National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-03-31

| the secretary ana nDrar1an IOr the last
twenty years, are both Democrats, and
have never been objected to on that ground.
But now . messenger. who was . soldier,
but is Republican, superior man for the
position. industrious, capable and honest
must give place to q Reformer. Such is
Democratic reform. Who is the next mani"
COLLECTION OF TAXES.
There are two great ports on the Atlantic
coast-New York and Boston through
which very large proportion ofthe impor-
tations into this country are made. The
press of those cities. especially that portion
Of it affecting to be peculiarly the organs of
commercial circles, seems just now to be
afflicted with sort of holy horror phobia
at the discovery of the fact that the Govern
ment is seeking to compel the payment Of
taxes by delinquent importing merchants.
One would imagine. to read the articles
with which they are daily filed upon this
subject, that this practice was something
new to them. It would not be supposed
for Q moment that customs officers had
from the earliest history of this Govern
ment been receiving moieties for informa-
lions laid against smugglers and delinquent
importing merchants. With them the
name Of importer is synonymous with
honor. His word is as good as his bond,
and he would scorn to evade the payment
of just impost duties.
These Journals seem to ignore the idea
that bad men may become imposters, and
that imposters, through temptation. may be-
come bad men. But this terrible affection
of horror-phobia has been developed in the
present instance by the recent promotion
Of an active internal revenue supervisor,
who had exhibited superior vigilance in
the compulsion of the payment of delin-
quent internal taxes, to be collector Of Gus
toms at the port of Boston. The President
really had the temerity to make the sp-
pointment without consulting the very par
ties from whom the officer was expected to
make collections.
The hate President Buchanan was about
selecting . minister to foreign country
with whose Government we had some diff
Guilty growing out Of q claim preferred by
an American company doing business in
that foreign territory. The person selected
demurred that the salary was too small, and
an agent of the company ventured to sug-
gest to the President that perhaps the COM
pany might be allowed to make the neces-
sary addition to 1t. The old man turned
upon him, and. endeavoring to bring his
best eye 10 bear heavily upon him, said:
"Sir, DO you think 1t would be proper for
"me 10 send o paid agent Of the company
"out clothed with diplomatic powers, to
"make an impartial adjustment Of this af-
"fairT The agent left, and the selection
of tho individual to act as foreign minister
was modified. s..s-. - 50
The President rightfully holds that the
Constitution vests in him the appointment
Of all officers whose duties pertain to the
execution Of the laws. On him rests the
responsibility Of the faithful performance
of the ministerial functions of all such OIL
Gers. Is 1t right that their selections should
be made ct the dictation Of either the rep
resentative who makes the law to be ex-
ecuted or the parties to be affected BY its
executioni In regard to any private trans
action. the answer to such query would
be unanimously in the negative.
1t will be agreed by all that the faithful
and uniform collection of taxes is due to
every citizen. Unequal and partial assess
ments and collections reflect the greatest
hardships and injustice upon the honest tax