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

MR.. ASSISTANT SECRETARY SAWYER.
The Treasury Department is becoming pub
lie nuisance. The President himself seems to
recognize this, and would like to clean it ont
before the hot weather comes on. But he is
prevented by q point of honor. lie feels
little responsible for the condition of things
next door to the White House. He himself
put those decomposing substances in the Treas
ury which have turned out such a bad bar
gain. When the public holds its nose in pass
ing, he considers it personal reflection, and
resents it, like a spirited soldier by saying he
will not disinfect the building until the public
mends its manners. The situation is serious.
The public cannot pretend to like Ar. Rich
ardson, Mr.. Sawyer, and Mr. Banfeld. An
individual may lie, for purposes of GAIN but
for forty millions to strike up chorus of
hypocrisy would be feat of harmony impos-
sible even to Boston in Jubilee days. If the
President is waiting for the country to say
Mr.. Richardson is q good Secretary of the
Treasury before he turns him out, we shall
have him as long as we have the President.
But we have not heard Of any rash oath
which the President has taken in regard to
Mr.. Sawyer, the Assistant Secretary OF the
Treasury. Perhaps his honor is not involved
in keeping him in Office. If so, his prompt
dismissal would be gratefully accepted by the
people, who are always glad to be grateful
to the President when he will allow it. 1t
will certainly be greatly to the credit and to
the interest of Gen. Grant if he will take at
least this matter out of the hands of
the timid House Of Representatives, and
dismiss this impudent person from the
place he so fagrantly disgraces. 1t
is one of the good things which can be safely
done. Mr.. Sawyer has never in any way
earned the right to dishOnor the Administra-
ton and discredit the President as he is now
doing He is cheap and vulgar Office
seeker, without character or influence, and the
President can gain no glory by shielding him
from the consequences of his faults and blum
ders. Three times his uneasy vanity and
fear have driven him before the Committee of
Ways and Means to explain his connection
with the Sanborn robberes of the Treasury.
Each time he has damaged himself more than
his worst enemy could have done. He has
proved that he did not know enough to lie with
discretion, so as to extricate himself from the
miserable network which has been woven
around him. In his efforts to throw Off
upon Richardson and Banfeld the response
bility which the facts have placed upon him,
he has still further stained his own hands.
Thrusting himself unasked before the Com
mittee, he has shown that he had not the
courage, the information. or the tact neces-
| sary to deceive them as he would like. Try
ing to clear himself of fraud, he has shown
himself both roguish and ridiculous. He has
come back the third time, with that restless
anxiety OF petty natures to make one last
| stand Ike rat in a corner, against the Com
mittee which witnessed his disgrace. lie now
SAYS in substance that if he is censured by
Congress he does Mt care; no one can turn