The Portland daily press., 1874-11-24
Our New York Letter.
Admfnisiratisn by NewspaPer-Public
Journals ANA Public Wen-The Spirit
of Dctractien.
NEW Yopr Nov oad !


of affairs, and startles its readers day by day
with bulletins announcing a complete revolu
ton in the Cabinet and radical changes IN the
civil service. The only insuperable obstacle
which lies in the way of the consummaton of
these projects is that the President seems per-
versey disinclined to pay the smallest heed to
these volunteer counsels, consequently the re-
spectacle gentlemen who are receiving ap-
pointments to high positions in every fresh edi.
ton OF the greatest of metropolitan orgaps,
stand no chance whatever of obtaining their
commissions, but must fain content themselves
| with the reflection that they might enjoy recog
| milton and distinction, if the power of confer
| ring place was in wiser hands. Meantime the
enterprlsiug editor can go on making new min
listers al Nbitam till he has assigned score or
| Two OF men to every department in Washing
| ton' despatched ambassadors to every court in
Europe, and wrought an entire change in the
federal offices of the country.
Precisely what good would come of such a
sweeping overturn il it were possible, it is
| somewhat difficult to comprehend. Experience
mas generally been thought an aid rather than
hindrance to the usefulness of public SER
wants Ii the officials to be displaced were de-
ciared unworthy, thele would be manifest
proprletyin superseding them. But that is
not alleged. They are asked to 90 out not be-
cause OF any demerit or incapacity, but for the
reason that change.is desirable. If any such
spirit of restlessness has taken possession of
tne popular mind, it is fairly open to question
wnetner lt would not be better to alay than to
inname It, and for my own part I am in-
clined to repose greater faith in the imperturba.
Die serenity of the Executive than in the ner.
vous excitability of the press. I
In respect to some of the Presidents advisers
do not doubt that it would be far less diff
cult TO persuade them to re tire than to remain.
Ihe secretary OF State for example has more
tnan once asked to be relieved of the onerous
iapors OF his portfolio. For upwards of five
years ne has been necessarily occu pied with
duties requiring the exercise of tine highest tact.
discrimination and sagacity, and has fulfilled
his great trust with acknowledged ability and
zeal When the office sought him he was er-
Joying the sweets of domestic happiness, sur
rounded with all the luxuries which wealth and
taste could command, with leisure to indulge
In and culture to appreciate he stores Of his
ample library; honored by his neighbors, be.
loved by troops of friends, and already laden
With ofhcial distinctions. He transferred his
mouse to the capital and addressed himself to
tne hard work of his department, with un-
wearled diligence maintaining at nro-o COST an
elegant establishment. u'is0u has been One of
'"o ootapio rv~---~s of refined society at the
sea- of government. rue piSsans- has re-
ceivd for his services has not suficed TO
quitehim for the expenses he has incurred in
entertsning the nations guests. And all the
while h.has been coarsely lampooned by vul-
gar bohehians, and assailed with accusations
so absurlE preposterous that their very ex-
travaganct has rendered them harmless to him,
though non, the less disgraceful, on that ac-
count, to then miserable concocters. If once in
q great while MAS presumed to make brief
visit to his city rsidence he has been treated to
an editorial lectuh on absenteesm, and ad-
monished with moe vigor than decency that
the people will not tlerate travelling cabi
net. These annoyaEss, nseparable as they are
from that freedom of speech which finds its
largest license in unreaonable structures upon
public men, make tue holing of Office irksome
to gentlemenof independert means and sensi-
tive natures. 1t will not be tia fault of the pal
ladium' if the higher places Otthe Republic arc
not Stunned by persons whose manhood is su
perior to their ambition. Making all due al
lowance for the fascinations of political prefer
ment, there may yet come time when they
will cease to allure men possessed of ordinary
self-esteem.
1 have referred to the case of Gov. Fish be
cause it affords forcible illustration of th'
sacrifices OF ease and comfort which attend tn
acceptance of high station. The same rule ap
plies to a majority at least of his colleagues il
the Cabinet. They are subjected to consider
able drain upon their private resources, to tn
necessity of neglecting their personal affairs
and to q surveillance altogether more stringen
and censorious than the limitations of decorou
criticism could possibly warrant.
The present is confessedly an age of excep
tional and querulous fault finding. The spiri
of detraction has grown so rife that nothing bu
utter insignifcance can save anybody from it
It might fairly have been supposed that th,
President, in view of his unexampled service
and blameless character, now that his oficia
aspirations have been fully satisfied, and he
no longer target for political arrows, woul'
be exempted from the gabble which finds s
large place in the vocabulary of the Stun
and the types. On the contrary, he is the oil
ject of as much ribaldry and malice as he wa
before his countrymen had twice declared thei
supreme faith in his capacity and integrity
And that not alone from venai Journalistic
whom he has wisely refused to appoint to place
| of profit, but from fellows who set tnemsel7e
| up as professors of the editorial art, an
make pretensioDs to superiority in the prosecr
tion of their craft. The pretence rnder whic
this indecency is palliated is, that he refuses I
signify his purpose to retire at the end of HI
second term. 1t is difficult to conceive of
flimsier excuse for mean action. If he ha
ever gone into the explaining business, ther
might be ground for asking him to do it agair
But that is one of the things to which it ha
been found impossible to provoke him. ii
never failing good sense doubtless suggests
him that no man can enter into newspap'
discussion successfully who hasn't a press
his own, printed daily, with conveniences ft
extra editions, and that even then he must for
| 90 all other pursuits if he expects to cODtradi'
as fast as his assailants can invent misstatt
ments about him. 1t is 10y far the best way
as everybody who has had any experience
the matter will admit, to maIutain absolut
silence, aud let any calumny, however gros
" wear itself out. The more one tries to hunt
down and drive it out of currency, the oftene
and more Extensively he will find it repeate
and insisted upon. However positive the pro-
of its falsity, the reiteration will be none I'll
less emphatic and impudent.
To the loyal people of the Republic, who's
memories extend back to the drama of IL
i. war, and the grand tableau of Appomatox,
must be a matter of hearty qualification th
the hero of that great epoch is far above Il
reach of damaging assault. Spiteful words ar
''the hardest things in stock" may be thrown
him, but they fall harmless. The substanti
evidence he has received Of the respect al
gratitude Of the nation denote that his countr
men have not been insensible to his unparalls
ed achievements. The judgment Of his co
temporaries will be affirmed by posterity, al
| he will hold his place unchalenged in the pre-
ent and the future as an illustrious soldier al
an upright statesman YARMOUTH.
SHARP PRACTICE ON WESTERN RAJ
! RoAD.-It is hard work, suggests the Chicas
, Tribune, to get ahead of a determined Westei
man on matter in which principle and pc
| nies ara involved tooether: especially dfficu