New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-17
but there will be, nevertheless. great interest
in the development of the extraordinary S1ory'

but there will be, nevertheless. great interest
in the development Of the extraordinary s'oiy'
The figures from Ohio as far as hearu iio''
with estimates believed to be Trustworthy ioi
the rest of the State, indicate the reeiectlon
Of Gov Moves by about 1000 majority. Inc
I,eoisloture ia Democratic, however, InsurlnB
tho ro5loofo, of Senator Thurman. In times
lilo those any party newspaper that can
,oon,,fac,ure enthusiasm over "Victory" 10
a., tho oublic service. 1t plcases every
hodv 10 ace ANYBODY tickled. We have OBJ
.or,,ed Int one journal that seems especially
militant over the returns. but that one Is 80
nictorial in its JOY and doublc-leaded IN Its
grafuIatiOns that its most ardent opponent
cannot be otherwise than delighted at lts
exuberance. IL would be q very wicked Ad-
uTnistration that would desire even by Its
own success TO hinder such demonstration.
There has seldom been so hearty rejoicing
over so small circumstance.
California independents are naturally very
much elated over their recent successes. In
the September election they put TO confusion
the councils OF both the old political parties
ature, the city government OF Ban Francisco
and a majority of the county offices through
out the State. Now they have elected Supreme
Judge, McKinstry's majority being reported
as quite large. There were three candidates
in the field +. w. McKiDstry. Independent;
s. II. Dwihelle, Republican and 5. Is. Mckee,
Democrat. The Republicans held together
pretty well but the independents were largely
reinforced from the Democratic party. Many
of the leading California journals predicted,
before the election, that the choice of McKlnstry
would be a popular expression of the OPINION
that the mission of the Republican and Demo
cratic parties had been fulfilled. The result
is certainly "a significant one and may be justly
considered "a . great victory of people over
parties.
An extraordinary charge has been brought
against Secretary Richardson by the Lehlgh
Coal and Navigation Company and others
There has been considerable controversy over
the legality of the allen taxo levied on canal
boats found trading III navigable waters OF
the United States and not enrolled as cOasting
vessels The Treasury Department has ordered
the seizure and condemnation of craft not
conforming to the law. But 1T IL claimed that
! the law is null and void, as so construed, and
has been declared unconstitutional by the
! Supreme Court. The compliments aver that
| the Secretary of the Treasury has committed
a high misdemeanOr in Office by arbitrarily
! ordering his subOrdinateS IN office to disregard
| the DEGREES of the Supreme Court and enforce
| the collection OF the tax and they say they
are ready to maintain their charges before a
| high court of impeachment. A semi-Oficlai
| explanation of Secretary Richardson is to the
effect that the order TO collect the uncOnstl-
| utional tax was issued by an acting Secretary
of the Treasury while be (hlr. Richardson)
was away from Washington. This curious
proceeding seems to show that Mr. Richardson
can be a Secretary and yet not Secretary.
Mr. Phelps, the defaulting money Clerk OF
the State Treasury, lies in Jail at Albany, and
under the advice of counsel, declines to state
to the public how he became a rascal. There
is q cheerful feeling at the Capitol, because it
is now nearly certain that 100000 will cover
the full extent of the theft. 1t Is not to be
called theft, however, it appears, because
when public officer robs the State the proper
term is "breach of trustn There will be moth
ing unlawful done to Mr. Phelps in the way
of punishment but it will be a wretched farce
if the law fails to treat his shameful crime as
it deserves. 1t is sickly and mawkish to refer
to his former good character or respectable
connections. He has committed one Of those
objectionable crimes which poison the springs
of public confidence which bring contempt
upon the very idea OF government, and create
the fatal impression among the vicious and
degraded that their superiors are at heart no
better than themselves. We would not pre-
Judge a case in which there was any doubt,
but it appears that there will be no attempt
here to disprOve the crime of Phelps. He
threatens, if prosecuted vigorously, to retOrt
by exposing the villainies of the sO-called
Albany Ring. Perhaps this is the bravado Of
a scoundrel; we wish we could be sure of it !;
there is only too much reason to fear that if
Phelps tells all he knows we shall hear some
thing especially scandalOus of political life in
Albany. We withhold further remarks for
fuller evidence, but we wish it understood at
once that nothing is to be allowed to save the
men who shall be found guilty either of COM
plcity in this crime or of negligence which
favored it. No man is worth 80 much to the
public service as prompt example just now
would be-
BAD FEATURES or THE STTUAT7OH.
The continued depression in the prices of
bills Of exchange on London is a bad sign.
IL shows that the importers are unable or in