The Portland daily press., 1874-07-14
New York Letter.
The Impeachment of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
tionaI AppOintments-A Striking Con-

lHSycI- Auu Ncb ne lududSou W III, la
beyond the escrlbed nine days, which have
been allotted from time immemerial to the
consideration of any new topic here, space in
the public eye ludicrously out of proportion to
his official or personal consequence. The old
fellow founders about in such an unaccounta-
BILE way, that he has become general laugh
ing stock for all classes of people. The in
reviewers are serving him up in various forms,
and reporting his silly talk, as a complement
to his sillv acts. They represent him, in a
paroxysm of fright, protesting that he isn't a
bit scared and casting about in helpless hope
less way for some mode of extricaton from the
web of difficulties in which he has immeshed
himself.
The terms and conditions on which he be-
slowed the patronage of his office are revealed,
by the publication of his demand of the resig-
nation of two of the Commissioners of Police
But both of them cantemptuously refuse to adj
here TO the terms of the dscreditabIe bargain
by which they obtained their places. The
naive confession of system of barter, eetab-
lshed as a coucomitant of the appointing
power, shows what low conception the Mayor
had of the dignity of his station. The truck
and dicker policy he adopted and pursued from
the beginning has proved abortive inasmuch
as it takes two parties to break, as well as to
make, trade. The Dispecker, who sits in his
seat in the Police Board, is quite different
customer from the Dispecker who received his
commission, with humble promise to surrender
it, whenever his chief should see fit to require
his abdication. The change from abjectness to
defiance, is in keeping with all the circum-
stances of the shameless negotiation, and the
luckless incumbent of the Mayors chair, has
nothing for it bnt to submit, i'll impotent wrath
to be snubbed by bis refractory subordinate.
Through this chance discovery of the mo-
tives which actuated Havemeyer, in his dis
pensation of official favors, we get plain clue
to the causes which have led to his making so
many bad appointments. Men of character
and self-respect, would not of course accept
Office on any such dsreputabe terms. In order
to provide for his bosom friends, Matsel and
Quinn it was necessary for him to select for
the Departments of Police aud Charities men
who would pledge themselves i'll advance to
vote to put those worthless in the places to
they were assigned to the utter amazement of
the whole community. Any such proposition
would have been disdainfully secuted by cit
izen, entitled on his merits to participate in
the conduct of a reform administration, and
consequently the choice of nominees was linn
tied to the class who were neither too proud
nor too honest to engage in such bald
traffic for place. Here we are let into the Sc
cret of the Mayors strange appointments He
could not make terms with the right kind of
candidates, and so he had resort to such as he
could chatter with. The whole thing is pita-
bly, disgusting, and goes to show the absolute
wickedness, as well as weakness of Have
meyers burlesque of government
Now the pending question is, will Governor
Dix remove him? 1t is very doubtful The
charges on which he is under trial are by no
means the strongest that might have been pre-
ferred, though perhaps the least difficult to
prove with judicial postiveness. The allega-
tons of office jobbing may be corroborated by a
thousand collateral circumstances, and estab-
lished by irresistible inference, but it is hard
to procure direct testimony on such matters,
when the witnesses relied upon cannot speak
the trut h without degrading themselves.
Morally speaking, the Mayor stands convict
ed of offences which call for his removal His
smothering of the inquiries in reference to
street cleaning and dirt dumping, for the bene-
fit OF his twin, CharlicB, aud his swap Of q po-
lice captaincy for an aldermanic vote, in the
case of Kehr, constitute transgressions which,
if be were tried on ethical principles rather
than by legal and technical rules would ensure
his expulsion from the seat he dishonors. But
the gist of the complaint made against him
through the Governor is that he re-apponted
the convicted Police Commissioners. That was
rather the act of peevish fool than of a de-
liberate knave. He took counsel and was adj
vised he could do it. That was enough for him.
No restraints of propriety, no nice perceptions
of the fitness of things, no respect for public
opinion had any influence upon his conduct.
But then we must bear IN mind that Have
meyer does not occupy any such moral eleva-
ton, as to be amenabe to the ordinary rules
which govern human conduct. His violations
Of the laws of good-taste are so frequent, that
he may fairly interpose the plea of ignorance
to save him from condemnation on that arraign,
ment.
just now there is such universal feeling of
loathing and scorn for the ill-starred Mayor-a
feeling intensified by the steady accumulation,
day after day, during his whole term of grounds
of dissatisfaction-tha his summary ejectment
would be an exceedingly popular thing. But
it isn't always best to yield to the importantly
of the people, when it happens to be inspired
by vehement passion. The matter is in good
hands Everybody has unbounded confidence
in the wisdom and discretion of Go Jernor Dix
Whatever course he decides to pursue will meet
with general appreciation, because of the i'm
plieit faith reposed in his justice and impair
TALLY
am inclined to the opinion that he will
leave the people to the remedy of the ballot A
new Mayor is to be chosen within four months.
Havemeyer can do very little mischief in that
brief interval. His prestige is entirely gone.
The humiations he is subjected to would be
uncomfortable to person of ordinary sensibili-
ties. Most of those who hold office under him
treat him with contemptuous Indifference,
which they take little pains to conceal Some
of the best of his late colleagues in the Com
mittee of Seventy, are among his present ac-
cusers. Mr.. Beers, who did so much to help
him into office, and has coached him ever since
has deserted him. The council of Political Re-
form is unit in opposition to him, and joins
by counsel in the prosecution of the indictment
that hangs him. From every point of
view his condition is pitiable,in the extreme
There is no silver lining in the dark cloud of
obloquy which completely and inextrlcaby en-
velopes him.
The contrast between the Chief Magistrates
of our state and city is striking enough to clio
It q word of comment. Both came into office
at the same time, both had passed the allotted
period of human life-the Governor being some
years the senior of the Mayor The elder has
discharged his duties with dignity, circuu-
spection and yigor which has challenged the
admiration, not only of the Republicans who
elected him, but of men of all shades of pol,ti-
cal bias; SO much so that his denomination has
become recognized necessity to his party and
his reelection is rendered so probable. that
there is a marked Discrimination among the OBJ
position leaders to enter the lists against him.
On the other hand, the younger septuagena-
nan has behaved himself throughout as if he
were in his second childhood-has been wiIful
lntractable, perverse and puerile-substitutin
charlatanry for sagacity and obtuseness for
sense-to such degree that he has incurred
hn nIin INN of