The New York herald., 1874-04-09
Wm There he . New Departure -
The President and HIS OPpsrtunity.

4
from Washington and elsewhere in reference
to the intentions of the President. His recent
errand to Philadelphia is said to have been an
anxious one. He is President in search of .
Cabinet Minister for while in that pleasant
city, in the enjoyment of those alleviating and
tranquil hospitaihes for which Philadelphia
| is famous, he seems to have rendered the
Office of Secretary of the Treasury to a distin-
| guished Pennsylvanian who has never taken
any part in politics except to support the war
measures of Mr.. Lincoln and the policy of the
republican party since the war. Although this
appointment hos been declined, the gratifying
fact is that the gentleman who seems to have
met the Presidents standard of excellence is
opposed to imitation, inconvertible cur
honor and repudiation. That the President
should have made such selection shows
that he is fully alive to the financial necessi-
ties of the country
One thing seems to be established by these
rumors, and it is that the President has been
considering the propriety of taking his admin
istration into dock and giving it thorough
leaky. Ugly seams have made their appearance
the keel is covered with barnacles and there
are unwholesome odors from the bilge-water
in the hold The country is rapidly losing
heart and we have not recovered our credit
abroad Plainly, also, these evils come from
the Treasury. In government like ours,
when the finances are unsound there is sound
| NJ h
ardson, the President or any one in particu-
lar, it is certain that our Treasury manage
ment has an i'll name. Sanborn contracts,
Jayne moieties, quarrels between Bliss and
Davis about fees, corruption in public affairs,
one thing comes after another, until
we can scarcely open q newspaper with
out . disclosure or an exposure"
offending us like Q miasma. We repeat
that we blame no one particularly, for in this
rude, unthinking, hurry-skury, buffeting
fight which has been going on we have taken
no part. But whether the President and his
friends mean to make another appeal to the
country or not, in his name as the choice Of the
republican party, it is very evident that they
can do nothing more fitting and popular than
Il
are made the administration will rapidly sink
to the position of condemned administra-
ton, with no future but to drift into oblivion
amid the contempt and aversion of the people.
This is fate that has befallen governments
more powerful and brilliant than that of Gen
eral Grant. Mr.. Gladstones fall is sugges-
tive example. The President owes it to him
20 hic olx cf~ HI hos ord
the warning voice of Connecticut, and he is
not the man to hear it in vain.
The first trouble with the President is that
in q matter as delicate as the finances his ad-
ministration has no power In representa-
tive government, elected by the people for the
people, nothing is more natural than that the
two branches of the government-the legisla-
tive and the executive-should be in harmony.
What harmony exists between the President
and Congress? In England, when great
financial measure is proposed the governm ent
takes the first step, and Parliament only acts
upon the ideas Of the Ministry. So it has
been with other administrations in this coun-
try No one doubted the views Of Jefferson on
aay important measure. Jackson's wishes on
the United States Bank were tumultuously
proclaimed. Mr.. Chase always impressed
his ideas upon Congress when Secretary Of
the Treasury. Yet at time like this,
when it is all-important that the government
should be in harmony with the Legislature
and have policy for good or for evil, we see
it drifting helplessly. There is . chasm be-
tween Congress and the President No one
knows what Mr.. Richardson wants, and we
never see the Secretary except when necessary
to explain some Sanborn contract or some of
Mr.. Jayne's revenue achievements. The ad-
ministration and the Legislature are wide
apart on these financial questions, and we
cannot but feel that the alienation is the fault
Of the government. When we have Treasury
Department without views or purpose, what
else can result but differences and eventual
discouragement in the minds of the people
and burning desire for changer
If there were any definite purpose in the
democratic party we could understand how its
leaders might take advantage of this derange-
ment and apathy and the mistakes of the ad-
ministration. The possession Of power is GER
tain to bring with il mistakes, and power in
time crumbles away. But, Notwithstanding
the incredible helplessness Of the Treasury,
there has never been a time when the
President could not arrest this crumbling
process. General Grant brought to the
Presidency great name, tremendous per-
sonality outside Of his Office. In this respect
he resembled Washington, Jefferson and Jack
son. He was not popular magistrate. Men
did not shout over him and women did not
give his name to their children. But he sue
ceeded in winning the common sense of the
country, and when he came before the people
for reelection he defeated, Overwhelmingly,
one of the most inustrious and widely known