New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-07-14
most of us will live to see the show. enjoy it
keeDy too, and foot the bill
NdyOR AND PRESIDENT

The enormous Obstinacy with which MIR.
Havemeyer clings to bis disgraccd favorites
has provoked such choruses of amazement and
indignation from every political faction-Tam-
many and the CustOm-hOuse roaring In uni
son, and all the outside organizations striking
up in tune-that one might be pardoned for
believing the conduct of the Mayor to be abso-
lutely without parallel or palliation. But IN
truth he has done no worse than his bctters
Newspapers and political managers who are
now most bitterly inccnsed at his outrage
"ous defiance of puolic sentiment forget
that it is only u few weeks since
they applauded in another officer the
very same behavior which they now condemn
in the Mayor of New York. OF course it would
be absurd to think of Mr. IIavemeyer learning
anything at this period of his career; but If
we could imagine him to be a teachable person
it would occur to us at once that he had been
taking lessons of the President of the United
States. Several of the Presidents appolntees
the Secretary of the Treasury, for instance,
tie Assistant Secretary, the Solicitor, the Gov
ernor of the District-were convicted OF ofenses
that forfeited their titles to Office. But Gen.
Grant would not remove them, ana
when at last they were forced to
retire by circumstances over which neither
he nor they had any control, he IN
stantly delied public sentiment by reappolnt-
ing the worst of them. Mr.. Richardson, re-
moved one might say by force from the Sec
retaryship of the Treasury on account OF gross
ncompetency, was honored with seat on the
bench of the Court of Claims. Mr.. Shepherd,
4
the ID strict, with stigma upon his charac-
ter. was Immediately nominated chief OF the
commission created to administer the affairs
of the District ad interim. These were bold
aflronts to the decent sense Of mankind; but
Gen. Grant had been led on to them by
q long course of hattery and subservlency
from his political supporters. They had APP
plauded appointments only very little worse
they had praised the Presidents devotion to
friends in misfOrtunc they had spoken OF
his generosity as if offices were his to give
away at pleasure, just as kings distribute
titles and decorations. They hardly ventured
to crticise the scandalOus advancement OF
Mr.. Richardson, and even when they remon-
strated against the reappontment OF Shep-
herd, they spoke with bated breath and ges-
lures OF nunlDie ucpTtCdlIoH'
Mr. Havemeyer row initiates Gen. Grant.
why should not tie Mayor have his personal
favorites as well as the President Why
should not the CustOm-hOuse chant praises to
his generosity alsof Just as the President
thought Richardson was a great financler, and
Sanborn a model collector and Shepherd the
prince of good fellows, so the Mayor doubtless
persuades himself that Gardner and Chailick
are the purest of politicians and ablest Oh al
ministrators Courts to the contrary nOtwlth-
standing, he does not think they have done
any great wrong, and if they have, he means
to forgive it. He told our reporter the other
day that Gardner and Charlick were men of
family, whose children would have been dis
graced by the conviction of their parents"
and he did MT propose to have them suffer
in that way His action, he added,
was prompted by generosity and he
would act in the same way again II
he ever had a chance. Well, if the President
may be generous with what docs not belong
to him, we do not see why the Mayor should
not follow his example. The appointing
power is committed to Presidents and other
functonaries for the benefit of the public,
and when they use it to assuage the wounded
feelings of individuals, or to patch up dam
aged regulations, or to reward their supper
table comrades and ancient gossips, they are
guilty of breach of trust which calls for the
severest and plainest censure. But the faction
which elected Mayor Havemeyer has never
taught this lesson. On the contrary, it vir-
tually compelled him to make his appoint
ments upon false principles, and it has no
reason to be angry that he should carry out
his instructions to their legitimate consequence.