
coilectorship Of Philadelphia, unless be
thought he could advance himself more by
opposing Gen. Grant than by fayoring him
/ AT a recent election to I'LL vacancy in th,
State Senate 10 Pennsylvania, Col Mcclure
: prominent politician, was run SIS al indie
pendent Republican candidate. and va
beaten by less than Thousand votes by tn,
regular Grant candidate, in district which
gave over 1000 Republican majority 81 TIA
preceding election. II is understood tia
Forney rather sympathizsd with Mcclure
although his paper Ehon, not being an in
dependent journal, nominally supported tn
regular candidate. He now seems to prcfe
to take his chances With the iudependen
politicians, than TO remain with those VIII
are pretty sure to do what Cameron want
done, whether that to re-elect Cameron Q
somebody who belongs 20 Cameron. 1t
evident, however, that Forney thinks tha
the opposition 20 Grant il Pennsylvania
strong enough 20 warrant him in joining tina
company; but be viii sell out as soon q
3e can get bis price, whatever that may bs
Forney tells ono truth in bis letter a
least, and that - that person who holds a
1f6ce, especially fst Office, given him By th
President, cannot be an independent journal
ist His responsibility Is not 10 the peopl;
hut to the appointing power. The Detro
Tribune recently was reminded of It's dut,
SIS paper receiving federal patronage, b
having that patronage withdrawn as soon
il criticised the administration and Forne
e would have been pitched ont Of his plst
summarily if he had opened HE columns
r condemnation of sny administration measure
The Office was given him to stop bis mouth
: aud there is no virtue in bis resigning it, e,
2 cept as it shows that he, stleast, thorough