New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-05-27

banks "for weeks and months Mt men
the latchet of whose shoes they are not
worthy to unlOose." for interfering in Loul-
sana and sustaining q government which was
confessedy usurpation, and has proved
to be an organized robbery. What did he
do7 He put the press and the people
to confusion and flight by refusing to
interfere in behalf of the p!undcred
people of South Carolina. The press
in its determination not to be happy said The
plunderers he intcrfered in behalf of in Lou
isiana were supporters of his administration,
and those he refused to interfere against in
soutb Carolina were of the same political
complexion. But who doubts that that was
cntirel, accidental, and that the President
sought only to satisfy the popular demand
In the case of Mr. Secretary Richardson, the
press of the country, and the whole people,
with the exception perhaps OF Mr.. Butler, Mr..
Sanborn, and Mr.. Sawyer have clamorcd tor
his removal on the ground OF incompetency
This was another case of barking at the heels
of men with extraordinary shOe-latchets. The
President gave out with distinctness that so
long as this camor continued Mr. Richardson
should not be removed He did not
simply because the press and the peO-
ple thought him unfit. The complaints
IF Mr. Richardson have not been limited to
the opposition press, nor confined to any one
marty. The demand for his removal has been
general and loud. But the Great Silent Man
mt his foot down and said Mr.. Richardson
should stay. He would not remove him nor
ask his resignation. No man should be made
a victim of public clamor with his con-
sent. A great many people failed to see any
thing very cAivalrous in the sort OF friendship
that retains a man in an Office he is unfit for,
and in which he only succeeds in making
fool himself, and it is not too much to say
that the people generally are of the opinion
that the principle is very dangerous and
bad one.
The President, however is not unequal to
the emergency. Since there is so general
desire that he should comply with demands
for the removal of unpopular officers he seizes
the first occasion to strike an average
on that subject. He retains Richard
son when an indignant people and
large majority of his own partIsans
ask his removal but he removes Mr.. Cluss.
the Engineer of the Department Of Public
Works of the District of Columbia, upon the
first suggestion of the members of the Board
whom the testimony of Mr.. Cluss inculpates.
This was a case in which lie did not wait for
second call or for popular clamor. MI.
Cluss had given testimony before an IN
vestigating committee that was very damaging
TO certain men in the District Government.
Thercupon these men pass set OF resolutions
denouncing him "a a perjurer and ask Tor us
removal. The President had said in the case
of Attorney G. eneral Williams, when his noml-
nation for Chief-Justice was pending, ana I'M
nlcasant things were charged concerning him,
that he would not Withdraw the nomination
80 long as these charges we're made. iIo was
blamed for that In this case he does not
propose to wait to be blamed. He removes
Alr. Cluss on the instant.
The men whom Mr.. Cluss charges with
fraud and maladministratlon turn round and
accuse him of perjury, and thereupon
the President, without waiting for the re-
port of the Committee, approves the
charge by removing him from office
and disgracing him. Doubtless the press
which banks at the men of immaculate shoe
latchets will say that in the eases of Richard
son and Williams the demand was for the
removal in one case and the withdrawal OF
the name in the other of men who were his
personal friends while in the case of Cluss
the demand was from fewer people, but
more intimate friends, for the re-
moval of a man whose testimony was
damaging to them. 1t is so hard to please
everybody. The President does not follow
precedents, but he means to strike fair
average by disregardng precedents and de-
Gliding as often one way as the other. If he
seems to make presidents and unmake them
in the interests of his personal friends,
why that must be accidental. The only
safe thing to do, the only absolutely certain
thing. is to have entire confidence in him and
not BARK at him. Indeed the best thing to
do with all the leading statesmen of the Adj
mnistration is to consider their shoe latchets
and not undertake to unloose them. They all
mean well.
PUBLIC GOSSIP.