New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-01

! to get rid of thieves and rascals. This was
| not at all ironical. We must suppose, as ne
| followed up tho declaration Of his sympathy
with the plea that he could not help them, as
anything he might do would be misconstrued.
| In other words, he would have the delegation
understand that when it came to the matter
| of rings, he stood on delicate ground.
The Senate seems persistent in its OPPOSE
ton to resumption and every phase or con-
traction. Yesterday it followed up its extra
ordinary action on the proposition to redeem
greenbacks in coin or gold bonds with new
declaration in favor of initiation. On motion
of Senator Morton. the fourth section Oh 3 {
pending bill was stricken out. The section
provided for the retirement OF seventy per
cent of legal tenders as additional bank cur
rency is issued; the Senate refused to make
it ninety per cent, and then the whole clause
was killed by vote of 30 to 81. This indi-
Gates the temper of the Senate and does not
promise well for the prosperity of the country.
| Secretary Richardson's appearance before the
| Ways and Means Committee, yesterday, was
| not creditable to that official. He was Obliged
| to explain his connection with the Sanb0rn
| business by one of two admissions: the man
ayers of the ring had secured his active
| influence, OF he did not know what
was going on in the Department OF
which he is the head. Dishonesty or incom-
petencef The Secretary acquits himself
| of being actuated by any dishonest or I'M
proper motives. 1t is a matter for profound
regret that there remains but one other pos
sible explanation of his conduct. The record
in the case, as now presented by the Secretary,
simply exhibits the most amazing incompc-
| tence in the management of affairs.
On the eighth page of THE TRIBUNE we
print the full text of what is known as the
Vanderbilt Rapid Transit bill. 1t must be ex-
amined carefully in order that its extraordi-
nary features should be understood. The points
that will attract immediate attention are these +;
The smallness of the forfeit provided for nom
fulfllment of contract, the loOseness of even
this provision, and the vast concessions
made to the cOrporatOrs. IL has been
repeatedly urged that Mr.. Vanderbilt could
afford to pay twice or three times the forfeit
named in the bill for the sake of holding I'M
disputed possession of the route which his
line is designed to traverse. Other objections
| to the bill have been already noted i'll these
columns, and will occur to The reader.
The political situation in Connecticut ia more
or less complicated with personal issues.
Chief of these is the feud between Gen. Haw-
lev, the member of Congress from the First
District, and MIR. N. d. Spcrry, the Postmaster
at New Haven. Around this has grown up a
local quarrel between Hartford and New
Haven, which for several years has been car
ried on with a bitterness of spirit not at all
credtable to either. The relations of this
inharmoniousness to the pending political con-
test are explained in a letter in to-day's
TRIBUNE, which coming from Ncw-Hayen may
he supposed to have something of local color.
The campaign has been dull from the begin
ming, with no public meetings or speeches, or
ANYTHING except the chickering's of the party
press to indicate that an election is at hand.
1t Is charged upon each side that the other is
spending money freely in the close towns, to
control the Legislature and secure the United
States SenatOrship. and is measurably true OF
both. If the Administration managers are
using more money than the opposition. it is
only because they have it to spend
The removal of Judge HOgeboom from the
Office of General Appraiser of this port has
seemed to us from the outset an inexcusabe
act. 1t was made particularly CALLING to the
merchants, however, by the prepOsterOus
appointment of Gen. Hillyer as his successor
We give grateful thanks to the President for
having at last realized that Gen. Hillyera
nomination was one not fit to be made, and
having consequently withdrawn it. Mr. Alex
ander T. Ketcham, who has now been nomi-
mated, is we'll spoken of. After three or four
years training he may probably become as fit
for the place as Judge Hogeboom is now, and as
Gen. Hillyer never could have been. The
change seems needless and against the inter
ests of the service, but the new appointment
shows at least some appreciation of the de-
mands of the office, and the withdrawal OF
Gen. Hillyer's name is the first recent indica-
ton of a disposition to treat the merchants of
New York as having some rights which an
officer in Washington is bound to respect.
We renew the expression of our hearty and
grateful thanks to the President for the with
drawal OF. Gen. Hillyers name, and assure him
that there is scarcely merchant in New-York
who will not cordially concur.