New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-05-26
THE CASE or TIE TREASURY.

OF course it is very much to be wished that
Mr. Richardson should get out. His presence
in the Treasury is a standing danger. He has
not the financial knowledge to comprehend
the perplexing situation of our affairs he has
not the force of character to exert any sort
of influence upon a President who needs
advice and does MT know it; he has not the
independence to withstand the solicitations of
disreputable politicians; and it has recently
been made but too clear that he exercises no
intelligent supervision over the operations oil
his department. We do not question his per-
sonal integrity but in every particular except
honesty he is ludicrOusy unfit for the place
into which he has been thrust. With mob
of hungry shameless, and adroit adventures
besieging the Treasury, and the monetary
affairs of the country in most unsatisfactory
and embarrassing state, it seems to be very
important that Mr.. Richardson should retire
TO private life, and take Mcssrs. Sawyer and
Banield with him.
His friends tell us that he will 20, if we
only let him alone. He will walk along qul-
etly rs soon as the constable releases his coat
collar and crosses over to the other side OF
the street. Give him a frst-class foreign mis-
sion, or a seat in the Court of Claims with
one of those autograph recommendations
which the President usually bestows upon
favorites Ill misfortune, and he will retire
Immediately. But there must not be any
fuss. He will march out with flying colors, or
he won't 90 at all. If the House OF Repre-
sentatiyes passes the resolution OF censure he
will stick; and in this resolution ii is repre-
sented that he has the cordial support OF Gen.
Grant, who never gives up friend or
servant on cOmpulsion. Assistant Secretary
SAWYER has already given notice that he, at
least, considers vote of censure as mere
expression of the opinion of a few Congress
men.
Nevertheless, we hope the resolution Will
pass, even If the result of il should be to re-
tain Mr.. Richardson as Secretary of the Treas
ury. Keeping him in Office would be n grave
| misfortune, but not bad as the omission of
the serious duty which the result of the San
born inquiry has imposed upon Congress.
The committee OF investigation has discovered
an astonishing amount of incompetency and
rascality in the Treasury, and reported the
facts to the House of Representatives. If that
report is passed without action and filed away
III the Document Room, with hundreds of other
Investigations smothered by political influence,
it will be equivalent to an official declaration
that fidelity to the party in power covers any
number OF sins, and that no mon
strOsity of malfeasance, or monumental
incapaclty, Or shameless negligence will
extort vote of censure from Con-
gress while the culprit is orthodox
in politics and all right with the President.
~. l.
sure, we can bear him while longer without
bankruptcy; but we cannot bear that Con-
gress should show itself Indifferent to gross
official crimes. The vote of censure is neces-
sary not to punish Mr.. Richardson-for whom
most of us probably entertain a plying feel
ing of tolerance-but for warning and stimu-
lus to a civil service whose conscience is ter
Iibly in need of rOusing.